Nicki Minaj apologises to fans and promises to make rescheduled Manchester gig ‘really special’

Nicki Minaj has apologised to fans and announced a new date for her show at Manchester’s Co-op Live after her arrest at Schiphol airport in Amsterdam forced the arena to cancel the concert.

The American rapper, 41, was scheduled to perform at the arena on Saturday but was forced to cancel the gig after she was arrested in the Netherlands on suspicion of exporting soft drugs.

She was fined €350 (£300) and allowed to continue on her journey.

Minaj announced on social media that she would now perform in Manchester on 3 June and promised to make the show “really special”.

She added that Ticketmaster will contact the fans who waited for hours at the cancelled show, which is part of her Pink Friday 2 Tour.

Minaj livestreamed a video to her followers on Saturday showing herself being arrested in the Netherlands for allegedly carrying drugs.

Minaj said she had pre-rolled joints in her bag that she said belonged to her security guard.

“Keep in mind they took my bags without consent. My security has already advised them those pre-rolls belong to him,” she wrote on Instagram.

“Oh yea and the pilot wants me to take my post down.”

Minaj said she was able to leave for Manchester after “sitting in a jail cell for 5-6 hours”, which delayed her enough that she was unable to make it in time for her concert, where 20,000 fans were waiting.

Fans were left fuming as they were let in at 7pm BST and were only informed that the gig was cancelled at 9.40pm, and some directed their anger at the organisers who they felt let them spend money at the venue despite knowing the concert would inevitably be cancelled.

Promoter Live Nation released a statement on Saturday, saying: “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.”

On Sunday, Minaj shared her hotel location on social media and asked fans to stop by and say hello, writing: “Barbz, I’m going on the balcony so if you’re outside I’ll be able to see you & I may come downstairs,” she wrote. “I’ll be out there for about an hour. Rlly wanted to at least get to see you. But if you’re in bed plz STAY THERE.”

In videos shared by a fan account on social media, Minaj can be seen meeting fans and speaking to them.

“I love you, and I’m so sorry this happened tonight,” she told them.

She also said on Sunday that she would “find a way to not only make up the date with the performance but I’m going to create an added bonus for everyone that had a ticket for this show. Promise”.

Minaj’s postponed show is the latest controversy to plague the troubled Co-op Live arena, which finally opened last week after over a month of delays.