The most fatal poisons are those we are capable of ingesting unknowingly. Carbon monoxide has no scent, taste, or color, meaning that an unsuspecting person can breathe it in without feeling any immediate symptoms. But once its effects take hold, unobstructed, the only outcome is death. The normalization of predatory behavior seeps into our lives in a similar manner.

When Tarana Burke shook the world with the #MeToo Movement, she illuminated how often predatory behavior is normalized by putting a face to the countless victims it has consumed. This normalization is in full effect when people make excuses for sexual predators who also happen to be their favorite entertainers. You hear it in remarks like, “We all make mistakes when we’re young,” or “I can separate the art from the person.” The latter statement is often conveniently declared when listeners choose to support entertainers like R. Kelly, despite years of detailed sexual abuse allegations involving young black girls. You also see this form of regularization when Tekashi 6ix9ine, the Brooklyn rapper born Daniel Hernandez, gains the support of someone as powerful as Nicki Minaj.

Hernandez, who will open for Minaj and Future on their upcoming NICKIHNDRXX tour, pleaded guilty to three felony counts of “use of a child in a sexual performance” in 2015. Best known otherwise for his colorful hair and incessant internet antics, 6ix9ine was propelled from SoundCloud favorite to Hot 100 star with the success of his first single “Gummo” late last year. Minor hits with curious titles like “Kooda” and “Keke” soon followed, eventually culminating in “FEFE,” 6ix9ine’s highest charting single yet and currently the No. 5 song in the country. The track not only features Minaj, it was recently added to her new album Queen, in what is thought to be an attempt to push the LP to No. 1.

In the video for “FEFE,” Nicki and 6ix9ine pose with Super Soakers, share an ice cream cone, and partake in the sort of playful hand games perfected during childhood. Some might say that this is simply acting for the video, that their camaraderie ends when the director yells “cut.” However, Minaj’s public reference to 6ix9ine as her “BFF” and her “baby” would suggest otherwise. Such a co-sign from a rapper of Nicki’s caliber cannot be understated.

Regardless of your views of her music, her impact on music is undeniable. Minaj remains the first female rapper to sell over 5 million copies of each of her albums (Queen, which arrived just last Friday, excepted). She’s appeared on nearly 100 singles that have charted on the Hot 100—almost double the amount that Michael Jackson had in his lifetime. In her approximately 10-year span in the music industry, she has accrued a loyal fan base—affectionately dubbed “Barbz”—that has helped her remain a household name, even during long stretches between new music.

To that point, the New York Times published a story in which a single critique about Minaj resulted in “internet chaos.” The writer Wanna Thompson tweeted, “You know how dope it would be if Nicki put out mature content? No silly shit. Just reflecting on past relationships, being a boss, hardships, etc. She’s touching 40 soon, a new direction is needed.” In response, Thompson was berated and viciously attacked online by legions of Barbz. This included hateful messages like “kill yourself” and “pathetic black bitch,” as well as insults about her physical appearance. Some went as far as tracking down Thompson’s personal phone number and retrieving pictures of her 4-year-old daughter. Even Minaj herself jumped into the fray, reportedly responding to Thompson via DM with taunts about her looks and dismissing her as jealous. Minaj later posted what appeared to be a response to Thompson: a tweet listing songs she’s released that she considers “mature.”