Nicki Minaj not dating EminemLos Angeles, May 26 (AZINS) Rapper Nicki Minaj is not dating Eminem. (15:18)

The Internet was quickly set alight on Thursday when it when she told a fan on Instagram they were an item.

But according to TMZ, a source close to the hitmaker has revealed that she was only joking about the romance, reports dailymail.co.uk.

The 35-year-old star had taken to Instagram to promote a new single. One of her followers boldly enquired: "You dating Eminem?"

She wrote back: "Yes."

But sources close to Minaj say she was only joking.

"There's nothing romantic between the two."

Minaj and Eminem, real name Marshall Mathers III, have long known each other, as they worked together on her hit 2010 single "Roman's revenge".