Nicki Minaj has expressed gratitude to her fans for their understanding and support after her concert in Manchester had to be rescheduled due to her arrest in the Netherlands. The Queens rapper and singer was detained at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport on Saturday for allegedly attempting to transport “soft drugs” out of the country.
Minaj spent around six hours in custody before being released and fined, allowing her to continue her journey to the UK. Despite her efforts to make it in time, her concert at the Co-op Live arena was postponed. Fans had already been admitted into the venue by 7 pm, but the announcement of the postponement came around 9:40 pm from promoter Live Nation.
Dutch police confirmed the arrest and subsequent release of a 41-year-old woman who paid a fine before being allowed to leave. The incident caused significant delays and disruptions, but Minaj’s fans, known as Barbz, have shown remarkable patience and support.
In a post on X (formerly known as Twitter), Minaj praised her fans, writing, “Manchester I appreciate you. Class act. Give me until (tomorrow) for the update on our new date (please). It will be sometime in June or July like I mentioned last night.” She also promised an “added surprise bonus” for fans and expressed excitement about her upcoming performance in Manchester, already scheduled for Thursday at Co-op Live.
Minaj reassured her followers that the Birmingham concert at Resorts World Arena on Sunday would be a “magical beautiful happy fun unforgettable night.” She even invited her fans to her hotel in the center of Manchester, where she personally interacted with the crowd. One fan, Alvin Christie from Liverpool, praised Minaj’s efforts and criticized the venue’s management. Christie stated, “I would say it was very poorly managed. When we arrived at the event, they were actively telling fans that she had arrived and that everyone was going to dance tonight.”
Minaj arrived at her Manchester hotel early on Sunday after enduring a long flight delay from Amsterdam and time in a cell. She noted on X that the venue was “willing to go past 11 pm,” but blamed unnamed individuals for the disruption, claiming they had “succeeded at their plan to not let me get on that stage tonight.”
Live Nation issued a statement on Saturday, saying, “Despite Nicki’s best efforts to explore every possible avenue to make tonight’s show happen, the events of today have made it impossible. We are deeply disappointed by the inconvenience this has caused.”
This incident adds to the series of issues plaguing Co-op Live since its attempted opening in April. The venue has faced multiple postponements and rescheduling of its first official gigs. US rapper A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie even moved his performance to the AO Arena due to the delays, and Co-op Live only began live music shows on May 14 with British rock band Elbow.
Minaj, known for her hits like “Starships,” “Super Bass,” and “Anaconda,” livestreamed her arrest and maintained that the drugs found in her luggage were not hers. Despite these setbacks, her fans have shown unwavering support, and Minaj looks forward to delivering unforgettable performances in the near future.
#Manchester I appreciate you. Class act. Give me until tmrw for the update on our new date plz. It will be sometime in June or July like I mentioned last night. #GagCityManchester and like I also mentioned, I’ll be doing an added surprise bonus for you guys as well.
To the…
— Nicki Minaj (@NICKIMINAJ) May 26, 2024
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