Nicki Minaj makes light of Mariah Carey feud

Rapper Nicki Minaj has risked the wrath of her fellow American Idol judge Mariah Carey once again after making light of their infamous feud by joking that she fights using "whatever weapon is handy".

The two new talent show judges were filming an audition in Charlotte, North Carolina in October (12) when they became embroiled in an argument over a contestant.

Video footage of their heated exchange soon emerged online and at one point, an angry Minaj is alleged to have raged, "If I had a gun I would shoot her (Carey)."

The hip-hop star claimed she never uttered those comments, but Carey refused to believe her denial and instead beefed up her security team to protect her twin babies, Monroe and Moroccan.

During a recent interview with newswoman Barbara Walters, the Hero hitmaker said, "It felt like an unsafe work environment. Anytime anybody's reeling threats at somebody, you know, that's just not appropriate. Sitting there on the road with two babies, I'm not gonna take any chances, so yeah I did hire more security."

Minaj, who maintains she never threatened to hurt Carey, has since made amends with the singer for the sake of the TV show, but she couldn't help but poke fun at what she considered to be ridiculous accusations levelled against her during an appearance on late night talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Friday (25Jan13).

When asked about the headline-hitting incident with Carey, she quipped, "I never fight with fists. (I use) whatever weapon is handy!"

Realising the controversy her new comments might stir, she quickly added, "Wait, don't tell anyone I said that, because then there'll be another Barbara Walters interview! No, I'm kidding, I would never... I don't condone violence, no I don't."

Minaj went on to insist that she was still enjoying working on Idol, saying, "Really when I go to work on Idol, I'm having fun, even at that time (in the early days feuding with Carey)... I really genuinely enjoy going there. We have a lot of fun, even with Mariah and I, we really do have fun."