Nicki Minaj praised her fans by calling them “beautiful” — but James Blunt couldn’t resist joining the fun, joking that she was “a little late to the party.”
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The “Super Bass” rapper responded to the “You’re Beautiful” singer with a lighthearted and playful comeback.
Nicki Minaj and James Blunt shared a lighthearted moment online after the rapper posted an encouraging message for her fans.
On Wednesday, Oct. 22, the 42-year-old Queen artist took to X to share a dose of positivity, writing, “Idk who needs to hear this, but you’re beautiful.”
Blunt, 51, playfully quoted her post with a cheeky remark, replying, “You’re a little late to the party.”
You’re a little slow to the party. https://t.co/3pRQmWryRA
— James Blunt (@JamesBlunt) October 23, 2025
Blunt’s witty response was a nod to his 2004 hit “You’re Beautiful,” a chart-topping single that dominated the Billboard Hot 100 and has since earned over 1 billion streams on Spotify.
Minaj took the joke in stride, replying with a playful “Touché.”
While the rapper laughed off the exchange, some of her devoted fans — known as the Barbz — quickly jumped to her defense online, until another user reminded them of Blunt’s famous association with the phrase.
Some X users were quick to explain that Blunt’s comment was all in good fun. “Y’all, how are you mad at this?” one person wrote. “It’s a joke because he had a really popular song called ‘You’re Beautiful.’”
Of course, plenty of Barbz had already caught on. “Lmaoooo wait, why was I about to swing?” one fan joked. “I just realized who this was.” Another added, “Lmao we were about to jump that man until we checked his profile.”
One fan even resurfaced another playful celebrity exchange involving Minaj — this time with John Mayer back in 2017. The Gravity singer tweeted, “I spend an inordinate amount of time per day wondering if Nicki Minaj would like me or not.” Minaj cheekily responded, “Would my body be your wonderland?” — a flirty nod to his hit song. Mayer replied, “Please hold, losing my s—,” clearly delighted by the interaction.
Though “You’re Beautiful” made Blunt an international star, the track has remained a divisive pop classic. Despite never again matching its massive success in the U.S., Blunt has embraced the “one-hit wonder” label with humor and pride.
In a June 2025 interview with PEOPLE, the singer said he doesn’t mind the title at all. “You have to understand — I’m so happy with that,” he shared. “I’ve been called a one-hit wonder by people who are none-hit wonders. So I’m thrilled with that.”
He continued, “If I ever start thinking I’m a big deal, you Americans can remind me, ‘You’re just a little one-hit wonder, James. Get back in your box.’ And that’s healthy.”
Blunt also expressed genuine gratitude for the song that launched his career. “I love that song. I’m so glad I wrote it,” he said. “I’m in a beautiful home because of it, and you and I are talking because of it. It’s the song I’ll always be known for — I’ll never top it.”