Nicki Minaj fans fume as gig is axed after drugs arrest

Nicki Minaj fans were disappointed when her show at Manchester’s Co-op Live arena was abruptly canceled following her arrest on drug-related charges.

The US rapper’s show at Manchester’s Co-op Live arena was called off at the last minute on Saturday.

Minaj was arrested on suspicion of exporting soft drugs, fined 350 euros (£300; $380), and then allowed to continue her journey, according to Dutch authorities. As a result, she missed her Manchester concert on Saturday, disappointing around 20,000 fans who were waiting in the arena.

Among the disappointed fans was Imogen Pope, 18, from Newton-le-Willows in Merseyside, who expressed her frustration, saying, “I spent £150 on my ticket, took a day off work, and we waited for about three hours only to be told it’s not happening. I’m gutted.”

Ellis Day, 17, from Cheshire, shared his dismay, stating, “We spent all day getting ready, excited to see her, only to be told at the last minute that she wouldn’t show up. It’s just really disappointing.”

Fans were let into the arena at 19:00 BST, holding out hope that the gig would proceed as planned until just after 21:30 BST, around the time Nicki Minaj was expected to take the stage, when the announcement of the postponement was made. Boos were heard in the Manchester arena before everyone filed out.

According to videos on social media and flight data, the plane believed to be transporting Minaj was still in Amsterdam when the Manchester show was postponed. Kian Young, 23, who had traveled from Scunthorpe in Lincolnshire, expressed his disappointment, stating, “I saw this afternoon that Nicki Minaj got arrested in Amsterdam.”

The arrest was beyond the arena’s control, but Mr. Young, like many others, questioned the lack of an earlier official statement. “I’m confused as to why the Co-op arena hasn’t spoken to its fans. Why didn’t they cancel it at 17:00? Everyone’s come – my missus is crying. Why not tell us it’s cancelled before bringing us in?”

This latest issue is just another blow for the new £450m arena, which has already had to postpone or relocate concerts by Olivia Rodrigo, Take That, and Peter Kay in recent weeks due to a series of delays and technical problems.

Olivia Gibson, 21, from Newcastle, expressed her disappointment, saying she is now an “ex-fan” of Minaj, who has a history of being late and should have planned for more travel time. “I feel appalled, but in a way, I’m not shocked,” she said. “And it’s not Co-op Live’s fault. She’s just let all her fans down.”

Another ticket-holder, Anna, traveled from Poland with her boyfriend and mentioned that they had spent around £1,000 on the trip in total. “I’m very angry because my boyfriend gave me a ticket for the concert for Valentine’s Day,” she said. “We flew from Poland for this concert. She knows it’s sold out here. It’s a lot of money.”

Other die-hard fans did not blame Minaj for the situation. Shaz Shah, 23, from Manchester, said, “What happened tonight is definitely not the artist’s fault – it’s an issue that occurred in another country and shouldn’t be blamed on her. Co-op Live should have been more transparent and informed us sooner. People have taken days off work and bought tickets, only for the event to be canceled. This matter should have been escalated earlier.”

On social media, Minaj shared that she spent between five and six hours in a jail cell, finally reaching her hotel in Manchester around midnight.

“They succeeded in their plan to prevent me from getting on stage tonight,” she wrote on X, without specifying who she was referring to. “Please accept my deepest and most sincere apologies. They knew exactly how to hurt me today, but this too shall pass. They’ve been doing this repeatedly, and I’ve tried so hard not to discuss it because you guys deserve just the good stuff. I hate involving you in anything that isn’t purely for entertainment.”

She expressed hope to announce a rescheduled date on Sunday, promising an “added bonus” for those with a ticket.

Earlier, Minaj filmed part of her arrest and posted it on social media on Saturday afternoon. In the video, a police officer seemingly told her, “You are under arrest,” while she insisted she was not carrying drugs.

The music star shared a series of messages on X, stating, “They took my luggage without consent,” and adding, “This is Amsterdam btw [by the way], where weed is legal.” Dutch prosecutors informed local media that she was carrying 30 to 100 grams of cannabis, but Minaj claimed “the pre-rolls” belonged to her security guard.

While possessing, selling, or producing drugs is technically illegal in the Netherlands, the country has a policy of tolerating small amounts of certain drugs.

Promoters Live Nation issued a statement saying, “Nicki Minaj’s scheduled performance at Manchester’s Co-op Live on Saturday, 25 May, has been postponed. Tickets will remain valid for the rescheduled performance, which will be announced as soon as possible. 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.” Co-op Live posted the same statement.

Minaj is scheduled to continue her tour in Birmingham on Sunday, followed by visits to London and Glasgow, before returning to Manchester for a second scheduled date on Thursday.

Understandably, fans were left feeling disappointed and frustrated. It’s never easy when something you’ve been looking forward to gets dashed, especially when it’s due to unforeseen circumstances like this. However, it’s important to remember that the safety and well-being of everyone involved is the top priority. Let’s hope that Nicki Minaj and her team can work through this, and that fans will soon be able to enjoy the concert they’ve been eagerly waiting for. In the meantime, let’s show some support for Nicki and her fans as they navigate through this unexpected turn of events.

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