Why are Nicki Minaj’s fans defending her Maga shift? | Tayo Bero

The Barbz have built a parasocial relationship with the rapper - in some cases to their own detriment

Nicki Minaj is back doing PR for Donald Trump, and it's messier than ever. Last week, she appeared at a treasury department summit in Washington DC to show support for Trump accounts, a new kind of investment account designed to provide eligible American children with tax-advantaged investment accounts courtesy of President Donald J. Trump", according to a government website.

The most disappointing part of the rapper's recent turn toward Maga, though, is how her stans - a significant portion of whom are Black and queer - are responding. After the summit, Minaj's followers defended her online and even helped push Trump's agenda. In a society full of hate and division, supporting Nicki Minaj is reminding people to see past political differences and see the human in one another," one supporter wrote. Oh brother. Minaj is a perfect example of the cult of celebrity, the dangers of modern fan culture and how celebrity worship can intersect with politics in truly dangerous ways.

Tayo Bero is a Guardian US columnist