Nicki Minaj's Manchester concert was postponed after she was detained at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport for carrying marijuana. Dutch authorities confirmed her brief arrest and subsequent fine. Despite efforts by Live Nation and Co-op Live to proceed with the concert, the delay made it impossible. Minaj apologized to fans outside her Manchester hotel and suggested the incident was an attempt to sabotage her tour. Her "Pink Friday 2" tour continues in Birmingham, with the Manchester concert to be rescheduled.
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Nicki Minaj's much-anticipated concert in Manchester was unexpectedly postponed on Saturday night after the rapper was briefly detained by Dutch authorities at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport for allegedly carrying marijuana.
The Trinidadian-born artist, known for her hits such as “Super Freaky Girl,” “Anaconda,” and “Starships,” was en route to the UK for her "Pink Friday 2" tour when police discovered marijuana in her luggage. The Royal Netherlands Marechaussee, the Dutch national police agency, confirmed that a 41-year-old American woman was arrested on suspicion of exporting soft drugs. Minaj, whose full name is Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty, fits this description, though police did not officially name her.
In a series of social media posts and videos, Minaj detailed her ordeal, stating that officers insisted on weighing the marijuana and thoroughly searching all her luggage. In a video posted on Instagram Live, Minaj is seen speaking with police officers and being escorted to a police van. She repeatedly denied carrying drugs beyond what was found and requested a lawyer.
Following a brief detention and consultation with local prosecutors, Minaj was fined and released, allowing her to continue her journey. However, the unexpected delay meant that her concert in Manchester had to be postponed. Live Nation, the concert promoter, expressed disappointment and confirmed that the performance would be rescheduled, with all tickets honored.
“I love you, and I’m so sorry this happened tonight,” Minaj told her fans in a video posted outside her Manchester hotel early Sunday morning. She had earlier invited fans to meet her at the hotel as a gesture of goodwill.
The rapper's arrest and the subsequent concert postponement sparked a flurry of reactions on social media. Minaj suggested that the incident was an attempt to sabotage her tour, alleging that some individuals were disgruntled over her tour's success.
“Despite Nicki’s best efforts to explore every possible avenue to make tonight’s show happen, the events of today have made it impossible,” read a statement from the concert venue, Co-op Live.
Minaj's tour continues with her next scheduled performance in Birmingham, UK. Fans are eagerly awaiting further updates on the rescheduled Manchester concert.
Nicki Minaj has been nominated for 12 Grammy Awards throughout her career and remains one of the most influential figures in contemporary hip-hop. Her "Pink Friday 2" tour includes stops in Paris, Poland, Germany, Romania, and Switzerland, promoting her latest album released late last year.
