The Queen of Rap, Dr. Nicki Minaj
Celebrities ought to recognize the scope of their influence, use platforms mindfully
Nicki Minaj’s cousin’s friend was not feelin’ himself a few mornings ago when he woke up with swollen testicles. Last week, the queen herself took to Twitter to deliver her official diagnosis: the unusual ailment, she claimed, is a result of the COVID-19 vaccine.
To sum up another odd Twitter debate, Nicki Minaj announced that she would not be attending the 2021 Met Gala because the event required guests to be vaccinated. Citing the unlucky man whose testicles have been the subject of international attention, Minaj disparaged the vaccine, announcing that she needs to do more research before receiving it.
Minaj seems to honestly believe that what happened to her cousin’s friend is a side effect of the COVID-19 vaccine. The tweet prompted the White House to offer her a call to discuss the safety and efficacy of vaccines. Later, Dr. Anthony Fauci and Trinidad & Tobago Health Minister Dr. Terrence Deyalsingh concluded that Minaj’s tweet had “no evidence” to be true.
In spite of these medical professionals’ best myth-busting attempts, her tweet circulated the Internet, influencing others about vaccine politics through misinformation. Given her follower count, Minaj’s influence on social media is arguably even more impactful than the influence from a medical professional.
Though every celebrity is also a citizen entitled to an opinion, they shouldn’t disregard the influence they hold over the public. Nicki Minaj is a talented musical artist—not a doctor. Therefore, she does not hold any legitimate authority to deter others from receiving vaccines.
Minaj obviously does not acknowledge her influence, which is why this misinformation spread rapidly over the Internet. It's essential that the reliability of a source is not determined by follower count or superficial social influence. Equating fame with reliability spurs the spread of misinformation and feeds problematic conspiracy theories. Regardless of Minaj’s intentions, her tweet has consequences that took advantage of her following.
Minaj’s comment is damaging to the progress that the world has been making to increase vaccination rates. It lends an excuse or false reasoning for some people to refrain from getting vaccinated, even though her tweet, according to medical professionals, is false.
Celebrities acting as reliable sources for medical advice throughout the entire pandemic has produced more drama and misinformation than actual benefits. Minaj has 23 million followers, and every follower who saw that tweet (somewhere in the millions) was fed misinformation on the vaccine, which has the potential to affect their decision-making.
Misinformation exploits those who are not informed themselves. Influential celebrities need to have evidence to back their claims. Otherwise, it’s better left unsaid.
From a different perspective, the fact that the White House is concerned enough about Nicki Minaj’s comments to reach out reveals that followers are impressionable. Despite how many different theories on COVID-19 vaccines have spread throughout this pandemic, the public also has a responsibility to research and make the effort to think beyond the advice of favorite celebrities.
We have seen this trend before when celebrities endorsed horse dewormer as a form of protection against the virus. There was no medical research or data to back the claims, but horse dewormers still sold out in stores across the country. Evidently, celebrity tweets are not inconsequential; they can mobilize others to follow their own misguided and potentially harmful actions.
In sum, it’s fair to say that Barbz flags are flying at half mast, as this was certainly embarrassing for Minaj to tweet. Now more than ever, it's vital that celebrities do not undermine doctors and that Internet users are not too quick to believe everything they see.