It’s the Cola Wars all over again, with Nicki Minaj being the bone of contention between Coke and Pepsi.

Minaj’s name is being bandied about as a possible judge on Season 12 of ‘American Idol,’ which does not sit too well with the top brass at the Coca-Cola corporation. Why? Well, the soft drink giant has been a sponsor of the show since the first season, and Minaj is the face of Pepsi, with a lucrative endorsement deal that features commercials, touring and album promotion. Minaj can not serve two soft drink masters, so this situation appears to be a bit sticky, and not because someone spilled a glass of Coke (or Pepsi) all over the place.

The Hollywood Reporter alleges that Minaj is one of the top candidates for a judge’s panel post Honestly, we can’t imagine than there is enough room for new judge Mariah Carey and another diva at the table. Sorry, Nicki, but Mariah is the queen bee. Even so, this sponsorship snafu could create a bit of a problem and could push Minaj out of the running, assuming she is even interested in an ‘Idol’ post. Since Coke pours $26 million into its ‘Idol’ partnership each season, it’s not likely that ‘Idol’ head honchos want to upset the apple, er, soda cart and bring Minaj in.

Word on the street is that the producers want to diversify and include a country act and Latin act on the revamped, 2013 panel. It makes sense to go the country route, since some of the series’ strongest contenders and most successful, post-’Idol’ acts have thrived in the country realm. Take a look at Scotty McCreery for proof.

Watch Nicki Minaj’s Pepsi Commercial

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