Janelle Monáe criticizes Nelly over Trump inauguration performance during Grammys 2025 afterparty

Singer Janelle Monáe openly criticized Nelly’s Trump inauguration performance during a Grammys 2025 afterparty on Sunday night.

While performing a cover of Nelly’s hit song Hot in Herre, Monáe took a moment to call out the rapper, saying, “F—k you Nelly,” in a video shared by TMZ. She added that she once admired him but felt he had “sold out” by performing for Donald Trump, stating, “Now you look like a motherf—ing fool.”

The impromptu moment took place at a West Hollywood bar co-owned by Anderson .Paak, where Monáe performed a medley alongside him. She continued to express her frustration, referencing her support for women and Hispanic communities, though some of her comments were unclear in the video.

Nelly’s inauguration performance had already drawn criticism, but the rapper defended his decision, saying it was not about politics. “I’m not out here trying to tell anybody who they should vote for,” he previously stated. “This isn’t politics. The politics, for me, is over. He won! He’s the president.”

Earlier that evening, Monáe performed at the Grammy Awards, delivering a tribute to Quincy Jones with a rendition of Michael Jackson’s Don’t Stop ’til You Get Enough. During her performance, she threw her black jacket into the audience, where it was retrieved by Taylor Swift, who later wore it over her red dress for the rest of the night.

Neither Monáe nor Nelly have commented further on the controversy