Trinidadian-American rapper Nicki Minaj was detained at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport on Saturday, May 25, which led to the postponement of her highly anticipated concert in Manchester, England. The 41-year-old artist was arrested on suspicion of possessing “soft drugs,” a term used in the Netherlands for substances such as marijuana. The incident occurred mere hours before she was scheduled to perform at Co-op Live, where thousands of fans had already gathered.
Despite being released from custody by 9 PM UK time, Minaj was unable to travel to Manchester in time for the show. Dutch authorities confirmed that she was fined for “illegally exporting soft drugs from the Netherlands to another country.” Live Nation, the event’s promoter, announced the concert’s postponement, assuring fans that their tickets would remain valid for a rescheduled date. “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,” the statement read.
In a series of posts on X and Instagram, Minaj expressed her frustration and detailed her experience with Dutch authorities. “They said they found weed,” she wrote, adding that customs officials had taken her luggage without consent. “They’re trying to keep me from MANCHESTER,” she claimed. Currently on her Pink Friday 2 World Tour, Minaj is slated to perform in Birmingham on Sunday, followed by concerts in London, Glasgow, and a return to Manchester next Thursday.
Robert van Kapel, a spokesman for the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee military police, confirmed the arrest, stating, “We can confirm that we have arrested a 41-year-old American woman at Schiphol Airport because of possession of soft drugs.” Minaj’s fans, while disappointed by the unexpected turn of events, remain hopeful for her upcoming performances.
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