I'm harsh because I care: Nicki Minaj

Rapper Nicki Minaj feels she is brutally honest to the talent show contestants because she cares deeply for them.
The 30-year-old singer, who is currently judging 'American Idol', is known for her harsh comments to the hopefuls in the show, reported Contactmusic.
"I know that sometimes when I speak in a really blunt way like I do, people take that as me not loving and caring about these people. But I really do, I feel like they're family to me. But I feel like I'm not doing them a service if I blow smoke up their ass, and I just refuse to do that," she said.

Minaj said it does upset her when some of the contestants are eliminated.
"I mean, when I see someone come from nothing, and their family just lost everything in Hurricane Katrina, and they had to rebuild ... I remember my own childhood, and I remember how many children are out there suffering now ... Burnell, not only did he have such a beautiful story, but he had such a unique voice and unique spirit. So yeah, those tears were real for Burnell.