Following her arrest at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, Nicki Minaj's performance at Manchester's Co-op Live stadium was abruptly canceled, leaving fans furious.
According to Dutch authorities, Minaj was detained on suspicion of smuggling soft narcotics, punished, and then given permission to resume her travels.
Her show on Saturday was canceled because more than 20,000 people were waiting for her to take the stage, therefore she didn't arrive in Manchester in time.
Among them was 18-year-old Newton-le-Wilows, Merseyside resident Imogen Pope, who expressed her anger as "pretty livid".
"I spent £150 for my ticket and booked a day off work for it, whereas we sat there for around three hours waiting and we got told it’s not happening," she said. "I’m gutted."
The 17-year-old Cheshire resident Ellis Day expressed his shock, calling himself "absolutely devastated".
"We came here to see this, having spent the whole day preparing.
"It's just really disappointing to find out at the last minute that she won't be showing up after we've invested the money and raised our expectations."Up until the news of the delay, which was made just after 21:30 BST, or about the time she was supposed to take the stage, fans, who had been allowed entry into the stadium at 19:00 BST, were optimistic that the performance would proceed.
Before everyone streamed out of the Manchester venue, there were a few jeers.
Flight data and social media footage seem to indicate that when the Manchester event was postponed, the aircraft believed to be carrying Minaj was still in Amsterdam.
Kian Young, 23, who had traveled from Scunthorpe in Lincolnshire, expressed his disappointment, saying, "I saw this afternoon that Nicki Minaj got arrested in Amsterdam."
Although the arena had no influence over the arrest, Mr. Young was among several who questioned why an official statement had not been released sooner.
"I don't understand why the Co-op arena hasn't spoken with its supporters. Then why wasn't it canceled at 17:00?
"Everyone is here; my girlfriend is in tears. Why not let us know if it's been canceled before letting us in?
It is the most recent issue to plague the brand-new £450 million venue, which in recent weeks has also been forced to reschedule or postpone performances by acts including Olivia Rodrigo, Take That, and Peter Kay due to a series of delays and technical issues.
Some admirers held the renowned rapper solely responsible.
Olivia Gibson, a 21-year-old from Newcastle, said that she was now a "former fan" and that Minaj had a history of being late, so she ought to have given herself more time to get there.
"I'm horrified. In a sense, however, I'm not surprised," she said.
Furthermore, Co-op Live is not to blame. Nicki Minaj is to blame. She has just let her admirers down.
Anna, a different ticket holder, claimed she and her partner had traveled from Poland and had paid around £1,000 altogether.
"I’m very angry when my boyfriend gave me a ticket for the concert for Valentine’s Day," she said. For this show, we took a plane from Poland.
It's sold out here, she knows that. It is really much money.
Not one but the most devoted followers blamed Minaj.
"What happened tonight is definitely not the writer's fault – it's an issue that has happened in another country and it shouldn't be taken out on her," Manchester resident Shaz Shah, 23, said.
"Co-op Live ought to have informed us a little sooner and with a little more transparency. Individuals have purchased tickets and scheduled days off from work, only to have them canceled. It was time to raise the situation sooner.
Minaj claimed on social media that she spent five to six hours in a detention cell before arriving at her Manchester hotel after midnight.
She commented on X, "They succeeded at their plan to not let me get on that stage tonight," however she did not identify the target of her criticism.
"I really apologize, please accept my sincerest condolences.
"They certainly knew how to hurt me today, but this will also pass.
They've been doing this repeatedly, and I've made a concerted effort to keep it to myself since you guys should only receive the best things. I detest getting you involved in anything that isn't just for fun."
She said that she planned to reveal the new date on Sunday and promised a "added bonus" to ticket holders.
Prior to her detention, Minaj recorded a portion of it, which she shared on social media on Saturday afternoon.
There seemed to be a policeman on the footage informing her, "You are under arrest."
The singer shared many statements on X. She wrote in one, "They took my luggage without consent." "This is Amsterdam, by the way, where weed is legal," she said in another.
In the Netherlands, it is theoretically illegal to manufacture, sell, or possess narcotics. However, the nation has a tolerance policy regarding the sale or ownership of some substances in tiny quantities.
"Nicki Minaj's scheduled performance at Manchester's Co-op Live on Saturday, May 25 has been postponed," announced organizers Live Nation in a statement.
"For the rescheduled performance, which will be notified as soon as possible, tickets will still be valid.
"The events of today have made it impossible to make tonight's concert happen, despite Nicki's best attempts to investigate every possibility. We regret greatly that this has caused us trouble."
Co-op Live shared the same declaration.
After finishing her tour in Birminham on Sunday, Minaj is expected to go to London and Glasgow before returning to Manchester on Thursday for a second performance.
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