Dr. Umar Johnson who appeared on The Art of Dialogue podcast, shares his perspective on Nicki Minaj’s surprise appearance at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest, describing it as what he calls “the Candace Owens effect.”
According to Dr. Umar, Nicki Minaj rose to prominence through hip-hop—a genre rooted in Black culture—only to later turn her back on that same culture through her prominence to, which he argues was symbolized by her appearance at AmericaFest.
The Pan-African speaker went on to discuss Candace Owens’ background, referencing her time as a student in Stamford, Connecticut, where she reportedly faced racial harassment. He noted that her family, along with the NAACP, later filed a lawsuit against the school district, which resulted in a settlement of approximately $37,000. Dr. Umar contends that, despite this experience, Owens went on to marry a white man and support political figures and policies he describes as racist.
He also criticized Owens for defending Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, whom Dr. Umar has characterized as racist based on what he describes as Kirk’s negative views toward Black culture and past remarks suggesting that Black women—such as television presenter Joy Reid, former First Lady Michelle Obama, former U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas, and Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson—lacking the brain processing power to be taken seriously.
The 43-year-old has faced significant backlash, mostly from the Black community, following her recent onstage appearance alongside Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, at AmericaFest, where she praised President Trump and Vice President JD Vance. She later deactivated her Instagram account amid the ongoing criticism.
Thoughts?
