Guardian Media has released a statement on the recent Nicki Minaj drama, alleging that one of their journalists had received death threats.
Minaj took to her Instagram Stories on Friday, calling out two reporters who had been trying to track down her cousin’s friend after the singer claimed his testicles had swollen after receiving the Covid vaccine.
In the DMs, Sharlene Rampersad of the Trinidad Guardian appears to be slightly pushing, alluding to a possible leak of his home address. Here are the texts allegedly sent by the journalist:
“Hi good day.”
“My name is Sharlene Rampersad, I am a reporter with Guardian Media.”
“I was hoping to speak to you for an article.”
“Would that be possible?”
“Was it your friend Nicki was speaking about in her tweet?
“Mr Daniel?”
The reporter also allegedly wrote, “CNN is in the country looking for you”.
“And when they find you, they won’t hesitate to reveal where you live or where your gf lives … anything and anyone who is tied to you.”
“If you speak to me, we won’t reveal those details.”
Minaj posted the screenshots along with a message for Rampersad:
“Sharlene Rampersad B—CH YOUR DAYS ARE F—KING NUMBERED YOU DIRTY H-E,” Minaj wrote on Instagram.
Guardian Media quickly issued the following statement:
“Today, in the legitimate pursuit of a story that has both local and international interest, one of our journalists has been subjected to a range of attacks via social media including death threats. This is unacceptable and we have taken all measures within our control to ensure her safety and security,” the statement reads.
“At Guardian Media Ltd. we denounce intimidation of journalists in any form. Balanced reporting which presents all perspectives is fundamental to the democratic process and we will continue to champion vigorously the freedom of the press.
The statement continued: “The use of aggression on social media to intimidate can have adverse physical and psychological effects on people. As a responsible media house, we encourage others to stand up against this type of behaviour as we can all make a difference in addressing this global challenge posed by the pervasive nature of social media.”
Nicki Minaj is yet to respond.
