11 Iconic Celebrity Feuds, Explained
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Just because celebrities have global platforms does not mean they're invincible to petty beef and questionable behavior.
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If anything, it is thanks to these platforms that we get to see our faves come for each other for reasons ranging from understandable and acceptable to just plain confusing and ridiculous.
And because I am so personally invested in these public spats, I've taken the time to round up 11 iconic celebrity feuds that are sure to go down in the history books.
The Hollywood Reporter
Join me on this ride as we delve into everything from mid-aughts tabloid feuds to the glory (and hell) that was Twitter in 2016.
Without further ado, let's get into it.
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1.When Azealia Banks said that Grimes smelled like a "roll of nickels."
This is, without a doubt, my favorite Azealia Banks feud. Back in 2018, Azealia posted a series of Instagram stories claiming that she had been stuck in Grimes and Elon Musk's house "for days" waiting for the Canadian synth-pop artist to show up so they could collaborate. She said waiting for the couple was like a "real-life episode of Get Out." At the time, she told Business Insider that she got to their house in Los Angeles on Friday and left Sunday, which is absolutely mind-boggling to me. She also said that Elon was tapping her phone.
Fast-forward a bit to January 2019, when Azealia shared screenshots of herself and Grimes hurling insults at each other. The messages — dated just three days after Azealia was reportedly camping out at Grimes and Elon's house — include Grimes repeatedly calling Azealia a "drug dealer" and "narc" (not sure how you can be both). In response, Azealia delivered a very specific (and very unforgettable) line: "You smell like a roll of nickels."
She also told Grimes that she's "a basic white woman lol. I am by nature — superior to you dear." The conversation ends with both women bidding each other good night, but not before Azealia calls Grimes a "brittleboned methhead" and Grimes chimes back with another "narc."
The best part of this feud? We will never know what truly happened in August 2018 at the Grimes and Elon residence. But my god, we will never stop trying to find out.
As we know, Azealia has beefed with many a celeb. So if you're curious to read up on more details, check out her feud with Lana Del Rey and also a 14-year-old (!) Skai Jackson at the time — both of which are up there in the honorable mentions.
2.When Cardi B threw her shoe at Nicki Minaj.
As you all know, tension between the two rappers had been reaching a feverish pitch for a while since 2017. With multiple subtweets, disses, and just general misunderstandings and miscommunication — of course, aided by media narratives pitting the two women (among other female rappers) against each other — the feud eventually escalated into a physical altercation at a 2018 Harper's Bazaar New York Fashion Week event.
Photos of the incident showed Cardi B being escorted out of the party, barefoot, with a sizable bump on her forehead, presumably caused by Nicki Minaj's security detail who intervened after the "Bodak Yellow" rapper threw a shoe at the Queen of Rap.
After the clash, Cardi took to Instagram and wrote that she's "let a lot of shit slide" and that the fight was the result of Nicki's questioning of her capabilities as a mother. Speaking on her radio show later on, Nicki said, "Get this woman some fucking help." And after that, Cardi once again took to Instagram to debunk Nicki's side of the story. But all's well that ends well, since the two rap stars mutually called a ceasefire a month later in October.
3.When Martha Stewart told Gwyneth Paltrow to "be quiet" and came for her Goop brand.
This one is actually quite random and came out of nowhere. Back in 2013, Martha Stewart, when asked about Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop brand, passive-aggressively told Bloomberg TV that she is the one and only lifestyle venture capitalist. Then, in 2014, Martha outright accused Gwyneth of trying to be her, saying, "She just needs to be quiet. She’s a movie star. If she were confident in her acting, she wouldn’t be trying to be Martha Stewart."
And while you may be inclined to think, Yikes, Gwyneth wasn't actually that bothered. In fact, she was kinda here for it. Opening up to Us Weekly after the diss, she sarcastically said, "No one has ever said anything bad about me before, so I'm shocked and devastated. I'll try to recover." On a more serious note, she added, "If I'm really honest, I'm so psyched that she sees us as competition. I'm so psyched. I really am," which is just about the most Gwyneth Paltrow answer ever. Oh, and she said this just days after she hired Martha Stewart Living's former president and CEO, Lisa Gersh, as Goop CEO. (Okay, now you can say "Yikes.")
Fast-forward to 2019, and Gwyneth was still living in Martha's head rent-free: "I don’t follow Goop," she said when asked about the similarities between her brand and Goop. "Sometimes I look at products that she’s selling … I wish every young entrepreneur well and I hope that there are many, many, many different kinds of entrepreneurs … if they’re movie stars or hardworking women like I am, who are not movie stars. If they have a good idea, I want them to be able to succeed. So, good luck, Gwyneth."
"So, good luck, Gwyneth"?! I would like to point out that Martha's answer implies that 1) movie stars and hardworking women are two different things, of which Gwyneth is the former, and 2) Gwyneth does not have a good idea and therefore Martha does not want her to succeed.
Since then, it's been pretty quiet on the Martha front, but I'd honestly give anything for this very niche beef between two über-wealthy white women to start again.
4.When Rihanna said she hated broke bitches, and Teyana Taylor agreed, and then Rihanna brought up the receipts for their individual net worths.
A feud that never fails to elicit a good chuckle is the 2013 Twitter beef between Rihanna and Teyana Taylor. It all started when Teyana posted a cover of R&B icon Anita Baker's "Caught Up in the Rapture" on Instagram. About two weeks later, Rihanna then shared a video of her male stylist butchering the song while wearing a backward snapback and hairstyle similar to Teyana's in her clip.
Naturally, Teyana took the fight to Twitter, firing back at the singer (and her Navy) for being "petty," adding that "bitch knew what the fuck she was doing" (give or take a few more since-deleted tweets by Teyana, one of which referenced, in extremely poor taste, Chris Brown's assault of the Fenty magnate). Afterward, Rihanna tweeted, "I REFUSE to help your career…you will NOT get an @ from me! Not til you pay me! #nomorefreepormo #iRefuse."
I hate broke bitches
5.When Nicki Minaj asked Miley Cyrus, "What's good?"
So as you all know, Miley Cyrus has made some very questionable (read: problematic) decisions regarding cultural appropriation and the co-optation of Black culture for profit. The two seemed to get along prior to 2014 — even when Miley said this in a 2013 Billboard cover story unprovoked: "A lot of people wanted to try to make me the white Nicki Minaj. That's not what I'm trying to do. I love 'hood' music, but my talent is as a singer."
Moving forward a year later, Miley (for some reason) decided to photoshop herself onto Nicki's "Anaconda" art. In response, Nicki reposted the photo on her Instagram with the caption, "Give me one good reason why Miley made this her Twitter avi" and a bunch of laughing emojis. The singer then made another "Anaconda" meme, which Nicki again reposted — this time with the caption, "No chill ZONE!!!!"
The feud only escalated from here: When "Anaconda" beat out Miley's "Wrecking Ball" for the most views in 24 hours on YouTube, Miley said at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards, “I can bring that body, I can bring that wrecking ball, but I can’t bring that ass."
Next year, the VMAs made the interesting (read: borderline nonsensical) decision not to nominate "Anaconda" for Video of the Year. As a result, Nicki took to Twitter to discuss body positivity and representation, writing, "When the ‘other’ girls drop a video that breaks records and impacts culture they get that nomination" and "If your video celebrates women with very slim bodies, you will be nominated for vid of the year." Taylor Swift, whose "Bad Blood" video was nominated for the category, took the tweet personally, replying, "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." When asked about the conflict in a New York Times Q&A, Miley essentially called Nicki "jealous," said she was "not too kind," and alleged that the rapper was being a sore loser.
6.When Jameela Jamil said she hoped Cardi B and other celebs who promote detox teas would "shit their pants in public."
While not as prominent in the cultural zeitgeist as public celebrity feuds go (especially compared with the juggernauts on this list), Jameela's feud with Cardi — I predict, very scientifically — will stand the test of time, given the way it toes the line between real issues and absolute absurdity.
Let me take you back to the era of detox teas and appetite-suppressing lollipops in 2018 — a very dark and very problematic time. As you know, part of Jameela's brand is being frank about things that bother her, to the annoyance of some and praise of others. Well, this time around, The Good Place actor called out the celeb-endorsed diet culture consisting of teas and other supplements that have been peddled by the likes of Khloé Kardashian and, of course, Cardi B. After the rapper posted a sponsored Instagram featuring the laxative tea, Jameela tweeted, "They got Cardi B on the laxative nonsense 'detox' tea. GOD I hope all these celebrities all shit their pants in public, the way the poor women who buy this nonsense upon their recommendation do. Not that they actually take this shit. They just flog it because they need MORE MONEY." She continued in more tweets, writing that women should not take advice from those who "know nothing about nutrition/basic advertising ethics."
Cardi then saw the backlash on the BuzzFeed Seasoned Instagram page and commented, "I will never shit my pants cause there's public restrooms everywhere ... oooo and bushes😩😩😂." Back on Twitter, Jameela didn't back down, writing, "Regarding her response: she will never shit her pants, not because of bushes, but because she probably doesn’t ever take the products she promotes."
While the nature of the topic is quite serious — especially considering the ramifications of diet culture — it's the focus on whether or not Cardi (and other celebs) "shit their pants" that is really sending me.
7.When Kim Kardashian West absolutely dragged Chloë Grace Moretz for essentially slut-shaming her.
Ah, a personal fave of mine that includes the most random cohort of celebs, ranging from Ruby Rose to Bette Midler, who also commented on the matter. Buckle up, and get ready for the journey I'm about to recount:
It's 2016, and Kim K, being Kim K, posted a ~scandalous~ nude selfie of herself on Twitter — which is all good and great for her. For some reason, Chloë Grace Moretz decided to get involved and slut-shame her, writing, "I truly hope you realize how important setting goals are for young women, teaching them we have so much more to offer than just our bodies," as if women cannot be comfortable in their skin AND also have goals.
In an honestly legendary response, Kim wrote, "let's all welcome @ChloeGMoretz to twitter, since no one knows who she is. your nylon cover is cute boo," referencing this shoot where Chloë is also baring her skin. This is, perhaps, the most well-researched and hilarious back-handed compliment I've ever seen.
let's all welcome @ChloeGMoretz to twitter, since no one knows who she is. your nylon cover is cute boo
8.When Zayn called the Wanted's Max George "chlamydia boy."
It's 2012, and we do not yet know the pain that is the breakup of One Direction. We do, however, know about the absurd, semi-legitimate media-backed rivalry between boy bands 1D and the Wanted.
The two bands had never really gotten along, most likely because they were constantly pitted against each other in interviews — but also occasionally because they loved hurling insults at each other. What characterizes this particular feud is a general sense of chaotic mess, mostly begun by the Wanted — something they themselves admitted.
According to tabloid reporting, there were insults and shadiness thrown about here and there, with the Wanted's Max George likening 1D to the "new Jonas Brothers" and Tom Parker jokingly suggesting that they should settle the conflict once and for all in a boxing match. (And about 500 other digs that I cannot even begin to summarize and put in chronological order without becoming the Pepe Silvia meme from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.)
Now, back to this particular section of the overarching feud. It all began pretty innocently (and randomly) on Twitter, when Zayn called Max a "geek" for posting a picture of himself with Usher. (As an aside, if being a geek is what gets me a photo with Usher, I am 1,000% a geek and would like to be branded as such.) After the not-so-diss, Max poked fun at the name-calling, using the hashtag #GeekAndProud, and posted another pic of himself, but this time with "Gangnam Style" singer Psy (yes, I am throwing you back, indeed). In response, Zayn wrote that the "first step is total acceptance" and called him a "wannabe." From there, Max retorted, "That's not very nice, I was just starting to like you and your R&B songs, too." And, apparently, that was the straw that broke the camel's back as more of both groups' members chimed in, like Louis Tomlinson and Tom.
Looking to wrap the feud up, Zayn tweeted that he had to run through rehearsals, to which Max responded, "Stay off the bud...it makes you cranky." And then Zayn delivered his unforgettable line (and the subject of this section), "Alright chlamydia boy," which, even I — as a Zayn stan — must admit is unhinged. Afterward, Max said he'd love to hear from Zayn in person without "the 8 security in NYC" and told him to "grow up." The last quip was from Zayn, though, who said, "I'd fucking love to, see you in New York big man ha u clown."
I'd also like to point out that the majority of Zayn's tweets in this feud concluded with a ": )" — which I have to say, as a fellow Capricorn, is about the most hilarious and passive-aggressive thing I've ever seen. As a bonus, around the same week this was happening, 1D was also feuding with Piers Morgan for reasons that are similarly laughable. The end result of that one? Liam Payne had the last laugh, tweeting to the British broadcaster, "No hard feelings stinky."
The moral of the story? Don't mess with One Direction because they (and Directioners) will find you and you will be dealt with.
9.When Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan feuded for more than a decade and a half.
Ah yes, a mid-aughts classic featuring our favorite famous frenemies.
As with many feuds — particularly those featuring women with immense star power — this particular drama began in the tabloids. The two "it girls" were often pitted against each other, and while the messiness here is definitely on full display, I'm sure the good old-fashioned misogyny in the 2000s (and now) didn't help.
As you all know, Paris and Lindsay were two-thirds of the iconic 2006 "Holy Trinity" paparazzi photo that also captured Britney Spears in a car. Not only does this tidbit become crucial to our deep dive later, but it also perfectly sets the stage for the immense publicity this feud and its stars have attracted.
That same year in May is pretty much when things kicked off, when Lindsay was spotted at LA's Hyde Nightclub with Paris's ex Stavros Niarchos. A couple of days later, a now-infamous paparazzi video depicted Paris laughing alongside her friend Brandon Davis as he made disparaging comments about Lindsay, her acting career, and her body — most notably (and grossly) calling her a "fire crotch." He also said, "I think she's worth about $7 million, which means she's really poor. It's disgusting. She lives in a motel." Ridiculous classism aside, he later retracted his statements and Paris's publicist tried to clear the air.
Soon after, Lindsay spoke to Elle and made a dig at Paris by shaming her sex tape. She also said she hadn't seen Brandon's video. In the same interview, she clarified that the two weren't in a love triangle with Stavros and that she would never fight with a woman over a guy because it's "bad karma."
paris is a c*nt lindsay lohan paparazzi paris hilton paris is my friend i didn’t say that
.@ParisHilton talks about that time @lindsaylohan crashed her girls night with @britneyspears 😂😂😂
10.When Kanye West misinterpreted Wiz Khalifa's tweet and went on a long rant about it, only to end up commenting on his cool pants.
Once again, let me take you back to Twitter in 2016.
It all began when Wiz tweeted that he felt a certain way about Kanye changing his seventh studio album name from Swish to Waves (it's now known as The Life of Pablo). The "Still Wiz" rapper had an issue with what he believed was Kanye's co-opting of the wavy movement pioneered by rapper Max B. Things were fine for a bit, with Kanye tweeting his respect for Max B and the now-late music executive Andre Harrell. But then things took a turn when Wiz tweeted, "Hit this kk and become yourself." While he was referencing his own personal weed strain — Khalifa Kush — the "Nah Nah Nah" rapper thought he was name-dropping his wife, Kim Kardashian West. And naturally, Kanye went off.
Kanye accused Wiz of stealing from Kid Cudi, called his first single and most of his music "corny," and said that no one he knew listened to Wiz's albums all the way through, among other things in more than 10 separate tweets directed at the rapper. And then, it seems that someone somehow clarified that Wiz was never trying to diss Kim: "I’m happy that I now know that KK means weed…please excuse the confusion…now back to #WAVES," he wrote.
"Work hard, play hard," Kanye added, featuring Kim's crying emoji face. He continued in a series of tweets, "You have distracted from my creative process. I went to look at your Twitter, and you were wearing cool pants. I screen grabbed those pants and sent it to my style team #Wizwearscoolpants."
After the clarification, Kanye deleted a majority of his tweets — mainly those targeting Wiz and slut-shaming Amber Rose, with whom Wiz shares a child. But his relentless dragging of Wiz (and praising of his "cool pants") will most definitely live on in notoriety.
11.And last but certainly not least, when Kanye literally doxxed Drake after Drake dissed him in a song.
Much like Paris and Lindsay's feud, this one is a doozy, given that it has now spanned more than a decade and is still developing.
As with many feuds, this one started out with our leading men as friends, collaborators, and admirers of each other as artists. Back in 2009, Drake even called Kanye the "most influential person" on his sound.
Little things started happening in 2010, like when Drake was spotted out at a club with Amber Rose, with whom Kanye had split two months prior. A month later, in December, Drake's verse on "All of the Lights" — which was present in the leaked version of the single — was cut. Then, in January, Drake seemed to shade Kanye's collaboration album with Jay-Z, Watch the Throne. "There’s two other rappers that are coming out with an album together. I don’t know where they got that idea," he told British DJ Tim Westwood in an interview. While, in October 2011, the "Hotline Bling" singer called it an "honor" to be compared to Kanye, in December, another probable diss appeared on his track "I'm on One."
In September, Kanye publicly apologized to Drake on Twitter about the track and denied telling Pusha about Drake's kid. But just two weeks later, things took a turn for the worse as Kanye switched his tone and, in since-deleted Instagram posts, began calling out the Toronto rapper for not quelling rumors about allegedly hooking up with his wife, Kim. In particular, he addressed Drake's single "In My Feelings," which references a woman named Kiki, which some fans believed was a nickname for Kim.
Then, in October, Drake opened up on LeBron James' HBO show The Shop about how he felt betrayed when Kanye released his eighth album, Ye, a week before his fifth album, Scorpion, calling him "manipulative" and saying he was "trolling" him to get intimate details about his life and music.
There would never be a drake without a Kanye west so never come out your mouth with a threat
Drakes reaction after finding out Kanye leaked his addy😭
