Nicki Minaj UK Show Cancelled After Earlier Arrest In Amsterdam

Nicki Minaj’s show at the Manchester venue, Co-Op Live, was cancelled on Saturday night (25 May) after the rapper and singer was arrested in Amsterdam earlier that day.

Minaj livestreamed her arrest that afternoon. In the video, she looked to be detained by Dutch police for allegedly “carrying drugs” between countries as she was travelling. While the Dutch National Police Corps confirmed that Minaj had been arrested, they added that she had been released.

However, as the show went down on Saturday night, it became clear that Minaj wouldn’t perform. The doors opened at 7 pm, and the artist was scheduled to hit the stage an hour later. At 9:30 pm, an announcement came over the speakers and confirmed that Minaj wouldn’t be performing while fans remained in the venue.

The Manchester Co-Op Live shared a statement that night, which read:

Nicki Minaj’s scheduled performance at Manchester’s Co-Op Live on Saturday 25th May has been postponed. Tickets will remain valid for the rescheduled performance which will be announced ASAP.

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. More information will be available at your point of purchase.

You can watch footage of Minaj’s livestreamed video below.

In March last year, Minaj announced that she would launch her own record label under the umbrella of Republic Records.

Teasing that artists including Nana Fofie, Tate Kobang, Rico Danna and London Hill could be on the roster, she said, “When I get behind an artist, y’all know how I do shit for people that’s not even signed to me. Imagine what Imma do for the ones that’s signed.

“Don’t think my label is just rap, or Black, or anything. We got some other genres of music.”

Minaj added that she had been texting Republic Records co-president Wendy Goldstein, which prompted her to share the news.

She revealed the beginning of the planning of the label, saying: “I said, ‘Wendy, we got to do this big. I’m a female; you a female, mamma. You got to do this right. We gotta do it right. I don’t want no little itty-bitty ting ting. I want to do it right’.”

She also revealed that her longtime friend Patty Lauren would serve in an A&R role.

Nicki Minaj has been arrested in Amsterdam (of all places) for “carrying drugs.”

Minaj immediately went on Instagram Live and asked for a lawyer.

She initially declined to get into a police vehicle until she had a lawyer and repeatedly asked for the address of where she was… pic.twitter.com/3QwFockAnu

— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) May 25, 2024