Nicki Minaj's concert canceled following arrest for possessing 'soft drugs'
What's the story
In a shocking turn of events, Nicki Minaj's anticipated performance at Co-op Live in Manchester on Saturday was unexpectedly postponed due to her arrest at a Netherlands airport.
The incident occurred just hours before the concert, with fans already present at the venue.
The American rapper was detained on suspicion of "possessing soft drugs" while en route from Amsterdam to Manchester for her Pink Friday 2 Tour show.
Live encounter
Minaj denied drug possession allegations
Minaj, who was later released, live-streamed her encounter with Dutch security staff on her Instagram, providing fans with a firsthand account of the incident.
During the live recording, she denied carrying any drugs. However, a Dutch police officer informed her that she was under arrest.
The National Police Corps later confirmed that a "41-year-old woman was arrested for allegedly attempting to transport soft drugs from Schiphol airport to another country."
Twitter Post
Here's the video from Minaj's livestream
Nicki Minaj arrested after flying into Amsterdam for her show pic.twitter.com/kARGnS1zr1
— Dexerto (@Dexerto) May 25, 2024
Event fallout
20,000 concert-goers were left waiting!
Approximately 20,000 eager concert-goers were left waiting in the arena for Minaj to grace the stage.
Boos echoed through the Manchester arena as disappointment grew, prompting attendees to eventually exit the venue.
Following the incident, Live Nation—the promoter for the arena—expressed disappointment.
In a statement, they said, "Despite Nicki's best efforts to explore every possible avenue to make tonight's show happen, the events of today have made it impossible."
Tour sabotage
Meanwhile, the rapper claimed arrest attempted to 'sabotage' the tour
Minaj took to X/Twitter—where she has over 28M followers—posting messages about her arrest and revealing she "spent five to six hours in a jail cell."
Expressing her frustration, she wrote, "They succeeded at their plan to not let me get on that stage tonight," without specifying who she was referring to.
Throughout her posts on X, she detailed additional grievances, including the unauthorized removal of her luggage, and highlighted her location in Amsterdam, where "weed is legal."
Twitter Post
Take a look at this lengthy post by Minaj
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.
— Nicki Minaj (@NICKIMINAJ) May 26, 2024
Barbz, I’m @ the stock exchange hotel in #Manchester I arrived a little over an hour ago.
After sitting in a jail cell for 5-6 hours, my…
Concert update
Minaj was fined heavily; amount hasn't been disclosed
Following these events, Minaj was heavily fined by Amsterdam authorities before her Manchester show was officially canceled.
The exact amount of the fine has not been disclosed.
Despite these events, Minaj is expected to return to Amsterdam for another show on June 2.
Notably, the rapper's arrest came shortly after she expanded her Pink Friday 2 World Tour by announcing a second US leg following successful shows in the first leg.