Not a Good Look? Nicki Minaj Reportedly Splits with Longtime Hairstylist Kim Kimble and Glam Squad

The rumors began swirling when Minaj posted a video to social media earlier this week.

Itโ€™s been just over a week since the 2018 MTV Video Awardsโ€”and exactly a week since Nicki Minajโ€™s longtime hairstylist Kim Kimble engaged in a public tรชte-ร -tรชte with Cardi Bโ€™s mane man, Tokyo Stylez, after the latter insulted Minajโ€™s VMA hairstyle. In the aftermath, it seems the fur kept flying, since as of Monday, it suddenly appears Minaj has re-staffed her glam squad.

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The rumors began swirling when Minaj posted a video to social media earlier this week which showed her in the process of prepping for an unidentified appearance. Her unicorn-colored wig was being curled by a stylist who was clearly not Kimble. The lucky guy? SZAโ€™s go-to artist Tae, apparently wooed away (at least temporarily) by Minaj, who cryptically asked her followers to โ€œWelcome him to the Kingdom, yโ€™all.โ€

Tae was far less coy about the opportunity to work with Minaj, posting multiple expressions of gratitude to God and his newest celebrity client, writing: โ€œIf anybody knows me knows I always say โ€œI WANNA SLAY NICKI, I WANNA BE NICKI HAIR STYLISTโ€ n now look.โ€

No word on whether the personnel change will be permanent, but Kimble and Minaj have reportedly unfollowed each other on social mediaโ€”and thatโ€™s not all: popular makeup artist and Instagram personality Aaliyah Jay appears to have taken the place of beloved artist Sheiks in Minajโ€™s camp, not only garnering credit for the makeup in Minajโ€™s post, but writing her own Instagram caption:

โ€œ[I]snโ€™t it crazy how much of a Nicki fan I am and now Iโ€™m spending my days and nights with her, working on amazing things.โ€

Surprisingly, these new hires come after a longstanding and seemingly successful creative collaboration between Kimble, Sheiks and Minaj, which recently included a July cover of Elle magazine, an August cover of Harperโ€™s Bazaar Russia, and Minajโ€™s first-ever September cover for Vogue Arabia.

But of course, the reshuffling also comes amidst several weeks of complaints, controversies and conspiracy theories from Minaj, during which sheโ€™s compared herself to Harriet Tubman and publicly implicated and insulted fellow artists, record execs and even Travis Scott and Kylie Jennerโ€™s baby daughter as the cause for the second place debut of her latest and heavily-promoted album, Queen.

The turmoil surrounding the album has led several to speculate that the upheaval in Minajโ€™s glam squad is yet another attempt to assign blame for what she considers an underperforming releaseโ€”or, at worst, a publicity stunt that may have now cost several people their jobs (no word on whether a new wardrobe stylist is on board, as well).

Regardless, Minaj worked with some of the best; and should the rumors prove true, we have no doubt that like her, theyโ€™ll be just fine, as she isnโ€™t the only celebrity on their rosters. We just wishโ€”for everyoneโ€™s sakeโ€”that it hadnโ€™t played out so publicly. Because frankly, itโ€™s not a good look.

(Updated 3/3/22 with new details)

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