Nicki Minaj calls Steven Tyler racist in Twitter spat

Nicki Minaj performing at Vector Arena. Photo/Neville Marriner

Nicki Minaj has slammed Steven Tyler as a hypocrite and a racist in a series of tweets sent after the Aerosmith star criticised her role as an American Idol judge.

Tyler, who left Idol after last season, criticised his replacement Minaj for what he sees as an unnecessarily harsh judging style in a recent interview with MTV.

"These kids, they just got out of a car from the Midwest somewhere and they're in New York City, they're scared to death; you're not going to get the best [out of them]. ... If it was Bob Dylan, Nicki Minaj would have had him sent to the cornfield! Whereas, if it was Bob Dylan with us, we would have brought the best of him out, as we did with Phillip Phillips. Just saying," he said.

Tyler also advised Minaj to make up with her fellow judge Mariah Carey after the pair fell out earlier this year.

An angry Minaj responded to the interview on Twitter earlier today.

"Steven Tyler said I would have sent Bob Dylan to a cornfield? Steven, you haven't seen me judge one single solitary contestant yet," she wrote.

"I understand you really wanted to keep your job but take that up with the producers. I haven't done anything to you. That's a racist comment.

"You assume that I wouldn't have liked Bob Dylan? Why? Black? Rapper? What? Go f**k yourself and worry about yourself babe."

Minaj then implied Tyler was a hypocrite for aiming criticism at her.

"When Steven 1st went on Idol he was ridiculed by his peers & fans alike. Called a sell out. So what does he do? Ridicule the next judge (sic)."

Tyler hasn't responded to any of the tweets.

Minaj played at Vector Arena in Auckland last week.

- Herald Online