Last week it was reported Nicki Minaj was in talks to be a judge on Simon Cowell’s “X Factor” and Simon himself did not deny it, adding more fuel to the report. However, TMZ reported today that Minaj and co. nixed the idea, dismissing it as a rumor. Simon Cowell called into XXL today to clarify the situation. Hit the jump to hear what he had to say.

@MarisaMendez


“We spoke to Nicki actually about a lot of projects,” he told XXLMag.com. “It wasn’t specifically about this, but we were just very interested to meet her. I’m a big fan of hers. So I don’t know if it’s gonna be this show or something in the future, but it was definitely somebody I wanted to meet.”

“Off her own back she’s had a phenomenal year last year and she’s gonna have a phenomenal year this year. She’s very smart, very influential, very bright and along with artists like Jessie J. You can’t ignore them and sooner or later they have to be in our world and we have to be in their world.”

So there you have it! Hopefully the pair team up for something soon! It would be major!!