This story originally appeared on Them.
How’s this for a game of Gay Mad Libs? RuPaul’s Drag Race contestant Briar Blush has been engaged in a bitter, weeklong back-and-forth with rapper Azealia Banks on X.
The Twitter drama began with season 18 contestant Briar commenting on another female rapper, namely the MAGA-fied Nicki Minaj, who has been recently floated as a possible White House press secretary after the last person to fill the role, Katie Zacharia, only lasted five days.
On Sunday, Briar responded to a clip of Minaj appearing at an October 25 rally alongside President Donald Trump at which the “Beez in the Trap” rapper said, “We don’t want our children bombarded with sex changes, right?”
“Imagine my horror watching one of my GOATs become one of the most empty headed vapid fear mongering losers in real time,” Blush wrote. “I seriously defended her until I literally realized she has completely ruined her legacy and doesnt care about queer people.”
After Blush’s tweet went viral, Banks responded on Monday by intimating that Minaj has moved on because there’s no longer any money in supporting the LGBTQ+ community.
“Because theres no real money in Caring about Queer People anymore babe,” Banks wrote. “The Era of Code Red/GLAAD High Glamour/High Production/Life Ball DNC Liberal Wave Coin is gone!” She continued, “The budget for Female Pop Star support has been allotted to the doxy PrEP / estradiol manufacturing sector! Theres no budget suh!”
On Tuesday, Blush responded by calling Banks out on her ongoing support of Israel amid the war in Gaza. Aside from staging several concerts in Tel Aviv ,and her relocation to the country earlier this month, Banks has supported Israel on social media and claimed in March that she had been paid to promote and talk about the country on her channels.
“No shade Azealia maybe money is the determining factor for you to conduct yourself by flying and performing in countries committing mass genocide because you have reached a point were you no longer feel like you have a choice monetarily,” Blush said. “Nicki could have lived off what she had.” The Drag Race star continued, “However she still decided to promote propaganda towards trans folks in a country she cant even vote in!”
Banks replied to Blush’s post on Tuesday and swiped at the vocal support for Palestine among LGBTQ+ Americans in her remarks.
“For all of the hooting and hollering and ‘Gays for Palestine,’ activism you lot have done in the west, you forgot that in order to actually GO to Palestine, - YOU HAVE TO FLY INTO ISRAEL,” Banks wrote. “Lmfao bitch, im going to Bethlehem for Christmas.”
She continued, “I can actually GO to Israel because im not an anti-semite and i can actually GO to Palestine because im not a big greasy drag queen. WE ARE NOT THE SAME DARLING.”
Banks has previously gotten in rows with several Drag Race contestants with queens such as Monét X Change and Bob the Drag Queen speaking out against her frequently homophobic and transphobic tirades. The “212” rapper, who rose to fame in the early 2010s, has a history of beefs and controversial remarks, including racist, homophobic and transphobic comments. In 2016, for example, she called One Direction singer Zayn Malik a “curry-scented bitch” on Twitter. The microblogging platform suspended Banks in 2020 for transphobic comments, though she returned to the social media site when Elon Musk acquired it. There, her rhetoric has continued. In 2025, she called being trans or gay “not natural.”
In a lengthy response to Banks’ comments on Israel and Palestine, Blush continued, “Yes girl you have completely uprooted your life in the US to live over in a country that [is] so condemnable. Like of course you have privileges in that country that anyone vocal about how they treat innocent people would not have.”
She continued, “I may never be able to travel to Palestine, but I have the proper morals enough to know to turn down the gigs Ive been offered by the very people you know decide to align with yourself with because you believe it to be the most profitable life for you.”
Blush concluded, “We are not the same darling, I personally would never actively chose to have blood on my hands. and as an aside I can actually go to the 212 anytime i want. So have fun celebrating Christmas knowing each year of your life it gets lonelier. Meanwhile, my wonderful Jewish friends, partner, and I will be celebrating the holidays with love.”
In response, Banks said she was “not reading” Blush’s lengthy post and wrote, “I’ll vote for you to get your free aids pills or whatever.” (Banks has previously gone on rants in opposition to PrEP.)
“Not shocked,” Blush wrote. “You used to be able to write beautiful replies but with your mental decay you lost the ability to read years ago darling.” She continued, “Youre mad at god for giving you long ass arms, and youre mad at me for eating you up multiple times.”
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