Nicki Minaj is apologizing to fans over the postponement of her Saturday concert after she was reportedly arrested in Amsterdam.
A video shared on social media showed the “Anaconda” rapper, 41, apologizing to fans at a hotel on Saturday after her show scheduled for that evening in Manchester, England, was postponed. Earlier in the day, Minaj was reportedly detained in Amsterdam for allegedly carrying drugs.
“I wanted to honestly tell you that I love you and I’m so sorry this happened,” Minaj said in the clip over the sound of screaming fans.
Minaj also addressed the day’s events on X, writing, “Please please please accept my deepest & most sincere apologies.” She said she sat “in a jail cell for 5-6 hours,” adding that at the time of posting, she had just arrived in Manchester a little over an hour earlier.
The “Barbie World” singer was set to perform at Manchester’s Co-op Live as part of her Pink Friday 2 World Tour. But prior to the show on Saturday, Minaj went live on Instagram and broadcast footage that appeared to show police in Amsterdam telling her she was being arrested “because you’re carrying drugs,” which she denied.
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Nicki Minaj:Singer released after reportedly being detained in Amsterdam
Police later seemed to confirm the arrest in a post on X, though without mentioning her name.
“We have just released a 41-year-old American woman who we arrested this afternoon at Schiphol on suspicion of exporting soft drugs,” the post, written in Dutch, said. “After consultation with the Public Prosecution Service, the suspect was fined and can continue her journey.”
Amsterdam Police previously told USA TODAY it “cannot provide information on persons older than 18 years. This is because of the data privacy law. Therefore, we cannot confirm anything.”
In a statement shared on social media, Co-op Live told fans, “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.” Tickets will remain valid for the rescheduled performance, the venue said.
But Minaj told fans she may come downstairs to chat with them at her hotel, writing on X, “Rlly wanted to at least get to see you. But if you’re in bed plz STAY THERE.” She previously posted, “I have sooooooooo much video evidence. You wouldn’t believe it if I told you. I’ll have the lawyers & GOD take it from here tho.”
Minaj also promised she would “find a way” to make it up to fans who had a ticket to Saturday’s show with a rescheduled date and an “added bonus for everyone,” writing, “We will have another date for tonight’s show shortly & I’ll probably be able to share it tmrw. One July option & one June option is currently being discussed.”
According to her tour website, Minaj is next scheduled to perform in Birmingham on Sunday and will return to Manchester on Thursday.
Contributing: Jay Stahl, USA TODAY