Nicki Minaj spoke out about her recent arrest at Amsterdam Airport, calling the experience "disgusting" and suggesting racial bias played a role in the incident.
Minaj, detained on May 25th on suspicion of possessing illegal drugs, live-streamed the encounter on social media. The footage showed Dutch authorities informing her of the arrest. She later took to Stationhead, a live audio platform, to discuss the incident with fans.
"Not being able to get to Manchester, I don't know when was the last time I felt that low," Minaj said, referencing the canceled concert caused by the arrest. "There was one lady there – all the rest were men – and I could tell she had a heart. The treatment was just disgusting, and I wouldn't wish that on anyone."
Nicki Minaj arrested after flying into Amsterdam for her show pic.twitter.com/kARGnS1zr1
— Dexerto (@Dexerto) May 25, 2024
Minaj further fueled speculation of racial bias when responding to a listener's question about her treatment by Dutch officials. "No," she replied simply. "When they put out that press release that I was released, I was still in the building. They were doing maybe damage control, I don't know."
Dutch authorities, the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee, confirmed Minaj's arrest but declined to comment on the detainment or her claims of mistreatment. Minaj was ultimately released but faced a fine that was to be determined by the Dutch public prosecution service.
The arrest significantly impacted Minaj's Pink Friday 2 Tour, forcing the cancellation of her Manchester concert at the last minute. Fans who had already arrived at the venue were left disappointed. However, Minaj has since announced the show's rescheduled date for June 3rd.
This is not the first time Minaj has faced travel disruptions in 2024. In April, she credited rapper Drake with helping her resolve issues with Canadian border officials. Minaj has not elaborated on the nature of those issues.
