Nicki Minaj has got a lot of people talking following a series of tweets about the coronavirus vaccine, the Met Gala, and her cousin’s friend’s swollen testicles.

The chart-topping rapper revealed she had recently contracted COVID-19 – explaining why she pulled out of the MTV Awards at the weekend – and also that she has not yet been vaccinated as she wants to research it more before she makes a decision.

Minaj also said she would not be pressured into getting the jab for the annual Met Gala fashion extravaganza, which took place on Monday evening and reportedly required guests to be vaccinated.

She later clarified this was not the reason she did not attend – saying she did not want to travel because of her son, who turns one later in September.

They want you to get vaccinated for the Met. if I get vaccinated it won’t for the Met. 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 🙏♥️

In one post she said it is likely she will be vaccinated at some point and that she would recommend it for anyone who needs it for work.

But in another, she claimed her cousin’s friend suffered swollen testicles and became impotent after getting the vaccine. “So just pray on it & make sure you’re comfortable with ur decision, not bullied,” she told fans.

My cousin in Trinidad won’t get the vaccine cuz his friend got it & became impotent. His testicles became swollen. 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

Impotence is not listed as a potential side effect on the NHS website and Minaj, who was born in Trinidad and grew up in New York, was mocked on social media for sharing the story.

Minaj told fans on Twitter she was still researching vaccines and encouraged people to be safe.

“They want you to get vaccinated for the Met. if I get vaccinated it won’t for the Met. 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.”

The star also said that Drake, her friend and fellow rapper, caught COVID despite being vaccinated.

“I was prepping for vmas then i shot a video & guess who got COVID? Do u know what it is not to be able to kiss or hold your tiny baby for over a week? A baby who is only used to his mama? ‘get vaccinated’ Drake had just told me he got covid w|THE VACCINE tho so chile.”

Vaccine hesitancy is one of the biggest issues facing Joe Biden’s administration in the US.

Last week, the president criticised the roughly 80 million unvaccinated Americans and announced sweeping new rules for workers, covering around two thirds of all US employees – about 100m people.

There have been more than 41 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the US, official figures show, and more than 660,000 deaths.

Sky News has contacted representatives for Minaj for comment.

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