Journalist Don Lemon has encouraged Black and LGBTQ communities to stop supporting Nicki Minaj’s music following what he described as a homophobic outburst aimed at him over the weekend.

The Starships rapper went on a public rant directed at the former CNN presenter on X on Sunday, attacking him over a report he filed from a controversial protest held inside a church in Minnesota and using offensive language while calling for his arrest.

Lemon, who is openly gay, addressed what he described as Minaj’s aggressive and homophobic remarks in a TikTok video shared on Monday.

In the clip, he criticised her understanding of the issue, accusing her of speaking on matters she did not grasp and describing her comments as deeply prejudiced.

He went on to urge people to withdraw their support, saying that Black listeners and gay fans alike should reconsider buying her music and choosing to back her publicly.

The Pound the Alarm artist has drawn criticism in recent months for her political positioning, including aligning herself with Republican figures and publicly praising U.S. President Donald Trump.

In December, she made an unexpected appearance at an event hosted by Turning Point USA, a group known for promoting conservative views, and later took part in an onstage conversation with Erika Kirk, the widow of slain political commentator Charlie Kirk.

Earlier on Sunday, Lemon had shared a video on his YouTube channel reporting from inside a Minneapolis church, where a protest took place amid ongoing controversy surrounding the death of Renee Good, who was shot and killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent earlier this month. One of the church’s pastors has reportedly been linked to ICE.

The journalist’s coverage appeared to trigger Minaj’s online response, which quickly spread across social media.

Speaking separately to TMZ, Lemon argued that Minaj lacks an understanding of both journalism and politics.

He added that he was not shocked by her comments, claiming she often involves herself in complex issues for political convenience and insisting that she regularly speaks on topics she does not fully understand, before telling her to step back from the conversation entirely.