Former "American Idol" judge Steven Tyler has four words for his successors Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey. And those words aren't, "Best of luck, ladies."
In an interview with MTV News [5]published Monday, the Aerosmith frontman reflected at length about the much-publicized beef between new judges Carey and Minaj, who make their premiere on "Idol" in January.
Also read: "American Idol" Producers Show Support After Mariah Carey-Nicki Minaj Flap [6]
And those famous lips of Tyler's didn't hold back anything on the topic, with the rocker at one point opining that Minaj and Carey should "Shut the f--- up."
"They should have something going on, which is called 'camaraderie,'" Tyler spouted. "They should have something going on so thick and beautiful that they can lay it over the new talent that's trying to birth itself. It needs to be birthed, not judged by 'entertainment' factors, it needs to be judged by people that [are] honest, true, that have the 'it' factor. Not the 'it' factor because they can fight. The f--- is that all about?"
Also read: Minaj vs. Mariah: Inside the New Fake Feud at "American Idol" [7]
Added Tyler, "You just have to give your opinion. It wasn't hard for me, but I would imagine it's hard for some people, and they need a manager to say 'Shut the f--- up, and just give them your opinion. These kids, they just got out of a car from the Midwest somewhere and they're in New York City, they're scared to death; you're not going to get the best [out of them]. ... If it was Bob Dylan, Nicki Minaj would have had him sent to the cornfield!"
Naturally, Tyler's pleas fell on deaf ears (or maybe they were just drowned out by loud mouths). After learning of the singer's statements, Minaj -- whose opinions tend to be as colorful as her seemingly endless collection of wigs -- unleashed her Twitter fury on Tyler.
"When Steven 1st went on Idol he was ridiculed by his peers & fans alike. Called a sell out. So what does he do? Ridicule the next judge," Minaj fumed [8].
She also suggested that Tyler's comments might have contained a hint of racism.
"You assume that I wouldn't have liked Bob Dylan??? why? black? rapper? what? go f--- yourself and worry about yourself babe," Minaj hissed. "I understand you really wanted to keep your job but take that up with the producers. I haven't done anything to you. That's a racist comment."
"LOL lets make him a shirt that says 'No Coloreds Allowed' then escort him down 2 Barbara Walters so he can tell how he was threatened w/guns," Minaj added, a reference to Carey's claim to Barbara Walters that Minaj had threatened to shoot her.
The beef between Carey and Minaj became public in October, when a leaked video of an "Idol" audition in Charlotte, N.C. depicted Minaj hurling a few choice words in Carey's direction.