Cardi B Slams Nicki Minaj's Brother, Says He 'Touches 12-Year-Olds': The Truth Behind His 25-Year Jail Sentence for Sexual Assault

The feud between Cardi B and Nicki Minaj escalated this week when Cardi made a post on X (formerly Twitter), which appears to be a sharp jibe at Nicki's brother Jelani Maraj.

The post, which said 'Your bro be touching 12 year olds,' revived focus on Maraj, who was convicted in 2017 of predatory sexual assault against a child and later sentenced to 25 years to life in prison.

The long-standing tension between Cardi and Nicki resurfaced after Nicki tweeted cryptic lyrics and price references tied to Cardi's new album, Am I the Drama?, implying shade and rivalry. In her replies, Cardi tightened the attacks, bringing in references to sexual-violence convictions in Nicki's family.

Who Is Jelani Maraj, and What Was He Convicted Of?

In January 2020, Jelani Maraj was sentenced to 25 years to life after being convicted in November 2017 of predatory sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child. According to reports, the 11-year-old victim was his own stepdaughter, and the abuse reportedly began in 2015. DNA evidence recovered from her pyjamas was tied to Maraj.

The judge also added a 364-day sentence for child welfare endangerment, to run concurrently.

During the trial, prosecutors presented testimony that the abuse occurred regularly over months, while Maraj's defence claimed the allegations were part of an extortion plot.

Minaj has spoken publicly about her brother's case in limited ways: during the trial, she reportedly wrote a letter to the judge describing him as 'the most patient, gentle ... selfless man I know.'

Haven't Nicki and Cardi Beefed Before?

The tension between the two rap stars dates back years. Their rivalry famously spilt into the open in September 2018 at the Harper's Bazaar ICONS party during New York Fashion Week. After disagreements over Minaj's verse on the Migos track MotorSport, things turned physical with Cardi allegedly throwing a shoe at Minaj. Variety reported at the time that Cardi left the party with a visible bump on her forehead.

Since then, their relationship has been frosty at best and hostile at worst.

What Resuscitated This Feud?

The latest round appears to have started when Minaj shaded Cardi's new album Am I the Drama?. In now-deleted posts, Minaj tweeted '$4.99,' mocking the album's promotional price, and twisted the lyrics of Cardi's song Magnet into a diss.

'Abcdefgeeeeeeee,' Minaj wrote, 'SUR GER REE TO LOOK LIKE MEEEEEE / tell the rat & tell J ZEEEEEE / Rico Fraud & PERJURY.'

She continued with another jab referencing Cardi's pregnancy: 'Abcdefgeeeeeeee / Fallin off the charts wit a big bellyyy / RUNNING TRAINS / Barefoot, still smellyyyyy / Still. You. Could. Not. outsell. Meeeeee.'

Cardi hit back, tweeting that 'there's nothing more annoying than a bored btch' and calling Minaj 'Cocaine Barbie.' Then she fired her sharpest shot yet — alluding to Minaj's family. Updating her Magnet lyrics, Cardi wrote about Minaj's husband, Kenneth Petty, a registered sex offender, and her brother, Jelani Maraj, who is serving a lengthy prison sentence.

'A B C D E F G / Your man have to snatch P***Y / Your bro be touching 12 year olds,' Cardi wrote.

A Beef That Shows No Signs of Cooling

From physical altercations at fashion shows to endless online spats, Cardi B and Nicki Minaj's feud has been one of hip hop's most dramatic rivalries. This time, though, it has spilt into deeply personal territory with family, children, and even criminal convictions being weaponised.

And now, Cardi appears to be taking things offline. In what she called her 'last response,' Cardi posted a lengthy message on X addressed to 'Onika Tanya Maraj,' accusing Minaj of unresolved trauma. 'I'm not throwing away my career and my endorsements going back and forth with words with a possessed drug addict. ILL SEE YOU WHEN I SEE YOU.'

Hence, whether the feud escalates further or simmers down remains to be seen.