Nicki Minaj, the renowned rapper, has tendered an apology to her loyal fans after being forced to postpone her Manchester concert due to an unexpected arrest in the Netherlands. The 41-year-old music icon was eagerly anticipating performing at the city's Co-op Live arena on Saturday, but her plans were abruptly halted when she was detained on suspicion of exporting illegal drugs.
The Dutch police imposed a fine of €350 (£300; $380) on her and fortunately allowed her to continue her journey. In a subsequent announcement on social media, Nicki revealed that she would now be performing at the Manchester venue the following Monday. She expressed her sincere remorse, stating, "I deeply apologize for the inconvenience this unexpected turn of events has caused. I sincerely hope you can make it to the June 3rd show. It's going to be a truly memorable and special evening."
Nicki further mentioned that Ticketmaster would be reaching out to the disappointed fans who had attended the cancelled Saturday show, praising them as a "remarkable group."
Minaj revealed that she had spent a lengthy five to six hours in detention before being granted permission to depart from Amsterdam's bustling Schiphol Airport. Dutch prosecutors claimed to local media outlets that she was carrying a significant quantity of cannabis, ranging from 30 to 100 grams. However, Minaj adamantly denied the allegations, insisting that the "pre-rolls" actually belonged to her security guard.
While it is indeed illegal to possess, sell, or produce drugs in the Netherlands, the country maintains a lenient approach towards the possession or sale of small quantities of certain narcotics. This lenient policy, however, did not spare Minaj from her ordeal.
"I'll leave it to my lawyers and God to handle this from here on out," the Super Bass singer posted on social media on Sunday, expressing her resolve. "They certainly knew how to strike a painful blow today, but even this shall pass."
Earlier on Saturday, around 20,000 eager fans, collectively known as the Barbz, had gathered at the Co-op arena, eagerly anticipating the start of Minaj's show. However, their excitement was quickly dashed when Live Nation, the event promoter, announced at approximately 21:40 BST that the concert had been postponed. Many of her fans, who had traveled from various parts of the country and waited for hours, were understandably upset and disappointed.
But Minaj, showing her resilient spirit, refused to let the incident dampen her spirits. On Sunday night, she boldly took her Pink Friday 2 world tour to Birmingham, determined to put on a memorable performance for her loyal fans.
"The most important thing for me to say from the bottom of my heart is thank you for being here tonight," she emotionally told the audience at Resorts World Arena, her gratitude shining through despite the recent challenges.
