Nicki Minaj shut down the house with her 2022 MTV VMAs performance. The Queens rapper played multiple roles throughout the night including her stellar performance, hosting, and accepting the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award.
After a four-year hiatus, the Queens rapper returned to the VMAs stage to perform a medley of her greatest hits including “Super Bass,” “Anaconda,” “Moment 4 Life,” and her latest hit “Super Freaky Girl.” The performance was followed by a video montage of her fans who expressed their deep appreciation for her artistry.
The rapper then took the stage where she got emotional about receiving the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award as she thanked other artists who helped make her career successful. “I wrote people who gave me huge opportunities that I’ll never forget: Kanye West, Beyoncé, Madonna, Mariah Carey, Eminem, Britney Spears, Rihanna. Thank you for everything,” she said.
Nicki got emotional as she brought up the late Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston in her speech as she highlighted the importance of mental health awareness: “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. 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 who you think have the perfect lives,” she said.
Take a look at Nicki Minaj’s speech and performance as well as other hip-hop performances from the night below:
