Renowned American rapper Nicki Minaj has been arrested. She was arrested at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport on suspicion of possessing soft drugs, hours before she was scheduled to perform at Co-op Live in Manchester.
At 41, Minaj was detained after customs officials checked her luggage and reportedly found weed.
Minaj took to social media platforms X and Instagram to express her frustration, claiming that the authorities took her luggage without consent and were deliberately trying to delay her from reaching Manchester.
She emphasized the irony of the situation by noting that marijuana is legal in Amsterdam.
In her social media posts, Minaj documented her ordeal, including a video showing an airport official inspecting her luggage.
She speculated that the authorities were trying to stall her for several hours, stating that despite the short flight to Manchester, she was being taken to a police precinct to make a statement about her security.
In her different series of post she made:
“They took my luggage & when I asked where it is they said it’s on the plane. It couldn’t have been, I just pulled up.”
“I never gave them my bags. They’re refusing to let me see my own bags.”
“They’re being paid big money to try to sabotage my tour b/c soooooo many ppl are mad that it’s this successful & they can’t eat off me. They got caught stealing money from my travel/jets. Got fired. Got mad. Etc.”
Later on she posted:
“This is Amsterdam btw, where weed is legal. 😛”
“They’re trying to keep me from MANCHESTER”
“I’m still in my car. They took my luggage w/o consent. Lied & said it was on the jet.”
Robert van Kapel, a spokesperson for the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee, confirmed Minaj’s arrest for soft drug possession to NBC News.
The impact of this incident on her Manchester show remained unclear, with a statement from the venue announcing a delayed opening for general admission and premium doors.
This incident is part of Minaj’s Pink Friday World Tour, which includes upcoming performances in Birmingham, London, and Glasgow, in addition to a second show in Manchester.
The Co-op Live arena, where Minaj was set to perform, has had its share of troubles since opening earlier this month. The UK’s largest indoor entertainment venue faced numerous setbacks, including ventilation and air conditioning issues that caused parts of the system to fall during a soundcheck.
These problems led to delays and cancellations of scheduled events, hindering the arena’s planned grand opening.
Initially, the venue’s opening acts, including performances by Peter Kay and A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, were postponed due to these infrastructural issues.
The ventilation problems also affected other high-profile shows, resulting in rescheduling and relocation to other venues.
Despite these challenges, Co-op Live finally hosted its first live music event on May 14 with Manchester rock band Elbow. The venue’s troubled start has been a significant backdrop to Minaj’s current predicament.
