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Are American Idol's Ratings Down Because Viewers Miss Nicki Minaj? Hear What Nicki Herself Has to Say!

Exclusive! The superstar rapper and former judge on the Fox reality hit weighs in on the show's declining ratings: "I wasn't fo

By Kristin Dos Santos, Tierney Bricker Apr 22, 2014 7:00 PMTags
Watch: Nicki Minaj Talks "The Other Woman"

American Idol ratings are at an all time low—and just keep sinking.

So does that mean fans are missing Nicki Minaj? Or perhaps that infamous, juicy feud between Nicki and Mariah Carey from last season's judging table?

We couldn't help but ask Nicki that very question at the premiere for The Other Woman, and the outrageous rapper has her own ideas as to why her Idol season had a bigger audience: 1) The chemistry (can we call it that?) between the judges and 2) Better talent.

Do you Idol fans agree?

"It was a very dynamic season," Minaj says to E! News of  her season on the Fox singing competition, "not just from us being crazy as judges but the contestants! I mean I've been listening to Angie Miller all day and I'm not lying. I had my whole glam team listen to her single "You Set Me Free." I listened to it listerally for the last 24 hours straight and I can't believe that nothing happened with that song! I'm obsessed. I think that the singing on our season was just insane."

Still, despite the lackluster ratings this year, she still contends Idol is worth keeping around. "I think that overall it's such a great platform for people who need a voice, and who just need somebody to hear them and so I wish them the best."

Michael Becker / FOX

Nicki seems to have no regerets about doing Idol, and even her feud with Miss Mariah—especially since it apparently helped to land her a plum role in The Other Woman.

The rapper and former Idol judge is set to make her film debut in the highly anticipated flick alongisde Cameron Diaz, Leslie Mann and Kate Upton, and it looks like she may have her time spent sparring with Mariah to thank!

In the Nick Cassavetes-directed revenge comedy, Minaj plays Lydia, Diaz's outspoken assistant and Minaj exclusively told E! News that she wasn't originally what the director had in mind when casting the role.

"They were actually looking to cast a Jewish girl for that role, and hey, I'm, I guess, Jewish now because he saw me and thought I would make a good Lydia," Minaj spilled during our sitdown.

And where did Cassavetes first see Minaj? On American Idol, of course! Watch our exclusive interview with Minaj above to hear how her time on Idol may have helped her land her first feature film role.

The Other Woman hits theaters on April 25, while American Idol airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. and Thursdays at 9 p.m. on Fox.