Valentine’s Day took a turn from romantic to ridiculous when Ming Lee, Nicki Minaj’s 19-year-old half-sister, unveiled a fresh face tattoo of her boyfriend Tommy’s name right on her cheek— a bold, in-your-face declaration that’s ignited a firestorm of family drama, clout-chasing accusations, and unexpected Cardi B connections. The stunt, shared in a cheeky Instagram video captioned “Happy Valentine’s Day twin. A win is a win and you know we always going to be okay. I love you,” shows Ming grinning in a salon chair as the artist etches “Tommy” in elegant script. But at 34, Tommy’s no teen heartthrob—he’s Cardi B’s ex, making this ink a petty plot twist in rap’s endless beefs. Nicki, who’s long shaded Ming’s career moves, hasn’t commented yet, but fans are buzzing: Is this Ming’s desperate grab for relevance, or a genuine love note that’s just bad timing?
Ming Lee—born Ming Sze to Nicki’s dad Robert Maraj and his second wife—has been Nicki’s shadow since bursting onto the scene as a teen, trading on her sister’s Barbz loyalty for TikTok fame and music dreams. At 19, she’s carved a niche as the “untalented clout chaser” in Nicki’s orbit, a label the Queen of Rap hasn’t shied from slapping on. Back in 2023, during the Megan Thee Stallion feud, Ming sided with Meg on a podcast, declaring she was “done being known as Nicki’s little sister” and focusing on her own music. “I don’t have hate towards her,” Ming said on We In Miami, “but siblings gonna fight.” Nicki clapped back hard: “Why would a person speak on a person they love? Why interview about someone in your line of work?” Ouch. The Barbz ate it up, dubbing Ming a “mooch” chasing Nicki’s glow without the grind.
Fast-forward to Ming’s V-Day video, and the shade sharpens. Tommy, 34 and fresh off his Cardi chapter, isn’t just any beau—he’s a walking diss track. Cardi, who dated Tommy in the early 2010s, has thrown subtle jabs at exes in her bars, and fans are connecting dots: Is Ming’s tattoo a low-key Cardi troll, or pure coincidence? The video’s salon glamour—complete with Ming’s “twin” caption—screams stunt, especially after her Baddies audition beg. Just weeks ago, Ming cornered Zeus CEO Lemuel Plummer and Natalie Nunn at an event, pleading for a spot on Baddies Gone Wild. “You ready to go to Brazil?” Natalie teased, and Ming jumped: “I’m want to go!” Plummer hesitated—”She shouldn’t be attached to Nicki’s name”—but Natalie greenlit it. Now, Ming’s on the show, scrapping with grown women half-naked, proving Nicki’s “clown” callout prophetic.
The tattoo timing? Peak pettiness. Ming’s been clout-hunting since her 2023 podcast pity party, where she whined about growing up in projects while Nicki reigned as a rap titan. “People used to clown me… ‘If this person was your sister, why didn’t she do this?'” Ming lamented, admitting she craved Nicki’s pride but felt it elusive. “I always had this urge to impress her.” Nicki, mid-tour, exploded: “Talent like you could catch it like a cold? Or maybe people could pass it through the genes… What God has given to me is mine—you have to go and get your own.” Savage. Ming doubled down: “I still love her… but I got to please God first cuz only he can judge the gift he gave me.” Fans sided with Nicki: “Ming’s embarrassing her family… act like you have some damn sense.”
But Ming’s chaos predates the tat. In 2023, she fueled abandonment rumors, claiming Nicki left her in the dust despite millions in potential help. “She was a good sister… but we was never close,” Ming said, hinting at distance amid Nicki’s empire-building. Nicki, ever the queen, shaded back: “Being a mooch and a clown don’t run in my DNA.” The Barbz feasted, but Ming persisted—flop tracks, TikTok thirst traps, and now Baddies brawls. Her “independence” flex? Rejecting Nicki’s school push for “street life” vibes, per insiders. “Nicki was ready to invest millions if she dropped the BS and went to college,” a source spills. “Ming refused—wanted the fast lane.”
Tommy’s role? A plot twist from rap’s romance roulette. Cardi dated him pre-fame, a chapter she’s alluded to in bars like “Bodak Yellow.” Ming’s tat? Fans cry “revenge porn for clout,” especially after Ming’s Cardi shade during the Nicki-Megan war. “Ming’s not even in the line of work,” Nicki jabbed—yet here she is, inking Cardi’s ex. The video’s “win is a win” caption? Salt in the wound, or Ming’s misguided “glow-up”?
Nicki’s silence speaks volumes. Touring queens don’t tweet every troll, but insiders say she’s “done” with Ming’s antics. “Nicki cut her off until she gets her life together,” a friend claims. Ming’s Baddies bow? A low blow—Nicki’s feuded with Zeus over Baddies’ “trash” rep. Plummer’s “don’t use Nicki’s name” dig? Ming’s retort: “I’m telling you let me.” The show’s Brazil Brazil shoot? Ming’s “half-naked” scraps already viral, proving her “clout chaser” crown.
The Minaj-Maraj saga? A half-sib soap opera. Ming, born to Robert’s second wife, grew up idolizing Nicki but resenting the gap: projects poverty vs. rap riches. “I never needed her to help me get to my goal,” Ming said, “just her pride.” Nicki’s “don’t mooch” mic drop? A queen’s crown for her throne. Fans split: Barbz back Nicki (“Ming’s embarrassing the legacy”), while others pity Ming’s “hard-knock” hustle.
Is Tommy a sugar daddy or soulmate? At 34 to her 19, the age gap echoes Nicki’s past shade (“PDF file”). Ming’s “my love” birthday post? Clout or conviction? The tat’s permanence? A cry for attention or a forever vow? With Cardi lurking, this could spark a three-way beef. Ming’s “twin” caption? Twin trouble for the Minaj brand.
The fallout? Ming’s Baddies bow might boost her, but Nicki’s silence screams disapproval. “Siblings gonna fight,” Ming shrugged—yet this feud’s family fireworks. From Lake Elsinore lows to Hollywood highs, Ming’s chasing Nicki’s crown, but the thorns are sharp. As V-Day ink fades, one question lingers: Will Ming mooch or make it? The Barbz wait—spill your take in the comments.
