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nicki minaj vmas

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Nicki Minaj shut the house down and received her flowers during last night’s 2022 MTV Video Music Awards.

The Queen rapper co-hosted, performed, and was honored with the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award for her chart-topping span in the music industry.

Minaj thanked everyone who’s helped her reach her incomparable level of stardom during her acceptance speech.

“Let me tell you something — I don’t want them to start rolling the music on me but I never ever in my life have I written a speech. And today I jotted something down on my phone,” Minaj stated when she took the stage.

The femcee named Lil Wayne, Foxy Brown, Lauryn Hill, Jay-Z, Slick Rick and Dougie Fresh as “key people” who “inspired” her rap flow.

In terms of those who’ve given her “huge opportunities,” Minaj highlighted Kanye West, Madonna, Mariah Carey, Eminem, Britney Spears, Rihanna and Beenie Man.

She also shouted out her Young Money family and Republic Records.

“Of course I have to thank Drizzy for always saying the things that I need to hear to get me back in the game,” the femcee added of Drake, her former YMCMB label mate.

“I wrote this down — I don’t know why y’all, but this was in my spirit to say. I wish that Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson were here,” Minaj highlighted elsewhere in her speech. “I wish that people understood what they meant and what they were going through. I wish people took mental health seriously, even for the people you think have perfect lives.” 

Minaj went on to reference an iconic Whitney Houston moment toward the end of her time on stage, saying, “Hold on — youuuu better lay low — hold on! I got this! That’s mine, that’s mine — I got this!”

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In addition to saying rest in peace to several people, including her late father and her former business manager, Minaj ended the speech by thanking her Barbz, Papa Bear, and the countless others who’ve supported her journey. 

“To all the artists, producers and writers who’ve contributed to any of my projects [and] all the people who allowed me to feature on their work, thank you,” said Minaj.

 

Nicki Minaj’s VMAs Takeover

Minaj’s time on stage included “Moment 4 Life,” “Anaconda,” “Monster,” “Roman’s Revenge,” “Chun-Li,” her new single “Super Freaky Girl” and more.

Taylor Swift jammed out to the set while elsewhere in the VMAs crowd Chlöe Bailey was in awe and Lil Nas X looked emotional.

 

See Minaj’s stellar 10-minute VMAs concert down below.

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