Nicki Minaj fans have been left in limbo just hours before her gig in Manchester tonight. It follows a string of cryptic social media posts from the star, claiming ‘they’re trying to keep her away’ from the city.
The star, whose set to play at the Co-op Live Arena tonight (May 25), revealed on X that her luggage has been taken at the airport, presumably by security, while travelling from Amsterdam to attend her gig. Nicki also claims this is being done to “sabotage my tour”.
In another post on X, the star claims “now they said they found weed & that another group of pp have to come here to weigh the pre-rolls” while adding that her bags had supposedly been taken without her consent. What’s most worrying for fans though is that she highlighted her “plane was scheduled to leave 2 hours ago”, leading to concerns that she might be delayed to tonight’s show.
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At 3pm, she posted: “They’re trying to keep me from MANCHESTER.” She also filmed what appeared to be an airport official asking her to have her luggage checked.
She then posted just before 4pm: “It’s a 45 minute to an hour flight. So they’re prob trying to stall for about 4 hours.”
She then added: “Now they said I have to go 5 mins away to make a statement about my security to the police precinct.” She hasn’t posted on X since, as of 5pm.
In a post on X at 5.25pm, Co-op Live said: “Please note that general admission and premium doors for tonight’s @NickiMinaj show will now open at 19:00.”
The Arena was contacted for further comment, and the Manchester Evening News was told to await a further statement from promoter Live Nation. Live Nation are yet to confirm the status of the show.
The American rapper and singer is coming to Manchester as part of her world tour which celebrates her latest album Pink Friday 2 – a sequel to her debut 2010 album Pink Friday. Following tonight’s show, she is set to perform in Birmingham and London before travelling to Paris, Amsterdam, Cologne, and Berlin.
Co-op Live itself has not been a stranger to issues and delays. Many music fans have previously had their gigs rescheduled following the delayed opening of the venue which was attributed to a collapse of a portion of the ventilation and air conditioning from the ceiling earlier this month.
The promoter for tonight’s show, Live Nation, has been reached out for comment.
James Parker is a UK-based entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to the West End, he offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
