Nicki Minaj was joking about Carey Idol duet

Nicki Minaj has played down reports she is eager to record a duet with her fellow American Idol judge Mariah Carey, insisting she was "kidding" when she made the remark.

The Starships hitmaker infamously fell out with Carey during one of their first tapings of the reality TV show last month (Oct12) when they became embroiled in a heated argument over a contestant.

The pair has since called a truce, and Minaj appeared to be keen to put their differences behind them once and for all by voicing her support for a suggestion to hit the studio with the Hero legend.

When asked about the collaboration possibility by Idol presenter and Los Angeles radio host Ryan Seacrest on Monday (19Nov12), Minaj replied, "If she'll have me, I'll be there waiting."

However, it seems the rapper has since gone off the idea - during an interview on breakfast show Good Morning America on Tuesday (20Nov12), she admitted she had been joking about the duet plans.

She said, "I was kidding... I mean, no. But she's been one of my favourite artists of all time, since I can remember, so it's weird that everything (the drama on Idol) was blown up like that. It didn't make me happy at all because she knows how much I adore her.

"Some of my best childhood memories with my mum are from Mariah's music. I can't deny that and I can't take away what she's done in my life and in just pop culture in general, and having one of the most amazing voices in the world.

"So, having said that, I'm an adult and we're passionate on the set and sometimes when you're a passionate woman it kinda ruffles other women's feathers, but I'm gonna continue to be Nicki Minaj."