Rapper Nicki Minaj endured a storm of criticism Monday after posting an Instagram video that some took to be mocking a mentally ill woman on a South Beach street in Miami.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness told TMZ: “Nobody would make fun of a cancer patient, and mental illness is an illness like any other.”
The New York Daily News noted that Minaj is seen laughing from a car window and yelling for the shouting woman to come back and talk to her.
“Countless commenters attacked Minaj over the post and claimed that the woman — who allegedly frequents the street daily — is mentally ill, according to local residents,” the paper said.
“I love how you think this is appropriate to show all the young followers that look up to you… that dehumanizing is ok and bullying… then you have the nerve to laugh… smh,” one commenter wrote.
Another added, “What is wrong with you dumb a– celebrities talking people down and being disrespectful to people. Oh just because you’re famous that gives you a right to humiliate someone, um I think not. Grow up.”
Spin.com said: “Minaj appears to have posted the video for entertainment; she captioned it with a laughing-crying emoji, and she starts laughing toward the end.”