What is The Girls Are Fighting?

"The Girls Are Fighting" is a catchphrase from rapper Azealia Banks' September 2018 Instagram Live video where she reacted to Nicki Minaj and Cardi B's altercation at New York Fashion Week. The phrase is used to humorously commentate on public disputes between notable figures.

Where did The Girls Are Fighting come from?

The phrase originated on September 8, 2018, when Azealia Banks went live on Instagram wearing a bunny filter and exclaimed "What is the tea, the girls are fighting!" while reacting to news of the Nicki Minaj and Cardi B fight.

What does The Girls Are Fighting mean?

The phrase is used to express mock surprise or delight when two notable figures are publicly feuding. It treats serious conflicts as entertaining gossip, often applied ironically regardless of the actual genders of those fighting.

How do you use The Girls Are Fighting?

The catchphrase is typically deployed as a reaction when celebrities, politicians, or other public figures are in a public dispute. Users often post it as commentary on social media when noting a high-profile feud.

Is The Girls Are Fighting still popular?

The meme saw a major resurgence in June 2025 when Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez quoted it in response to the Trump-Musk feud, with clips of her comment receiving over 4.3 million views.

The Girls Are Fighting

2018catchphraseresurgent

Published August 12, 2026

"The Girls Are Fighting" is a catchphrase originating from rapper Azealia Banks' September 2018 Instagram Live reaction to the Nicki Minaj and Cardi B altercation at New York Fashion Week. The phrase became a popular way to joke about public feuds between notable figures, experiencing a viral resurgence in June 2025 when Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez used it to comment on the Trump-Musk fallout.

catchphrase memes hip hop memes celebrity reaction memes tumblr memes

Overview

"The Girls Are Fighting" is a catchphrase used to humorously commentate on public disputes between notable figures. The phrase comes from a September 2018 Instagram Live video where rapper Azealia Banks, wearing a bunny face filter, dramatically reacted to news of Nicki Minaj and Cardi B fighting at New York Fashion Week1. In the clip, Banks exclaims, "Whaaat? What is the tea, the girls are fighting! Nooo… the girls are fighting, why?!" with exaggerated surprise and glee.

The catchphrase works as a way to frame any public conflict between two parties as entertaining gossip. While originally referencing an actual fight between two women, the phrase evolved to apply to any high-profile feud, regardless of gender2. Users deploy it when celebrities clash on social media, when politicians attack each other publicly, or when any two prominent figures have a falling out. The humor lies in treating serious disputes as trivial drama.

The phrase experienced a major resurgence in June 2025 when U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez quoted it in response to the public feud between Donald Trump and Elon Musk3. Her usage introduced the meme to a wider political audience and sparked discussion about whether the phrase was problematic or simply harmless comedy.

Gallery

Origin & Background

Platform

Instagram Live

Creator

Azealia Banks

Date

2018

The catchphrase originated on September 8, 2018, during an Instagram Live broadcast by rapper Azealia Banks1. That evening, Nicki Minaj and Cardi B engaged in a physical altercation at a New York Fashion Week party, making headlines across entertainment news. Banks, using a Snapchat bunny filter, went live to react to the drama in real-time, delivering her now-iconic line with theatrical enthusiasm.

YouTuber SATIRICATIVE reposted the clip to YouTube on the same day, where it gathered over 6,000 likes over the following years1. The video preserved Banks' reaction and allowed it to spread beyond her Instagram followers, eventually becoming a frequently referenced reaction clip.

How It Spread

The catchphrase took root on Tumblr in early 2019. On February 16, 2019, Tumblr user @gluten-free-p*ssy posted a fake Presidential Alert meme reading "THE GIRLS ARE FIGHTINGGGG," which accumulated over 390,000 notes2. This post helped establish the phrase as a standalone meme format separate from the original video.

The catchphrase saw periodic revivals throughout the early 2020s. In August 2022, X user @Iuvjjkoo used it to comment on a public dispute between singer Charlie Puth and producer Benny Blanco, earning over 17,000 likes2. On August 31, 2024, Tumblr user @pankenlewd posted a popular variation that added theatrical flair: "the girls are fightingggggg [readjusts my glasses, squinting] by god… it appears i was mistaken," which gathered over 100,000 notes2.

The meme achieved mainstream political attention on June 5, 2025, when Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was asked about the public feud between Donald Trump and Elon Musk. She responded, "Oh, man, the girls are fighting, aren't they?"3. A clip posted by X user @gtconway3d received over 4.3 million views and 150,000 likes within 24 hours2. The moment sparked debate on Bluesky about whether the phrase was sexist, with X user @angel_0f_deathx noting the controversy and earning over 60,000 likes2.

How to Use This Meme

The catchphrase is typically used as a reaction or commentary when two notable figures are publicly feuding. Users can quote the phrase directly, reference the original Azealia Banks video, or create variations that add additional theatrical commentary. Common contexts include celebrity disputes, politician disagreements, or brand rivalries on social media. The phrase works when applied ironically to conflicts between men, treating serious disagreements as petty gossip.