With the sad news that American Idol judges Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj are feuding , we got to thinking of some of the great diva rivalries of all time: Bette Davis versus Joan Crawford, Naomi Campbell versus Tyra Banks, Patti LuPone versus⌠everyone. Walk with us, wonât you, down the Diva Feuds Hall of Fame.
Click through for the some of the diva battle royales that have rocked the music world
Are your favorite dueling divas not represented? Sing out in the comments section!
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Nicki Minaj vs. Lilâ Kim
This is clearly not Nickiâs first time at the diva-feud rodeo: When Minaj giggled her way onto the scene a few years ago, effectively filling with her ample assets the throne Lilâ Kim had left vacant, the Queen Bee got her stinger ready. Kimâs an old pro at beefâher longstanding rivalry with Foxy Brown resulted someone getting shot and Kim spending a year in jailâand recognized a chance for a comeback when she saw it. The Bionic Booty quickly fired off a Black Friday mixtape that dissed Minaj, and later tweeted that its sales made her the â#1 seller on PayPal ever.â
To which Nicki graciously responded, âBwaahhhhahha!â
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Whitney Houston vs. Mariah Carey
Whitney Houston (may she rest) owned the 1980s, racking up over $20 million in sales and seven consecutive Number One hits with her first two albums. But the 1990s saw her struggling to find her way, a path made even more difficult by the arrival of a young eight-octave upstart with a deafening whistle register. Rumors persisted that Whitney and Mariah didnât get along, until the two decided to clear the airâin song!âwith the duet âWhen You Believe.â
Then again, sometimes rumors are simply just rumors, as Mariah told Vibe in 1998 : âWhen I came out people had comments. That had a lot to do with producers she [Whitney] had worked with. When youâre a young girl, you donât have control, and youâre being marketed as the New Little DivaâŚWe never had any issues between us. The media and everybody made it an issue.â
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Michael Jackson vs. Prince
Michael Jackson (may she rest) was one of the greatest performers of the 20th century, but that didnât keep him from being jealousâparticularly of that Sexy Muthafucker, Prince. âMJ asked me why people didnât think of him the same way they though of Prince, as a serious songwriter,â Black Eyed Peaâs will.i.am told Vibe. âIt was a shock to hear that from such an iconic artist.â
The Purple One was also naturally competitive and opted out of Jacksonâs 1985 âWe Are The Worldâ benefit single, as well as a proposed duet with Jacko on Bad. Then Prince included this lyric on his album 2004 Musicology: âMy voice is getting higher/And Eye ainât never had my nose done/Thatâs the other guy.â Even during his final days, the King of Pop allegedly expressed fears that God might give his ideas to Prince.
It should be noted that things werenât always intense between the two icons, who were known to play basketball. Weâre assuming it went something like this.
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Elton John vs. Madonna vs. Lady Gaga
Having been in feuds with everyone from Sandra Bernhard to Lady Gaga, itâs safe to say that Madonna doesnât really get along with anyone. Sheâs been putting the âbâ in bitch since the early â80s but sheâs got nothing on the Queen Bitch, Sir Elton John. (The Rocketmanâs been throwing shade since Madge was still a brunette living in Michigan.) Over the years the two have exchanged bitter insults, only to kiss and make up time and time again. Most recently, Elton called out Madonna as a âcarnival stripperâ and attacked her for being âhorrible to Gaga.â Madge responded by dedicating her song âMasterpieceâ to the out pop star.
Those two will be buried next to one another, their corpses giving each other the finger.
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Aretha Franklin vs. Tina Turner (with an assist from BeyoncÊ)
BeyoncĂŠ referred to Tina Turner as âthe queenâ at the 2008 Grammys did not sit well with the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, who dismissed Beyâs remarks as âa cheap shot for controversy.â Tina Turner shimmied her way into the heart of the matter by declaring, âSheâs the queen of soul, and Iâm the queen of rock ânâ roll. There were so many kings and queens there that night. Her ego must be so big to think she was the only one.â To which, Aretha responded: âI never figured her to resort to tacky press just to sell a few tickets. I really had put her in a different classâ higher than that.â And BeyoncĂŠâs evil plan to divide and conquer continues.
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Barbra Streisand vs. Diana Ross
In the galaxy of diva-stars, few shine as bright orâburn your face off as quicklyâas Barbra Streisand and Diana Ross. Both have been known to throw their weight and fur coats around, though when Diana first started out, Babs was her idol: âDianaâs always measured herself against Barbra Streisand,â said Marvin Gaye according to our well-worn copy of the unauthorized biography, Call Her Miss Ross. (Page 198, if youâre curious.)
After the Supremes did a Funny Girl album in 1967, Streisand reportedly said, âI just donât like the idea of her singing my songs and with my musical arranger. Who the hell does she think she is? The world doesnât need another Streisand!â At which point, Streisand tried to cut off Diana Rossâ head, but her thickly-shellacked wig took the blow.
We couldnât end this diva-feud retrospective without a snippet from the web series Got 2 B Real, a master class in grande-dame reading.
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Cam
You forgot the feud between Mariah Carey and good fashion sense.
Lester Brathwaite
@Cam: That’s a neverending feud.
Cam
@Lester Brathwaite:
Bazinga! đ
Rockery
Haha you have to love Mariah
DickGreenleaf
Sorry Tina, Little Richard is the Queen of Rock N’ Roll
Dumdum
LIKE I CARE about these pointless vacuous women. Grow up you turds. They are NOTHING. But stoopid!!!!!!!!!