New York Governor Kathy Hochul faced a direct question this week that mixed rap beef with a governor’s race: would she accept an endorsement from Cardi B after Nicki Minaj called her an “evil woman” on social media? Hochul’s answer was short, serious, and left little room for confusion. The exchange happened during a campaign stop on October 29, 2026, just days before New York voters head to the polls to choose between Hochul and Republican challenger Bruce Blakeman.
What Hochul Said About a Cardi B Endorsement
A reporter noted that people were publicly asking Cardi B to back the governor and asked Hochul whether she would welcome support from Minaj’s long-time rap rival. Hochul replied:
“You know, I don’t play games in this business. This is serious and if people want to support me, they’re welcome to.”
The governor did not stop there. Hochul pointed out that Minaj herself had endorsed her in 2018, when she ran for lieutenant governor on a ticket with Andrew Cuomo. That historical detail makes the current feud more layered than a simple celebrity disagreement. Minaj once urged New Yorkers to vote for the Cuomo-Hochul ticket, writing at the time that they “know how to work for the people to make NY even GREATER”.
How the Nicki Minaj Feud Started
Minaj posted a series of messages on X on October 28, 2026, attacking Hochul in blunt terms.
“Kathy Hochul is an evil woman. The Democratic Party should forfeit her seat because even if she wins, she will be of great consequence to them. Downward spiral for her. She will not escape God’s wrath. She did not denounce evil when she had the chance.”
Minaj’s posts came days after she appeared with President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Michigan, where Trump publicly praised her and she pledged her support for him. The rapper, who was born in Trinidad and grew up in Queens, has become a vocal supporter of Trump and Republican candidates during the 2026 midterm elections.
The “evil” label was tied to resurfaced comments from Hochul’s past. Minaj shared a clip of Hochul saying in 2024 that there were “Black kids growing up in the Bronx who don’t even know what the word ‘computer’” is. Hochul apologized for that remark the same day, saying, “I misspoke and I regret it”. Minaj also reposted a 2025 video of Hochul joking at a church about inflation relief checks: “Don’t stop by the liquor store, OK? Buy something for the kids”.
Hochul Fires Back at Minaj
Hochul did not let Minaj’s attack pass without a response. When reporters first read her the “evil woman” post, Hochul paused before answering.
“Well, maybe she oughta get outside and get offline a little more. And stop going to Trump rallies; it’s kinda poisoning your mind.”
The next day, Hochul sharpened the message. She said Minaj had been “poisoned by Donald Trump” and added that “too much time at Trump rallies is pretty bad for peoples’ mental health”. When asked directly what Minaj has against her, Hochul told The New York Post: “I’m not evil. I’m nice. I’m nice”.
Hochul also suggested that Minaj and other Trump supporters had been fed a version of the country that most Americans reject.
“Hopefully we can have a reawakening and people like her and others will realize that they were fed a vision of this country that is not what Americans feel.”
The Push for Cardi B to Step In
The Cardi B question did not come from nowhere. Brooklyn City Councilman Chi Osse, a Hochul supporter, posted on social media asking Cardi B to endorse the governor directly.
“We need you to endorse Kathy Hochul today. We can’t let a Republican become governor of New York.”
Cardi B has not publicly responded to that request. The Bronx-born rapper has worked with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on a 2-K childcare program and a jingle competition, a project backed by $73 million in state funding from Hochul’s administration. That working relationship gives the endorsement question a practical edge: Cardi B and Hochul are already connected through city and state programs, even without a formal political endorsement.
Bruce Blakeman Leans Into the Moment
Republican candidate Bruce Blakeman did not distance himself from Minaj’s attack. He praised the rapper and used the moment to criticize Hochul.
“I love it. I mean, Nicki Minaj is a great talent. She’s got a big following. And it’s more of Kathy Hochul’s divisiveness. I don’t think she likes people. She keeps the press away. She doesn’t engage with people.”
Blakeman also posted on X calling Minaj “probably the best female rapper of all time” while calling Hochul “the worst governor in the history of New York”. Minaj urged her followers to vote for Blakeman in her posts.
Mayor Mamdani Reacts to the Rap Beef
Mayor Zohran Mamdani was pulled into the discussion because of his work with Cardi B. Reporters asked him about the sudden collision of rap and local politics.
“I think it’s hard to believe that it’s all real. I have said it before that New York City loves and appreciates Cardi B, not only for the music that she has made, but also for her love of history and how passionate she is about so much of the politics that has helped to make this city what it is today.”
The 2018 Backstory That Explains the Split
The Minaj-Cardi B tension inside New York politics is not new. In 2018, Minaj endorsed the Cuomo-Hochul ticket in the Democratic primary. That endorsement may have pushed Cardi B toward Cynthia Nixon, who was challenging Cuomo from the left. The two rappers have been on opposite sides of New York Democratic politics before, even though their public feud is often framed only as a music-industry rivalry.
Eight years later, the sides have flipped in an unexpected way. Minaj is now backing a Republican for governor, while a Hochul supporter is publicly asking Cardi B to help the Democrat.
What the Governor’s Race Looks Like Right Now
Hochul and Blakeman are in the final days of a campaign that has been overtaken by celebrity headlines. Election Day is Tuesday, and early voting numbers are already climbing. The New York City Board of Elections reported 357,027 ballots cast as of late Thursday afternoon, a sharp increase over the same point in the previous cycle.
Hochul spent part of the week campaigning with Democratic congressional candidate Cait Conley in a bid to defeat Republican incumbent Mike Lawler in a nearby House race. Blakeman picked up an endorsement from Hispanic clergy in the Bronx, who prayed over him during a campaign event.
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The Cardi B endorsement question remains unanswered by Cardi B herself. Hochul’s answer, however, is now part of the record: she is open to support from anyone who wants to give it, and she is not treating the rap feud as a game.
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