Nicki Minaj is extending some birthday love to Elon Musk, sharing an affectionate message and a smiling selfie that highlights their growing public rapport.
On Sunday (June 28), the Queens rapper took to X to wish the billionaire a happy birthday while praising him for what she called his efforts to protect free speech on the platform he acquired in 2022 and rebranded as X.
“Thank you for saving free speech, Elon,” Minaj wrote alongside the cozy photo. “Happy Birthday 🎉🎉🎉 Love always 🫶🏽 From Gag City & the Barbz! 🩷🎀.” The post has since racked up more than 2.6 million views and over 170,000 likes in less than 24 hours.
The selfie captures both stars beaming in a bright, modern industrial space. Musk appears relaxed in a black zip-up jacket, while Minaj shines with her signature bold style—vibrant red hair and glamorous makeup.
This latest tribute builds on Minaj’s recent visit to SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas. Last month, she made a surprise appearance during a livestream ahead of the company’s planned Starship V3 launch. On the broadcast, the rapper gave a major shoutout to Musk, telling viewers, “Thank you for everything you’re doing for humanity,” and urging her Barbz to tune in for the historic event.
Although that particular attempt was scrubbed due to technical issues, Minaj returned to X the following day to celebrate a successful SpaceX mission. “Let’s Go @SpaceX!!! You guys are pretty freaking amazing,” she posted. “Wow. Congratulations on the successful launch — and to many, MANY more.”
Minaj has emerged as one of the most active celebrity users on X, leveraging the platform to connect with fans, promote her music, and speak out on current events. In recent months, she has grown increasingly vocal about politics, citing personal experiences—including multiple swatting incidents and dealings with public officials—as factors that pushed her to share her perspectives more openly, as she detailed in a TIME interview.
Musk has long positioned free speech as a foundational value of X following his 2022 purchase of the former Twitter. Minaj’s public show of support underscores the unlikely intersections between music’s biggest stars and the tech world’s most influential figures, keeping fans and observers talking.
The interaction underscores Minaj’s continued influence beyond music, as one of the industry’s most prominent voices engages with major figures in tech and culture. As of Monday, the post continues to generate buzz across X, Instagram and entertainment news outlets.
