Mariah Carey talks Nicki Minaj feud: I did hire more security VIDEO

So, just how much do Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj actually despise each other? We wont be able to judge that for ourselves until American Idols 12th season premieres next week but in the meantime, theres Careys new interview with Barbara Walters, which touches on the Mariah/Nicki feud.

A brief recap of the conflict: Mariah Carey had a vision of love and a vision of herself as American Idols only female judge. So when Fox invited Nicki Minaj to serve on the shows new judging panel as well, there was some immediate friction between the two musicians although both Carey and Minaj rejected rumors of bad blood. (How can you feud in two days? Carey joked shortly after the judging panel was made official. I think a feud takes a little longer [to build.)

Then TMZ released a video of Nicki cursing out Mariah during an Idol audition in North Carolina. Walters discussed the explosive clip on The View, saying that Carey had told her things got even more heated once the cameras were off. Specifically: Minaj supposedly said, If I had a gun, I would shoot that fing bitch. Mariah responded by reportedly hiring extra security. President Obama and Stevie Nicks got involved. Nicki accused Walters of taking Mariahs side because Im a little black girl that raps. It was, in sort, a Class-A fustercluck.

When Walters asks Carey about the whole brouhaha, the singer defends her actions in a calm, rational way: It felt like an unsafe work environment, she says. Anytime anybodys reeling threats at somebody, you know, thats just its not appropriate. Ive got two babies; Im not going to take any chances. Yeah, I did hire more security. I just felt it was the appropriate thing to do.

And though Walters indicates at the end of the segment that Carey and Minaj have since made nice, the interview itself doesnt offer much to support that statement. At one point, Walters brings up Hell Yeah, a Nicki Minaj single that includes lyrics seemingly aimed at Mariah (Ill take it, sign on the dotted line/But Im quick to check a bitch if she outta line.) Carey says cagily that she doesnt know if shes the target of those lyrics, then adds dismissively, I didnt know she sang. I thought she rapped, or whatever. You can practically feel the repressed eye roll.

Watch the interview for yourself here and feel free to skip to 3:20 for the juicy stuff.

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