Mariah Carey: 'I didn't know Nicki Minaj sang'

Now this is what I call insult to injury. With first episode of American Idol airing in South Africa on Saturday 26 January on M-Net at 18:00, there has already been tension between new judges Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj, and now Mariah has claimed that she didn't know Nicki Minaj was a singer! Digital Spy reports that responding to comments that her fellow American Idol judge had recorded a song about their recent feud, Carey claimed she didn't know Minaj could sing. On the track, titled 'Hell Yeah', Minaj sings: "I'm quick to check a bitch that's out of line/ Why these bums so mad that the queen on Idol?" Mariah told Barbra Walters on ABC News: "I don't know. I don't know what she's singing. I didn't know she sang, I thought she rapped or whatever. "I think [Idol] is a classic, classy show and it didn't need this. I really think it was just a crass moment." She added: "For me, this is ultimately about the kids, the contestants. I've been blessed to live my dream more than half my life so I want to help give that back to someone else." Listen to Nicki's song Hell Yeah!, HERE!