LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JULY 09: Nicki Minaj attends the World Premiere of “Barbie” at Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall on July 09, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/WireImage)
Rapper Nicki Minaj apologized to fans about her last-minute concert cancellation on Saturday after authorities in Amsterdam arrested her for drug possession. She was heading to Manchester at the time.
The 41-year-old performer addressed the incident on X.
“Thank you to everyone who prayed for me today. May God cover you & all that is connected to you. May you be blessed beyond your imagination,” Minaj began in the post, saying she was at a hotel in Manchester after “sitting in a jail cell for 5-6 hours.”
“My plane still didn’t take off for another 20 mins once I boarded. The flight was 50 mins. 50 mins,” she added. “That’s why they had to do the big song & dance b/c they knew I’d still find a way to perform even if it came down to my last 90 mins in the building which would have been until 1130pm. The building was willing to go past 11pm. So grateful to them for that.”
She went on to insinuate that the whole thing was a setup.
“So they succeeded at their plan to not let me get on that stage tonight. I succeeded @ getting to the root of it all by recording them & posting everything in real time. I have sooooooooo much video evidence. You wouldn’t believe it if I told you,” Minaj continued. “I’ll have the lawyers & GOD take it from here tho. Please please please accept my deepest & most sincere apologies.”
She added, “They sure did know exactly how to hurt me today but this too, shall pass.”
Minaj concluded by promising to reschedule the show for a later date and confirmed she would be performing at the second Manchester performance. She went on to play in Birmingham, U.K., on Sunday night.
The rapper recorded an Instagram Live of her arrest on Saturday, during which a Dutch official is heard saying Minaj is being detained for “carrying drugs.”
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The Royal Netherlands Marechaussee shared a post on X around the same time, saying, “We have just released a 41-year-old American woman who we arrested this afternoon at Schiphol on suspicion of exporting soft drugs. After consultation with the Public Prosecution Service, the suspect was fined and can continue her journey.”
Later, Minaj shared another video on Instagram depicting an official telling the performer that they did a “random, quick check” before her luggage boarded her private plane.
Minaj posted about the situation on X, saying, “Now they said they found weed & that another group of ppl have to come here to weigh the pre-rolls.”
“Keep in mind they took my bags without consent. My security has already advised them those pre-rolls belong to him. Oh yea, & the pilot wants me to take my ig post down,” she continued.