Entertainment
Nicki Minaj faces backlash for Qatar World Cup song as fans urge her to reconsider over human rights concerns-Rachael O'Connor-Entertainment – Metro
The star has been teasing that she’s involved in the 2022 World Cup theme song
Nicki Minaj fans are pleading with the star not to take part in the theme song for the 2022 World Cup (Picture: Invision)
Nicki Minaj is facing backlash from fans for appearing in the World Cup 2022 theme song.
The Superbass chart-topper is seemingly set to appear on track Tukoh Taka alongside musicians Maluma and Myriam Fase, which will act as the theme song for this year’s event, held in Qatar.
Qatar’s hosting of the World Cup is proving massively controversial thanks to the country’s human rights abuses, with homosexuality illegal and migrant workers mistreated and even killed while building the infrastructure for the event.
Minaj had teased new music to do with the World Cup earlier this month, including by posting an image of football boots making up the date November 18 and featuring her, Maluma and Myriam’s names.
Should she perform on the World Cup theme song, she would be the first female rapper to ever do so, however many fans are unhappy with the idea.
Twitter users have flocked to the platform in recent days pleading with the Young Money rapper not to take part in the event, with many pointing to the country’s hardline stance against same-sex relationships.
The rap icon recently teased she’d be appearing on the theme song alongside two other musicians (Picture:Variety via Getty Images)
‘Nicki Minaj doing a song for the Qatar cup when that country is violently homophobic and against the rights of LGBTQ+ is something, especially considering majority of her fanbase are apart of that community,’ one user raged.
Another criticised the star by writing: ‘proclaiming she loves her gay fan base and talking about women empowerment and liberation and now performing for #WorldCup2022 in Qatar… lack of coherence girl, check your values up.’
One disappointed fan added: ‘not sure if you’re aware but your LGBTQ+ supporters from qatar are in danger and you’re funding and standing by their disgusting views. qatar was voted as the one of the worst places in the world to be gay. homosexuality is illegal and punishable by imprisonment.’
The World Cup has been hit with protests and controversy as its held in a country known for its strict anti-LGBTQ+ stance (Picture: EPA)
Another wrote simply: ‘Boycott this song.’
It comes after pop icon Dua Lipa released a statement denying she would be performing at the World Cup, citing the country’s human rights concerns.
The singer stated she would not be visiting the host nation until they amended their country’s human rights policies, which currently rule homosexuality illegal and punishable by imprisonment.
Fellow star Dua Lipa recently dismissed rumours she would be performing at the event, saying she looked forward to visit ‘when it has fulfilled [its] human rights pledges’ (Picture: Future Publishing via Getty)
‘There is currently a lot of speculation that I will be performing at the opening ceremony of the world cup in Qatar,’ Dua wrote.
‘I will not be performing and nor have I ever been involved in any negotiation to perform.’
She continued on her Instagram Story: ‘I will be cheering England on from afar and I look forward to visiting Qatar when it has fulfilled all the human rights pledges it made when it won the right to host the World Cup.’
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Alongside Dua, other favourites for the opening performance included the K-pop band BTS and World Cup regular, Shakira.
Metro.co.uk has contacted reps for Nicki Minaj for comment
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MORE : Nicki Minaj teases World Cup song with Maluma and Myriam Fares with cryptic post
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