Doing your COVID test in the bathroom is one thing. Doing it in the toilet is another (and experts don't recommend it.)
Willie B. Thomas / Getty Images
If you're feeling sick, it can be frustrating to see a negative COVID test result.
Some people say they only get an accurate COVID test result if they swab their feces.
We asked experts about this approach.
If you have COVID, there are plenty of reasons a standard nose swab test may not turn positive.
Maybe you tested too early. Maybe your viral load is so low it isn't detectable. Maybe you have some otherwintry viral illness. Or, maybe you just didn't get the testing procedure quite right.
But some people who test negative for COVID aren't taking no for an answer.
Recently, some social media users feeling sick and testing negative on nose and throat tests say they're turning their swabs on their other end. By testing their own stool, they're finally getting positive COVID results, right out of the toilet.
Yes, there is COVID in your stool
A positive poo sample doesn't necessairily mean you have an active COVID infection.
Getty Images
It's true that COVID, like many illnesses, can be tracked through our poo, but experts agree it's a bad practice to use home test kits that way.
"While we use stool on a population level, the individual-level implications are unclear," public health expert Katelyn Jetelina, who runs the popular "Your Local Epidemiologist" newsletter, told Business Insider.
First, COVID can linger in your poop long after you've recovered. One 2022 study suggested that about 13% of people who'd had COVID were still shedding the virus in their stool four months later, long past when their nose and throat swabs turned negative.
In other words, it's entirely possible to test positive for COVID via a poop sample even if you're COVID-negative. You may actually have some other active viral illness, and are simply still shedding a little COVID in your poop from a coronavirus infection you had many moons ago.
It is also possible to have a very mild COVID infection, so mild as to be undetectable on a rapid test. This may be more likely if you've built up immunity through a recent COVID infection or vaccine. While this probably means you are less infectious to others, it's not an iron-clad guarantee you won't transmit your illness to someone else who's vulnerable.
COVID tests are still not very precise
"This rumor is an underlying signal that people want and need better tools," Jetelina said.
Reliable, affordable, and precise tools that can tell us exactly what kind of infection we have, whether it's COVID, the flu, RSV, or something else, are still a dream.
But the bottom line still remains: if you feel sick, you probably are. Basic, old-school precautions like good handwashing, isolation (when possible), masking up if you have to be in close quarters with others, and allowing your body some time to rest and recover are all still helpful behaviors that can reduce the impact of a viral illness on yourself, and on others.
The economic impact of the 2023 Mardi Gras celebration was $891 million, according to a new study.
That is nearly double the amount estimated for 2014's Mardi Gras.
Mardi Gras's economic impact on New Orleans rivals that of last year's biggest sporting events.
Mardi Gras kicks off on February 13, and the money it's expected to bring to the New Orleans area is close to what some of the biggest sports events funneled into host cities last year.
According to a study by Tulane economics professor Toni L. Weiss published in January, the economic impact of the 2023 Mardi Gras celebration was $891 million. That is nearly double the amount Weiss estimated for 2014's Mardi Gras, $465 million, which was the last time she conducted the study.
Weiss attributes this change to the growth of Mardi Gras between 2014 and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and believes the event will resume its expansion. As more people flocked to the area, more events were created.
"The economic impact of Mardi Gras continued to grow as the local and national economy was expanding," Weiss told Business Insider. "Parades grew in number and length, and more celebrants came to New Orleans during the Mardi Gras season."
The full economic impact of Mardi Gras also extends to the local krewes — the social organizations that stage the parades — who spend all year putting time and money into preparing for the nearly 40 parades and other events, Weiss said.
The estimated economic impact of last year's Mardi Gras is also $411 million more than the city's last Super Bowl in 2013, which brought in $480 million, according to the University of New Orleans.
Mardi Gras's economic impact on New Orleans is starting to rival that of last year's biggest sporting events in the US. For example, the 2023 Super Bowl in Glendale, Arizona, was estimated to be worth $1.3 billion to the local economy. What's more, the Las Vegas Grand Prix Formula 1 race in November 2023 was also projected to have a $1.3 billion economic impact on the region.
A Mardi Gras float during one of the event's many parades.
ERIKA GOLDRING/Getty Images
The economic impact is bigger than just 2 weeks
Weiss believes the estimates in her study are lower than the real economic impact because tourists flock to the city throughout the year for the lore of Mardi Gras.
"When looking at the brand value, tourists come to New Orleans throughout the year because of the aura, mystic, etc., of Mardi Gras," Weiss said. "You can see that when you see non-locals walking around with Mardi Gras beads in July. Visitors are drawn
to New Orleans even in the offseason, captivated by the Mardi Gras legacy."
Additionally, business conventions that come to the city throughout the year still want the Mardi Gras experience and add to the city's financial boost by putting on mini Mardi Gras events, Weiss said.
Most Mardi Gras visitors come from other states.
ERIKA GOLDRING/Getty Images
According to a small 2023 Tulane University survey cited in Weiss's study, only 14% of 297 respondents celebrating the event were from the New Orleans area. Tourists from another state represented 62% of those surveyed, and 2% were from another country.
Additionally, out-of-town visitors are believed to have spent more than $140 million during Mardi Gras, including $84 million on lodging.
The study concluded that the city of New Orleans brought in $2.64 for every $1 invested in the festival, including more than $18 million in taxes related to Mardi Gras spending.
Moody's Analytics currently predicts that Biden will narrowly win reelection in November.
One of the key points for their model is an expectation that gas prices will remain largely stable.
The economists caution a slight surge in prices could shift expectations towards a Trump victory.
Moody's Analytics currently has President Joe Biden as a slight favorite to win reelection this November, but the prominent economic research firm says just a slight difference in volatile gas prices could doom his chances.
"President Biden's expected re-election rests in part on gasoline prices remaining in the $3 per gallon range," Moody's economists Mark Zandi, Brendan Lacerda, and Justin Begley wrote in their report. "All else equal, if gas prices surge back close to $4 per gallon, [former President Donald] Trump will win."
The trio of economists gasoline prices to tick up slightly from the current national average, which is around $3.15, according to GasBuddy. Moody's says that Americans could pay closer to $3.50 by Election Day.
"Biden gets a small tailwind from the year-over-year decline in gasoline prices, but the expected late-2024 increase erodes much of the benefit," the economists wrote. "Having said this, forecasting oil prices is especially difficult, and if prices move up much more than anticipated, the damage to Biden's reelection bid will quickly mount."
Biden's presidency has endured major shocks in the oil market, which have sent gas prices as high as $5 a gallon in the summer of 2022. Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine and production cuts by OPEC countries wreaked havoc on the market.
Still, the economists caution that predicting the oil market is "especially difficult." Weather, in particular, hurricanes can cause prices to spike. Their prediction is slightly higher than GasBuddy's. The popular gas-pricing app said in its 2024 outlook that gas prices could average $3.15 in November with a potential range of $2.99-$3.31.
As for Moody's Analytics' overall projection, their model, which accounts for both economic and political factors, currently has Biden winning 308 electoral votes in a nearly identical repeat of 2020. Their prediction does call for Trump to win Arizona and for Biden to flip North Carolina, both states the other candidate narrowly carried last time around.
It is worth noting that Trump is not yet the presumptive GOP nominee given that so few delegates have been awarded. Nonetheless, top GOP officials are increasingly saying that former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley has little chance of surpassing Trump.
Political election forecasters, such as Nate Silver, have long been dismissive of pure economic models that rely on only one or two macro variables to predict the presidency.
Moody's model is much broader than that, but as the agency points out it failed to accurately predict the 2020 election, which to be fair did feature unprecedented elements such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Joel Freudman and his wife visited Florida many times during their childhoods. But when the Canadians vacationed in the state two years ago, they decided that this time, they'd stick around.
In February 2022, they traveled to the Sunshine State to escape the Toronto winter and the tail end of the city's COVID-19 lockdowns, Freudman said. They planned to work remotely in Florida untill the end of March.
But their plans soon changed.
"Within a month, we were looking into Florida neighborhoods and were going to either rent long-term or buy," the 38-year-old told Business Insider.
They decided to buy a home in the Fort Lauderdale area, and by that August, they'd said goodbye to Toronto.
Freudman is one of many people who have moved to Florida in recent years. The state's population grew 1.9% from 2021 to 2022, according to Census Bureau estimates, making it the fastest-growing state in the country. Warm weather, more affordable housing, and the lack of a state income tax are among the perks drawing movers to Florida. But some newcomers say there are also downsides to the Sunshine State, including high insurance and healthcare costs, severe weather, and a "vacation feel" that eventually wears off.
While Freudman and his wife Eva don't regret their move, he said they're torn on whether they want to stay in Florida long-term, particularly if they have children.
Business Insider asked him what the biggest pros and cons have been of his Canada-to-Florida move.
Florida has warm weather, cheaper housing, and is good for business
Freudman said the weather is the biggest edge Florida has over Canada.
"The colorful environment in South Florida, compared to the cold, sunless gray of Toronto during winter, is a game changer," he said, adding, "My wife loves going for a beach walk most mornings."
Florida has also been beneficial for his career. Freudman, the founder of a merchant bank, said South Florida is filled with "great small businesses and entrepreneurs" that he's been able to connect with. Florida had the third-highest rate of new business formations per capita in 2022, according to the Economic Innovation Group.
While housing in the Fort Lauderdale area is more expensive than in some areas of the US, Freudman said it's generally more affordable than in Toronto. The typical Toronto home costs about $816,000 compared to $784,000 in Fort Lauderdale, and it's even cheaper in Wilton Manors, the Fort Lauderdale "suburb" where the couple technically resides.
Freudman also looks forward to benefiting from Florida's lack of a state income tax in the years ahead. He said other pros of the Fort Lauderdale area include the fresh seafood, the safe community, and the accessibility to Miami.
High living costs and conservative policies have raised concerns
While housing may be more affordable in Fort Lauderdale, Freudman said many things cost more than they did in Toronto.
"Groceries, restaurants, tradespeople, etc. are all more expensive, plus in our case, property taxes and definitely healthcare are way more costly," he said. Canada has a universal healthcare system funded by taxes.
South Florida also isn't walkable, Freudman added, so owning a car is a "must."
While he likes some of Florida's pro-business policies, he said he and his wife have some concerns about the state's politics.
He said homelessness, gun violence, and income equality are more prevalent in Florida than Canada, and that some of its more conservative policies — particularly its six-week abortion ban — seem like "serious steps backward." He said he and his wife are also worried about what impact another Donald Trump presidency might have on the US.
"It does cause us to question whether to have children while in Florida, and whether to raise them there longer-term," Freudman said, "or whether to return to Canada for schooling with 'Canadian values.' That's an ongoing discussion."
But for now, Freudman said the pros of Florida outweigh the cons.
"It's not cheap," he said. "But the quality of life upgrade is well worth it."
Have you recently moved to a new state and are willing to share your story? Reach out to this reporter atjzinkula@insider.com.
China is struggling to stage a convincing economic recovery post pandemic, hitting investor confidence.
In January, authorities pulled about a dozen moves to stabilize a stock market rout and to support the property sector.
But China's economic data isn't encouraging, and investor confidence is still low.
China is picking up the pace at which it's trying to turn its economy around.
In January alone, Chinese authorities pulled about a dozen moves to try to stabilize a stock market rout and support downbeat property market demand, according to a list compiled by Bloomberg. Those moves mark a departure from the reservations Beijing had last year about stimulating the debt-laden economy as it seeks to develop sustainably after decades of breakneck growth.
However, those efforts don't seem to be amounting to much as of yet.
"All in all, the market is not reacting favorably to these policies," Hao Hong, the chief economist of Grow Investment, told Bloomberg TV on Wednesday.
The lack of market confidence showed up clearly in the first month of 2024, when the country's stock markets sold down massively as investors made a dash for the exit door.
To boost investor confidence, China's central bank on Wednesday slashed its requirement for the amount of cash banks need to hold in their reserves — a move that is expected to inject about $140 billion into the banking system.
Premier Li Qiang has instructed authorities to take more "forceful and effective" measures to stabilize the markets and investor confidence, according to an official statement on Monday. The statement did not provide any further details.
Separately, China's securities regulator implicitly instructed some hedge fund managers to restrict short selling, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing unnamed sources.
There were also signs of state-led buying in China's markets earlier in the month after the Chinese stock market bled more than $6 trillion in three years, per Bloomberg.
Investors are cautious
The moves gave some support to Chinese markets, but investors are still cautious.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index is still in the red this year to date, trading 9% lower so far this year and down 4% from a week ago. Meanwhile, the CSI 300 — which tracks 300 Shanghai and Shenzhen-listed stocks with the largest market capitalizations — is about 6% lower so far this year and 4% lower from a week ago.
China's economic data hasn't been rosy either. Manufacturing activity of large and state-owned companies contracted for the fourth straight month in January, official data showed on Wednesday.
On the property front, the major Chinese cities of Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Suzhou relaxed home-buying restrictions earlier this week in a bid to boost demand.
A state-backed property project in the south China province of Guangxi also received the first bank loan — worth 330 million Chinese yuan, or $46 million — granted to a "white list" of property developers for bank financing, state-owned Securities Times reported on Tuesday.
Consumer appetite for property is still low
Still, overall consumer appetite for the property market appears to be in the dumps.
Preliminary data from China Real Estate Information Corp released on Wednesday showed January new home sales slumped by nearly half from December. The value of new home sales from the country's largest real-estate firms dropped by about one-third from a year ago.
Grow Investment's Hong told Bloomberg TV the Chinese government's measures to support the real-estate sector were piecemeal and produced marginal responses. But Beijing isn't going big because it also doesn't want to reinflate the property bubble, he added.
Meanwhile, the market can't count on Chinese consumers either.
"At this juncture, Chinese households have leveraged up so much. So if you ask them to borrow more, to buy more property, it's a big ask for them," said Hong.
The world's second-largest economy is still trying to stage a convincing recovery more than a year after it started lifting COVID-19 restrictions. It's facing significant headwinds from a property crisis,deflationary pressure, and a demographic crisis.
"China is in the midst of a policy-induced economic transition," said Min Lan Tan, who heads the Asia Pacific chief investment office for UBS, Nikkei Asia reported. "So it's going to be painful, and it carries with it significant risks," Tan added.
You don't have to be a royal to own a castle nowadays.
Courtesy of Highlands Castle, Stef Burgon
For centuries, castles have been considered the go-to living situation for royalty.
But nowadays, you don't have to be royal to buy a castle. You also don't have to come from money.
From parents to entrepreneurs, these stories show royals no longer monopolize the castle market.
For thousands of years, the typical castle owner wasn't just rich — they were royal.
That's still half true. Take the British royals as an example. As of 2024, their real-estate portfolio still includes multiple castles across the UK, from Windsor Castle and Hillsborough Castle to Balmoral, widely considered the late Queen Elizabeth II's favorite royal residence.
But the castle market has evolved. Here are five castles owned by young couples, entrepreneurs, and families to prove that you don't have to be a king or queen to have a property fit for royalty. Sometimes, you just need to know how to dream big.
A dad built his son three castles in the Adirondack Mountains, and they're now open to guests.
Highlands Castle, the largest mini-castle on the estate, sleeps up to eight guests.
Courtesy of Highlands Castle
In the late 1970s, John Lavender II told his 3-year-old son Jason that he'd build him a castle one day.
He told BI he made his son the promise when he was newly divorced and figuring out his next steps.
Lavender said he was living in shared accommodation after his marriage ended, which he knew wasn't the right "environment" to raise a child.
"I made the promise, and I said I'm going to show my son that if I speak words to him, I'll follow through no matter what it takes," he added.
Lavender made good on his word threefold. In 1982, he bought land with epic views of the Adirondack Mountains and built not one but three mini castles on top of it with little help. He designed each structure himself despite not having a background in architecture or construction.
Once completed, Lavender kept the castles as a family home for nearly 30 years. But after he suffered an accident in 2010, he and his wife, Yvonne, decided to open their castles to guests.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Lavender said bookings peaked, which was a pleasant surprise. At the start of the outbreak in the US, he initially thought, "Well, there goes all the bookings."
"It was just the opposite," Lavender said. "Everybody wanted to go to a safe place where they felt they could spend time with their family."
Nowadays, Lavender and his wife still accept bookings at Highlands, where they live full-time.
He also said they have no plans to leave: "I'll be planted here."
A descendant of a steel tycoon built his daughters a Gothic-style castle in Connecticut to make their princess dreams come true.
The castle comes with a moat.
Courtesy of Compass
In the early 2000s, Christopher Mark bought a property in Woodstock, Connecticut, which he transformed into a 9-bedroom, Gothic-inspired castle, aptly dubbed Chris Mark Castle.
Mark, a descendant of a steel tycoon, moved into the property with his children in 2010. In 2022, his daughter Christina spoke to BI's Amanda Goh about growing up in the castle.
"My sister and I, when we were younger, we would dress up like princesses, and he just wanted our dream to come true," she said, referring to her father.
She said Chris Mark Castle was inspired by the family's ancestors' similar properties in Ireland.
"We wanted to keep the idea going in our generation now too," she said.
Over the years, the castle has hit the market several times. Four years after it was completed, the owner listed the castle for $45 million before cutting the price and ultimately taking it off the market.
According to the castle's Zillow history, it's been listed several times at various price points since then but is now back on the market through Compass Real Estate for $29 million.
The sales listing agent, John Pizzi, told BI that Christopher Mark still resides in the castle. Meanwhile, Christina still runs a TikTok account showing viewers what life in the castle is like.
Her latest video, shared on January 20, gives viewers a sneak peek at what it's like to stay in the castle during the summer.
In Scotland, a millennial couple transformed a medieval castle into a boutique guesthouse with a sustainable ethos.
Kilmartin Castle.
Airbnb/Kilmartin Castle
In 2014, Stef Burgon and Simon Hunt went on a road trip in Scotland that changed the direction of their lives. They lived and worked in Dubai but were struck by the untapped potential in Scotland.
"We traveled around Scotland looking for a castle to stay in, and we stayed in a couple, and it was just disappointing," Hunt said. "It's so disappointing when it looks like a castle from the outside, and then you get inside, and it's not a castle anymore."
Shortly after, they came across a listing in the Daily Mail for a £375,000, or about $476,000, castle on the west coast of Scotland. After jumping on a plane to see it, the couple offered £331,780, or about $421,225, for the property originally built in 1550.
Burgon and Hunt eventually quit their jobs in Dubai and moved into the castle, where they spent £225,000, or about $285,656, on years of repairs and renovations. They didn't have hospitality backgrounds but always planned to share the historic property with guests.
Though the process had its challenges, they said it was ultimately worth it. After 2021, they moved to a nearby cottage and started listing Kilmartin Castle exclusively as a guesthouse. They are now taking bookings as far ahead as 2026 and said the rental strategy has allowed them to dedicate time to other projects, such as starting a lime-paint company called House of Lime.
Guests staying at the five-bedroom castle can enjoy all it offers, including the wild swimming pool, vegetable gardens, and locally sourced "Michelin star-style food" the in-house chef, William Hammer, serves in a glass house steps away from the castle.
Since the opening of Kilmartin Castle, the site has welcomed retreats and weddings; the couple also plans to host an artist residency program in 2025. Their castle was also included in The New York Times' 52 Places to Go article in 2023.
"We've been doing this job for five years now, and I've never felt more financially secure. And I used to have an actual job, or we both did, but you never get a day off," Hunt said.
"When you're working for yourself, you don't mind at all," Burgon added.
Elsewhere in Scotland, a British businessman transformed a derelict castle into a whimsical rental — and painted it pink.
The Pink Castle exterior.
Courtesy of The Travel Chapter
Bruce Walker told BI in 2022 that he grew up in the historic region of Ayrshire in Scotland. However, he lived and worked in Hong Kong for nearly thirty years.
In 2000, he returned to the UK with his family and bought a derelict castle in Ayrshire in deep need of TLC. They thought it would be "good fun" to renovate and share it with guests, he said.
But it was a big project.
"The roof and the floors and everything had fallen in," Walker said. "The building itself was the remains of a 14th-century castle, a 17th-century castle, and a Victorian make-around."
Renovations of the castle began in 2013 and took roughly five years to complete. Over those years, Walker said the project cost £1.3 million, or about $1.6 million — more than he'd anticipated.
He also had to get permission from Historic Scotland to proceed with the renovations. When the organization said yes, Walker was given the green light to transform it into a "fantasy castle" where guests can reconnect with nature in the "middle of the countryside."
The castle, available to rent on Holiday Cottages, is designed to be a perfect retreat for people of all ages. Three of the house's four double bedrooms are in the castle turrets. The other turret houses an infrared sauna, and there's also a hot tub outside.
The historic structure's distinct pale-pink color adds to the castle's fantasy. According to Walker, the color comes from a lime-wash paint that enhances the natural tones of the sandstone exterior.
He also said that the color signified nobility among the Picts, an ancient group living in Scotland during the Middle Ages.
In Italy, a Gen Zer lives in a 900-year-old castle with 45 rooms that her family has owned for 28 generations.
Castello Sannazzaro.
Ludovica Sannazzaro Natta
Ludovica Sannazzaro Natta is a 22-year-old who's lived in a nearly 900-year-old castle in Northern Italy since she was 4.
To say the property is palatial would be an understatement — in 2021, BI's Lauren Edmonds reported that it's over 100,00 square feet and has 45 rooms. It also houses a 269,097-square-foot garden and historical archives dating back to the 11th century.
Sannazzaro Natta told BI's Lindsay Dodgson that the castle has been her family's home for 28 generations. Sannazzaro Natta isn't royal but has aristocratic ties.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Sannazzaro Natta — who was studying at a US university — returned to Italy and began documenting her family's living situation on TikTok.
Each video provides a window into the castle's history, unique features, and details about Sannazzaro Natta's family background.
Her videos blew up, and now her TikTok account has over 1.7 million followers. Her family initially questioned her TikToks, but she said they now support her and even help her make her videos.
Sannazzaro Natta also said life in a castle has made her who she is.
"I appreciate history, I appreciate culture a lot more, and it made me very aware of how time changed everything," she said. And while her living situation is unique, she's proud of it.
"Yes, it's a castle, but it's my home," Sannazzaro Natta said.
"We used to travel two hours each way from our local area each weekend to change things up," said Kumar. "One day, we thought, 'Why even come back home to sleep? How can we keep going?'"
"We wanted something that could customize to our needs and we can also be off-grid with our solar system," Pooja said. "None of this was really possible with current RVs in the market and if it was, it was very expensive."
Transforming a school bus can also be safer with proper planning and preparation.
Unlike RVs, school buses are built with windows made of laminated glass and a body made of steel. A typical RV is made from an aluminum frame and a fiberglass cover, materials that are less durable.
The couple put a lot of thought and deliberation into transforming their mobile home
The two wanted their new home to be functional but still have some homey touches.
Pooja Shah
Once they purchased their bus and gave up their apartment, Pooja and Kumar spent weeks transforming the vehicle into the sustainable mobile home of their dreams.
The couple spent months planning how they would transform the bus into their dream home.
Pooja Shah
"We were in a bit of shock after we made the purchase and were like, 'What did we get ourselves into?'" Kumar told Business Insider. "When we finally were ready, we sketched, laid out floor plans, and conducted research on everything from plumbing, toilets, batteries, solar, wiring, security, water tanks, to even how to fill up oil."
Pooja made sure to incorporate touches like curtains and decorations into the school bus.
Pooja Shah
With the functional aspects out of the way, the next step was to make it feel like home with lighting, curtains, pictures of friends and family, sentimental frames, and candles.
They started their journey without a plan but ended up in beautiful locations
The couple has traveled across the US for almost a year.
Pooja Shah
Once the bus was completed, they began their journey in June 2021.
They've since visited Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North and South Dakota, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Oregon, and North California.
Between the two of them, Pooja does most of the driving.
While traveling during the COVID-19 pandemic, the couple said they remain diligent during their interactions and wear masks around others.
The couple redefined the term 'work-life balance'
The two have remote jobs, so they work from their bus.
Pooja Shah
Pooja and Kumar also learned how to balance their careers and exploration time.
"It's all about scheduling," said Kumar. "We make sure to line up our work hours as best as possible. From there, we arrange key travel days and keep certain times during the day open to enjoy where we are, whether it is a long lunch break or getting up very early before work to get a hike in."
Kumar emphasizes the need for a work-life balance in which the couple can do their jobs but still have time to enjoy nature.
Pooja Shah
Kumar said a key part of working from the road is always having three working internet options. They also try to identify locations they can work from in advance.
The couple doesn't yet have an "end date" for their journey but are aware of when their bodies or schedules require them to slow down or change course.
Above all, they said, their goal is to keep waking up in places they've dreamed of.
Citadel CEO Ken Griffin warned that a "rupture" over Taiwan would be "catastrophic" for the US and Chinese economies.
PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images
Ken Griffin told CNBC that a war over Taiwan could spark a new Great Depression.
The billionaire warned any conflict would be "catastrophic" for both the US and Chinese economies.
Taiwan is a vital supplier of semiconductor chips for the rest of the world.
Ken Griffin has warned that a war over Taiwan could spark a new Great Depression.
The Citadel founder told CNBC that a Chinese invasion of Taiwan would have "catastrophic" consequences for both the American and Chinese economies.
"If there were a rupture around Taiwan, it would be catastrophic to both the Chinese and the American economy. And by catastrophic I think you're looking at Great Depression circumstances," Griffin told CNBC's "Squawk on the Street" during the MFA Network conference in Miami on Tuesday.
The billionaire said that the US would face a drop in GDP of between 8% to 10% if it lost access to Taiwanese semiconductors, with the island producing reportedly around 90% of the world's advanced microchip supply.
"If we lost access to Taiwanese semiconductors, how many weeks until Tesla stops making cars? Or GM? Or Ford? Or Boeing stops making planes? Those chips are used in every part of our economy," Griffin told CNBC.
"It's really important as a matter of national economic security that we're able to maintain peace in that region of the world," he added.
China has always maintained that Taiwan is a breakaway province that will be reunited with the mainland, either peacefully or by force — and Chinese leader Xi Jinping reportedly reiterated that message to Joe Biden at a recent meeting.
Any war over Taiwan would be highly destructive and economically damaging, with Bloomberg forecasting that it could have a bigger impact on the US economy than the COVID-19 pandemic did if Washington were to be drawn into the conflict.
Barry Sternlicht, Chairman and CEO, Starwood Capital Group, speaks during the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, California, on May 3, 2022.
PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images
Billionaire Starwood CEO Barry Sternlicht sees losses on office properties hitting $1 trillion, per Bloomberg.
The billionaire slammed the Fed for leaving a "serious mess" in the real estate market.
Office values have plummeted as remote work proves to be a lasting legacy of the pandemic.
The ailing office market is headed for $1 trillion of losses, billionaire and Starwood Capital CEO Barry Sternlicht said.
Per Bloomberg, Sternlicht said at the Global Alts conference in Miami Beach that US office properties, once a $3 trillion market, are worth about $1.8 trillion now. The cratering values have been the result of remote work being solidified as a lasting legacy of the COVID-19 era.
The billionaire characterized the dilemma facing the office segment of the commercial property market as an "existential crisis" and slammed the Federal Reserve for leaving a "serious mess" in capital markets and the real estate market.
The fourth quarter of last year saw the US office market mark its fifth straight quarter of negative net absorption of office space. With 5 million square feet of new supply, the overall office vacancy rate rose to a 30-year high of 18.6%, according to CBRE.
The Fed's aggressive rate hikes since 2022 have led to hurdles to refinancing commercial mortgages, as property owners must look for new debt at higher rates and backed by offices whose values have crumbled.
President Joe Biden's administration has encouraged developers to turn unwanted office buildings into apartments to ease the US housing shortage, though such redevelopment is expensive and not feasible for all buildings.
Analysts at Capital Economics this month predicted that office buildings still have another 10% price plunge ahead, and the total peak-to-trough loss for US office values will amount to 20%.
The Tokushima Prefectural Government spent over $2,800 on a sex doll as part of a tourist exhibition at an airport. The tourism policy division claimed that the realistic-looking doll would be more effective at pulling tourists than mannequins.
Taro Karibe via Getty Images
A Japanese government official bought a sex doll for a tourist exhibition.
The doll, which cost over $2,800, was clad in a kimono and displayed at an airport.
Auditors said the doll was "extremely expensive" and "grossly inappropriate."
Auditors have rapped the Tokushima Prefectural Government for purchasing an "extremely expensive" sex doll to promote the city's tourism.
The government's tourism policy division said it paid 424,440 Japanese yen, or $2,880, for the doll, which was used in a tourist exhibition at the Tokushima Awaodori Airport in 2017, per a Mainichi Shimbun report on Monday.
The exhibition was meant to promote the prefecture's traditional indigo-dyeing art, so the doll was clad in an indigo-dyed summer kimono, per the Mainichi.
Officials initially used a pair of cheaper mannequins — not the sex doll — at the exhibition in June 2017. Rental for both mannequins cost around $180, according to the Mainichi Shimbun's report.
But in July, an unnamed male official decided to replace the mannequins with the sex doll. He then went about procuring the sex doll, which he'd concluded would be a crowd-pleaser, according to an audit report of the case obtained by the Mainichi Shimbun.
The auditors dismissed the prefecture's claims that the sex doll was more effective at drawing tourists than the mannequins. The "extremely expensive" doll, auditors said in their report, was "grossly inappropriate in terms of social norms."
The auditors have asked the prefecture to seek compensation from the officials involved in the purchase by June 19.
"While this is a case from before my tenure as governor, as the figure in charge of appointments, I will take the audit results seriously and handle them in a strict manner," the prefecture's governor, Masazumi Gotoda, said in a statement.
This isn't the first time Japanese officials have courted controversy with odd buys using government money.
In May 2021, officials in the seaside town of Noto were slammed for spending nearly $170,000 on a giant squid statue. Officials financed the statue using part of the $5.4 million in grants it received for COVID-19 relief.
"Since the national government said funds could be used to enhance the region's appeal, we thought it would be good to make something with impact," an unnamed official told Yahoo Japan. "It will promote our town and have some economic benefit, as we have seen a huge dip in the number of tourists."
Chief WTO Economist Ralph Ossa said on Monday the group's previous global trade growth estimates were "overly optimistic."
Concerns are fueled by Yemen-based Houthi militants attacking commercial ships in the Red Sea.
Despite the chaos, Ossa said he still has faith in the resilience of the international trade and global economy.
The World Trade Organization is likely to slash 2023 and 2024 trade projections due amid weaker-than-expected global economic activity and disruptive attacks by Houthi militants in the Red Sea.
The WTO previously projected a rise of 0.8% in merchandise trade volumes for 2023 and a 3.3% increase for 2024.
But now, escalating tensions in the Red Sea as a result of Iran-backed Houthis' attacks on commercial ships have heightened the WTO's concerns, with chief economist Ralph Ossa telling Reuters on Monday the group's previous forecasts seem "overly optimistic."
Ossa said the WTO would publish updated forecasts in the coming months, and various global organizations have trimmed their GDP growth forecasts this year, impacting the WTO's trade predictions. He also emphasized a growing uptick in consumer prices due to surging shipping costs since the Houthi attacks began.
Military responses from US and UK air and naval forces have successfully fended off some attacks but haven't halted them. President Joe Biden has acknowledged that the strikes are unlikely to entirely prevent the Houthis from targeting shipping lanes.
Experts have said the turmoil around the Suez Canal, along with steady economic growth, could spark a renewed bout of inflation this year.
The Galaxy Leader cargo ship is escorted by Houthi boats in the Red Sea in this photo released November 20, 2023.
Houthi Military Media/Handout
Still, the WTO's Ossa also highlighted that goods trade for this year is poised to surpass 2023, adding that the global economy and world trade remain robust despite recent geopolitical issues and fears of slower growth. If disruptions persist, inflation concerns in Europe are anticipated to stick around but are unlikely to result in a massive economic shock akin to the COVID-19 era.
Minaj has also been accused of more serious offenses, especially involving her husband, a registered sex offender.
Here's a breakdown of Minaj's biggest controversies.
2012 to 2013: Minaj and Mariah Carey famously didn't get along while serving as judges on season 12 of "American Idol."
"American Idol" judges Mariah Carey, Keith Urban, and Nicki Minaj in 2013.
Todd Williamson/Invision/AP
In August 2012, TMZ reported that Carey wasn't pleased at the possibility of Minaj joining "American Idol," because she was under the impression that she'd be the only female judge. However, a month later, Carey laughed off the idea of there being any drama, joking, "How can you feud in two days?"
But in early October 2012, TMZ posted a video showing Minaj yelling at Carey during the season 12 auditions. Minaj appeared to tell Carey, "Every time you take a shot at me imma take it back, and if you gotta fucking problem, then handle it. I told them, I'm not fucking putting up with your fucking highness over there."
Days after the video leaked, "The View" cohost Barbara Walters said Carey told her over the phone that multiple people heard Minaj threaten to shoot her when she walked off the set.
Minaj reacted on Twitter (now X), writing: "Hey yAll. Lets just say nicki said smthn about a gun. ppl will believe it cuz she's a black rapper. Lmao. I'll then hit up Barbara n milk it."
Around the same time, "American Idol" producer Nigel Lythgoe told TMZ, "The statement [that Nicki made a death threat] is absolute rubbish. It's absolutely not true in any way, shape or form."
Carey then downplayed the drama in early January, calling the dispute "convoluted" during a 2013 Winter TCA tour panel ahead of the season 12 premiere of American Idol on January 16, 2013.
At the same event, Minaj shared kind words about Carey. "She's one of my favorite artists of all times," she said. "She's really shaped a generation of singers. To be on a panel with her, it's kind of crazy."
Carey reflected on the feud in 2015, telling an Australian radio show that being on "American Idol" was "the worst experience of my life."
"Pitting two females against each other wasn't cool," Carey said, adding, "It should have been about the contestants instead of about some nonexistent feud that turned into even more ridiculousness."
July 2015: Minaj and Taylor Swift had a brief dispute that quickly dissolved.
Taylor Swift and Nicki Minaj perform together at the 2015 VMAs.
Matt Sayles/Invision/AP
After the nominations were announced for the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards, Minaj voiced her displeasure that "Anaconda" was snubbed for video of the year, saying she would've been nominated "If I was a different 'kind' of artist" (presumably, a white one).
Minaj shared a series of posts on X calling out the omission. One post in particular seemed directed at Swift's video for "Bad Blood," which featured appearances from her star-studded squad, including Victoria's Secret models Karlie Kloss, Gigi Hadid, Martha Hunt, and Lily Aldridge.
"If your video celebrates women with very slim bodies, you will be nominated for vid of the year," Minaj wrote.
Swift replied in a now-deleted post: "I've done nothing but love & support you. It's unlike you to pit women against each other. Maybe one of the men took your slot.."
However, Minaj clarified that she wasn't referring to Swift. Swift soon apologized to Minaj for misunderstanding her comments.
Following the social media exchange, the two musicians performed a medley of their tracks together on stage at the VMAs on August 30, 2015. They've since spoken fondly about each other.
August 30, 2015: Minaj called out Miley Cyrus on stage at the VMAs after the "Wrecking Ball" singer described her as "not too kind."
Miley Cyrus and Nicki Minaj backstage at the 2015 Grammys.
Mark Davis/WireImage
Cyrus, who hosted the 2015 VMAs, was asked to share her thoughts on Minaj's apparent snub in a pre-show interview with the New York Times.
Cyrus said she "didn't follow it," but felt Minaj could have voiced her frustration differently.
"What I read sounded very Nicki Minaj, which, if you know Nicki Minaj is not too kind," she said. "It's not very polite. I think there's a way you speak to people with openness and love."
At the VMAs, Minaj confronted Cyrus while accepting the award for best hip-hop video. "And now, back to this bitch that had a lot to say about me the other day in the press. Miley, what's good?" Minaj said.
Cyrus quickly responded, saying, "Hey, we're all in this industry. We all do interviews. And we all know how they manipulate."
Minaj later addressed Cyrus' comments in her own interview with the New York Times.
''The fact that you feel upset about me speaking on something that affects Black women makes me feel like you have some big balls," Minaj said. "You're in videos with Black men, and you're bringing out Black women on your stages, but you don't want to know how Black women feel about something that's so important? Come on, you can't want the good without the bad."
Minaj said that if Cyrus embraces Black culture, "then you should also want to know what affects us, what is bothering us, what we feel is unfair to us."
December 2015: Minaj reportedly paid for her brother's bail when he was arrested and charged with child rape.
Nicki Minaj and Jelani Maraj in 2015.
Bryan Steffy/Chance Yeh/Getty Images
In August 2015, Minaj shared a photo with her brother, Jelani Maraj, on Instagram.
"I would cross the ocean for u. I would go & bring u the moon. Promise u. For u I will," she wrote in the caption. "I do anything to see my brothers smile."
Maraj's attorney, David Schwartz, told Newsday that Maraj was falsely accused. He also said Minaj was prepared to support her brother "100%." (It appears the interview has since been scrubbed from Newsday's website, but the quotes were reported by Essence.)
During Maraj's trial, the child in question testified in graphic detail. She said that beginning in April 2015, when she was 11 years old, Maraj raped her multiple times a week — sometimes twice a week — at his home in Long Island, the AP reported.
In 2017, Maraj was found guilty. Shortly after his conviction, Minaj visited him in jail, but only in an effort to support their mother, according to TMZ.
The seven-minute diss track, rapped over the instrumental from Nas' trademark diss track "Ether," is an explicit attack that begins "Free Remy / Fuck Nicki Minaj." Ma even tagged Minaj when she shared the song online.
To Minaj's credit, this beef seems to be mostly one-sided. She casually responded two weeks later with "No Frauds," a collaboration with Drake and Lil Wayne that doesn't explicitly name Ma ("I don't need no frauds / I don't need no drama when you call").
She also accused Ma's husband of ghostwriting "Shether" in a guest verse on the 2 Chainz track "Realize" ("I've been winning 8 years consistently, at least respect it / Papoose wrote a 'Ether' record / But I broke Aretha record").
June 2018: Minaj was called out for comments about sex workers.
Nicki Minaj performs at the 2018 BET Awards.
Paras Griffin/VMN18/Getty Images
In a cover story for Elle's July 2018 issue, Minaj said she didn't know how to preach about female self-respect "without being offensive."
"Maybe I was naive, but I didn't realize how many girls were modern-day prostitutes," Minaj said. "Whether you're a stripper, or whether you're an Instagram girl — these girls are so beautiful and they have so much to offer. But I started finding out that you give them a couple thousand dollars, and you can have sex with them."
Minaj added: "It's just sad that they don't know their worth. It makes me sad as a woman. And it makes me sad that maybe I've contributed to that in some way."
"Nicki Minaj profiting off of the idea of sex work while shaming sex workers is nothing short of violent," one critic wrote on X. "She has had a platform to support sex workers after she has made songs — a profit — off of them and has chosen to embrace her negative and damaging biases instead."
July 2018: Minaj faced backlash for teaming up with Tekashi 6ix9ine, a rapper accused of pedophilia and domestic violence.
Nicki Minaj and Tekashi 6ix9ine in the music video for "Fefe."
Tekashi 6ix9ine/YouTube
On July 22, 2018, Tekashi 6ix9ine released his new song "Fefe" featuring Minaj and Murda Beatz. Minaj also costarred in the music video alongside 6ix9ine, whose real name is Daniel Hernandez.
The video shows a 13-year-old girl engaging in oral sex with another man, who was charged separately.
Hernandez can be seen standing behind the child, "making a thrusting motion with his pelvis and smacking her on the buttocks," the original complaint reads, per Jezebel. "The child is nude in the video."
As Business Insider previously reported, new details emerged at Hernandez's sentencing hearing, regarding a second video that he uploaded online. Assistant District Attorney Sara Weiss told the court that Hernandez appears again with another 13-year-old, fondling her breasts and smacking her butt, while she was being penetrated by two other adult men at the same time.
Hernandez was sentenced to four years of probation and 1,000 hours of community service.
After the release of "Fefe," Minaj brushed off the criticism. In a series of posts on X, she claimed that publications were being paid to portray her negatively.
August 2018: Minaj lashed out at Travis Scott, Kylie Jenner, and their infant daughter.
Nicki Minaj, Travis Scott, and Kylie Jenner at the 2018 Met Gala.
Angela Weiss/Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Met Museum
Minaj was overtly upset when her 2018 album "Queen" debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, losing out to Travis Scott's "Astroworld," which spent its second week in the top spot. ("Astroworld" eventually became the second biggest rap album of the year in terms of pure sales, according to Forbes.)
"Queen" sold 185,000 equivalent units in its first week, the worst album release performance of Minaj's career thus far.
She complained about Scott's release strategy on X (specifically a merch-bundle promotion that she also used to sell albums) and continued to criticize him on her Apple Music radio show.
"But what we're not gonna do is have this autotune man comin' up here, selling fucking sweaters and telling y'all he sold half a million fucking albums, 'cause he didn't," she said. "And there's a lot of rappers behind the scenes that wanna talk about it and they're scared — but sweetheart I'm not scared. I'm legendary in these streets."
Minaj continued to gripe about Scott and Jenner, going so far as to say she has a "rivalry" with their daughter.
"I love Kylie, I love Kim, I actually love all of them. I know that you guys are saying me and baby Stormi have beef," she said, followed by a laugh. "Yes we do. Now, this is what the fuck is happening today. Me against baby Stormi. We have this rivalry now."
Shortly after, Minaj canceled her "Queen" tour following unverified reports of low ticket sales.
September 7, 2018: Minaj's feud with Cardi B reached a boiling point at the Harper's Bazaar Icons party.
Nicki Minaj and Cardi B seen outside the 2018 Harper's Bazaar Icons party.
Nancy Rivera/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images; Steven Ferdman/WireImage
After Cardi B's breakneck rise to fame in 2017, there were whispers that Minaj wasn't pleased to have another female rapper on the scene.
That same year, Minaj was featured on Katy Perry's song "Swish Swish" and seemed to throw shade at Cardi's soon-to-be husband ("Silly rap beefs just get me more checks / My life is a movie, I'm never off set / Me and my amigos / No, not Offset").
Although Cardi didn't call out Minaj directly, she did go on Instagram Live to complain about people in the music industry being "fake," adding, "That shit be breaking my heart because your idols become rivals." She also asked fans online to stop comparing her to other rappers.
Over the next few months, Cardi repeatedly denied the existence of a feud. "I mean, I don't really want problems with anybody," she told Billboard. "I don't want to be, like, queen." Minaj also congratulated Cardi on X for topping the Billboard Hot 100 with "Bodak Yellow."
They were both featured on the Migos track "MotorSport," released in October 2017, and they even seemed cordial at the Met Gala in May 2018. But it didn't take long for things to bubble up again.
The tension reached a boiling point at the 2018 Harper's Bazaar Icons party.
According to eyewitnesses, Cardi and Minaj were engaged in a physical "altercation" after they both arrived at the New York Fashion Week event. Footage showed Cardi lunging toward Minaj and throwing a shoe in her direction. Cardi was photographed leaving with a visible welt on her forehead.
Cardi later released a statement on Instagram, which accused Minaj of "making comments" about her infant daughter, Kulture, and criticizing Cardi's abilities as a mother.
"It's so sad for someone to pin that on me because I'm the bad guy and they know people would believe them," Minaj said on her radio show. "So let me just go on record having said, I would never talk about anyone's child or parenting."
December 2018: Minaj went public with her then-boyfriend, Kenneth Petty, who's been convicted of attempted rape and manslaughter.
Nicki Minaj and Kenneth Petty got married in 2019.
Gotham/GC Images
Minaj reunited with Petty, a former flame from high school, sometime in 2018. She made their relationship public with an Instagram post on December 10, 2018.
People were quick to point out Petty's checkered past. As Business Insider previously reported, he is a registered sex offender due to a conviction for first-degree attempted rape in 1994, when he was a teenager. His conviction details reveal that he used a "knife/cutting instrument" against his victim.
When Minaj noticed that fans were disappointed in her choice of partner, she defended Petty online — though she also acknowledged details of the incident.
"He was 15, she was 16 ... in a relationship," she wrote in a comment on Instagram. "But go awf, internet. y'all can't run my life. Y'all can't even run y'all own life. Thank you boo."
Petty served almost four years in New York state prison. Later, he was convicted of first-degree manslaughter for shooting a man and served nearly seven additional years in prison. He was released in 2013.
In September 2019, Minaj announced that she would retire to focus on her family, shortly after she revealed her plans to marry Petty. The following month, they quietly tied the knot. The couple welcomed their first child, a son, in October 2020.
August 2021: Minaj was sued by the woman that her husband assaulted.
Kenneth Petty and Nicki Minaj photographed in 2021.
Photographer Group/MEGA/GC Images
An explosive lawsuit was filed against Minaj and Petty in the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York, Business Insider's Alia Shoaib reported.
The couple was sued for harassment by the woman Petty sexually assaulted in 1994. Jennifer Hough, who is now 43, has accused Minaj and Petty of trying to make her revoke her story, using both intimidation tactics and bribery.
Court documents reviewed by TMZ show that Hough and her family were offered money — up to $500,000 — if she would recant the allegations. Minaj also offered to send a birthday video to the victim's teenage daughter "as a bonus."
In court papers, Hough said she is "living in isolation out of fear of retaliation" and has not been able to work due to "severe depression, paranoia, constant moving, harassment and threats from the defendants and their associates."
The couple ignored the lawsuit for months, which prompted Hough to request a $20 million default judgment. In an email to The Daily Beast, Hough's attorney said Minaj and Petty "believe they're both above the law."
"I was never a fan of bullies," Hough told The Daily Beast when she brought her lawsuit. "I taught my kids, you don't be a bully and you don't stand around and watch somebody be a bully. And I guess that's how I feel in this situation."
Shortly after, Minaj filed court papers that claimed her failure to respond was due to a "series of innocent miscommunications," per Vulture.
"I ask the Court to excuse the delay so that I can defend what I believe to be an entirely frivolous case which Plaintiff's counsel has brought against me in an effort to use my name to generate publicity for himself," Minaj said in her filing.
"If I get vaccinated it won't for the Met," she wrote on X. "It'll be once I feel I've done enough research. I'm working on that now. In the meantime my loves, be safe. Wear the mask with 2 strings that grips your head & face. Not that loose one."
Minaj also shared a story about her cousin's friend in Trinidad, who she claimed "became impotent" after he received the vaccine.
"His testicles became swollen," she said. "His friend was weeks away from getting married, now the girl called off the wedding. So just pray on it & make sure you're comfortable with ur decision, not bullied."
The CDC has stated there is no evidence the COVID-19 vaccine causes infertility in men or women. Several doctors have also debunked the claim.
However, Minaj refused to walk back her comments. Instead, she tried to dox two journalists who were attempting to corroborate the story by contacting the cousin's friend in question.
Two years later, in an interview with Vogue, Minaj still declined to offer an apology or clarification for her controversial stance.
"I'm one of those people who doesn't go with a crowd," she said. "I like to make my own assessment of everything without help from everyone."
October 2022: Minaj complained about being "sabotaged" by the Grammys and dragged Latto into the drama.
Latto, right, is best known for her viral hit "Big Energy."
Christopher Polk/Variety via Getty Images; Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
Ahead of the nominations announcement, The Hollywood Reporter revealed that "Super Freaky Girl" would compete in pop categories, despite Minaj's team submitting the song for consideration in rap categories. (The Recording Academy reserves the right to redesignate submissions into different genres.)
"They stay moving the goalposts when it comes to me," she said in a video on Instagram, referring to the Recording Academy. "Why is the goalpost only ever moved when it's Nicki?"
"What do you think is gonna happen when they start voting on these pop categories and they have to decide between Nicki Minaj and Harry Styles, or Nicki Minaj and Adele?" she continued, adding: "Put her in there, so she has more competition and less of a chance to win."
When Latto apparently reached out privately, Minaj shared screenshots of her messages online and criticized her as a "Karen."
"Ur literally older than my mom trying to be a bully," Latto replied. She also accused Minaj of associating herself with "fucking rapists."
Minaj said Latto "didn't care about rape" when she asked to collaborate with Minaj on a song, adding, "I've never raped anyone. I've inspired millions."
When the 2023 Grammy nominations were eventually announced, Latto was up for best new artist and best melodic rap performance. Minaj did not receive any nominations.
November 2023: Minaj compared being famous to "getting arrested."
Nicki Minaj at the 2023 VMAs.
Jeff Kravitz/Getty Images for MTV
Minaj was featured on the cover of Vogue's 2023 December issue, giving the magazine her first in-depth interview in years.
"Once you make it, it's like anything you say can be used against you. It's like when you get arrested — that's literally what being famous feels like," she said, adding, "It hurts."
Minaj also declined to align herself with a specific political party.
"Every time I talk about politics, people get mad. I'm sorry, but I am not going to be told who I should get on social media and campaign for," Minaj said. "There's a lot we don't know that's going on in the government, and I don't think it changes whether you lean to the left or right."
January 2024: Minaj mocked Megan Thee Stallion for getting shot during a public feud.
Nicki Minaj, left; Megan Thee Stallion, right.
"These hoes don't be mad at Megan / These hoes mad at Megan's Law," she raps in the song. "I don't really know what the problem is / But I guarantee y'all don't want me to start."
Though the song doesn't reference anybody by name, Minaj jumped head-first into a feud with Megan, presuming the lyrics were attacking her husband, who is a registered sex offender. In addition to many scathing posts on X, Minaj released a diss track titled "Big Foot."
Minaj's lyrics include jabs about Megan's height, her sex life, and her late mother, who died in 2019. The title itself is a reference to Megan's experience with gun violence; last year, Tory Lanez was sentenced to 10 years in prison for shooting her in the foot.