The designer behind Nicki Minaj‘s most talked-about jewelry piece is cutting ties with the rapper over her political shift.
ONCH, the Taiwanese-American artist who created Minaj’s pink-fried-chicken necklace, announced that he’s auctioning the original piece to protest her embrace of the MAGA movement.
The one-of-a-kind necklace will hit the auction block on February 24 via the shopping app Palmstreet, with a minimum bid of $30,000. The auction represents the first time the signed, original necklace has been made available to the public.
“As an artist of color, it matters to me how my work is remembered,” ONCH told Page Six. “Redirecting this moment toward giving back allows the design to carry new meaning beyond the current spectacle.”
The Los Angeles-based designer created the pink chicken-wing piece, which became a cultural phenomenon when Minaj wore it at the 2011 iHeartRadio Music Festival.
When Nicki Minaj first wore the piece in 2011, critics questioned whether it played into harmful stereotypes about Black people and fried chicken.
But the necklace also represented artistic boldness in a male-dominated industry. Designer Marco Marco, who worked with Nicki Minaj on other projects, praised her “flair for creating unapologetic, iconic moments” and her willingness to “push her own boundaries.”
ONCH’s decision comes after Minaj’s dramatic political transformation over the past few months.
The “Anaconda” rapper appeared at conservative events and declared herself Donald Trump‘s “number one fan” at the Trump Accounts Summit in January.
Her political shift has drawn criticism from across the entertainment industry. At this year’s Grammy Awards, host Trevor Noah earned cheers from the audience when he clowned Nicki Minaj and celebrated her absence from the ceremony.
The comment triggered another social media rant from Minaj, who called the awards show a “ritual” and claimed it would “backfire.”
ONCH built his reputation creating food-inspired jewelry pieces for Hollywood’s biggest names.
His client list includes Rihanna, Kate Moss, Ariana Grande, and Kim Kardashian. The designer’s work has been featured in major publications like Vogue and Vanity Fair, and pieces have been displayed at The Met.
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