A story from Nicki Minaj’s childhood has resurfaced after a man claiming to be the rapper’s former sixth-grade boyfriend publicly shared a message of regret.
Nicki previously spoke about her first kiss during a 2011 interview with #5 Magazine. While discussing her early experiences with romance, she recalled sharing her first kiss with a boy named Derrick. The moment was far from the polished romance people might imagine, with Nicki remembering that the two awkwardly bumped teeth during the kiss
Years later, a rapper named Derrick Branch appeared on social media claiming that he was the same person Nicki had mentioned during that interview. His claim quickly attracted attention because of the connection to a story Nicki had shared more than a decade earlier.
Branch did not simply identify himself as the person from Nicki’s childhood memory. He also appeared to use the moment as an opportunity to express regret about the way he treated her when they were younger.
In an Instagram post, he suggested that he wishes he had appreciated Nicki differently at the time. Rather than directly explaining every detail of their childhood relationship, he expressed those feelings through a freestyle apparently intended to reach her.
The lyrics focused on regret and missed opportunities, including the lines about being with him when he was at his lowest and wishing he had put her first. He also suggested that he should have shown her how much she was worth.
The emotional message immediately gave the story a different tone. What began as an old memory about an awkward first kiss became a public expression of remorse from someone claiming to have known Nicki before she became an international superstar.
There is, however, an important detail that should not be overlooked.
Branch’s claim that he is the same Derrick Nicki discussed in the 2011 interview is an allegation made by him. The material provided does not independently establish his identity or confirm that he and Nicki had the relationship he describes.
That distinction matters, particularly when an old celebrity story resurfaces through social media. A person’s claim about their connection to a famous figure does not automatically establish that the claim is accurate.
