Not long after Saturday Night Live made its return to the 2026 TV schedule, it aired its 1,000th episode, which was hosted by Alexander Skarsgård with Cardi B as the musical guest. Apparently, though, it wasn’t all a big celebration behind the scenes, as the Season 51 musical guest reportedly threw a phone and punched a screen over a joke made about Nicki Minaj during rehearsals.
Allegedly, during rehearsals for the January 31 episode of SNL, there was a Weekend Update joke about Nicki Minaj and her affiliation with MAGA. According to insiders who spoke to TMZ, when that joke, which did not mention Cardi B, was made, she freaked out.
She allegedly destroyed equipment after she overheard the bit and threatened to leave the show. It was reported that the situation escalated, as she threw her phone at a monitor backstage. Apparently, she also punched a screen in a producer’s office and broke it.
That screen had to be replaced before dress rehearsal started, a source claimed. And apparently, this situation left people unsettled.
According to the report, the joke was ultimately left out of that week’s Weekend Update.
It’s worth noting that this story has not been confirmed by Cardi B or Saturday Night Live. The musician did ultimately perform during the show, playing "Bodega Baddie" and "ErrTime" during the musical guests' typical slots in a given SNL episode.
Over the years, there have been quite a few infamous moments on SNL involving memorable musical guests. Kanye West went off on a political rant years ago, and Rage Against the Machine had their set cut short due to their plans to protest the night’s host, to name a few examples. So, this is by no means the first time something unexpected has happened in Studio 8H.
It’s also worth noting that Cardi B and Nicki Minaj have a long and complex history. Back in 2018, reports came out that the “I Like It” rapper tried to fight the “Super Bass” rapper at a New York Fashion Week party after they’d been arguing about a verse in a Migos song that Minaj was featured on. Then, late in 2025, via The Cut, the two got into a feud on X seemingly over Cardi B’s album, Am I the Drama? which involved them calling each other’s kids out, among other things.
Again, what happened at SNL is alleged. However, these two rappers have a long and unfriendly history.
Now, as we wait to see if we get more clarity on the matter, a new episode of SNL is scheduled to air this week. Heated Rivalry’s Connor Storrie will be hosting with musical guest Mumford and Sons, and you can watch it on the show’s titular night on NBC or with a Peacock subscription at 11:30 p.m. ET.
