Nicki Minaj marked Elon Musk’s birthday with a heartfelt tribute and a new selfie of the pair.
On Saturday (June 27), the rapper took to X — the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, which Musk acquired in 2022 — to celebrate the billionaire entrepreneur’s birthday while thanking him for what she called “saving free speech” on the platform.
“Thank you for saving free speech, Elon,” Minaj wrote alongside a smiling selfie of the two. “Happy Birthday Love always From Gag City & the Barbz! “
Nicki Minaj’s birthday tribute reflects the growing public friendship between the rapper and Elon Musk. Last month, the Queens native made a surprise appearance at SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas, during a livestream for the company’s planned Starship V3 launch.
During the broadcast, Minaj praised Musk, saying: “Major shout out to Elon. Thank you for everything you’re doing for humanity.” She also encouraged the Barbz to tune in for what she described as a historic event.
Although the launch was ultimately called off due to technical issues, Minaj returned to X the following day to celebrate SpaceX’s successful mission. “Lets’s Go @SpaceX!!! You guys are pretty freaking amazing. Wow. Congratulations on the successful launch — and to many, MANY more,” she wrote.
Minaj has become one of the platform’s most active celebrity users, regularly connecting with fans, promoting her music, and sharing her thoughts on current events.
In recent months, she has also spoken more openly about politics, explaining in a TIME interview that experiences such as repeated swatting incidents and interactions with public officials influenced her decision to become more vocal about her views.
Musk, who acquired Twitter in 2022 before rebranding it as X, has repeatedly emphasized that protecting free speech remains one of the platform’s core principles.
