Nicki Minaj’s Manchester Co-op Live concert canceled after arrest in Amsterdam

Nicki Minaj’s fans were left furious after the US rapper’s concert at Manchester’s Co-op Live arena was canceled at the last minute following her arrest at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport.

Minaj was arrested on suspicion of exporting soft drugs before being fined and allowed to continue her journey, Dutch police said.

However, she did not make it to Manchester in time for her concert on Saturday, which was delayed as around 20,000 fans were in the arena waiting for her to take the stage.

They include Imogen Pope, 18, from Newton-le-Willows in Merseyside, who said she was “quite livid”.

“I spent £150 on my ticket and booked a day off work and sat there for about three hours waiting and was told it wasn’t happening,” she said. “I’m gutted.”

Ellis Day, 17, from Cheshire, said he was “absolutely devastated”.

“We came here, we spent all day preparing, let’s see this happen.

“It’s really disappointing when we’ve got our hopes up and spent the money and we’re told at the last minute she’s not going to show up.”

Fans were allowed into the arena at 19:00 BST and were hoping the concert would go ahead right up until the announcement of the postponement, which came just after 21:30 BST – around the time they were expected to take to the stage . .

There were boos in the Manchester arena before everyone filed down.

According to social media videos and flight data, the plane believed to be carrying Minaj was still in Amsterdam when the Manchester show was postponed.

“I’m disappointed because I saw this afternoon that Nicki Minaj was arrested in Amsterdam,” said Kian Young, 23, who traveled from Scunthorpe to Lincolnshire.

The arrest was outside the arena’s control, but Mr Young was one of many to question why no official statement had been made earlier.

“I’m confused why the Co-op arena didn’t talk to their fans. Why didn’t they cancel it at 5pm?

“Everybody’s come—my miss is crying. Why don’t you tell us it’s canceled before you bring us in?”

It is the latest problem to hit the new £450m arena, which has also been forced to postpone or move concerts by the likes of Olivia Rodrigo, Take That and Peter Kay in recent weeks after suffered a series of delays and technical problems.

Some fans blamed the superstar rapper.

Olivia Gibson, 21, from Newcastle, said she was now an “ex-fan” and Minaj had a history of being late and should have allowed herself more time to travel.

“I feel horrified. But also, in a way, I’m not shocked,” she said.

“And it’s not Co-op Live’s fault. It’s Nicki Minaj’s fault. He just let all his fans down.”

Another ticket holder, Anna, traveled from Poland with her boyfriend and said they spent around £1,000 on the trip in total.

“I’m really upset because my boyfriend gave me a ticket to the concert on Valentine’s Day,” she said. “I flew from Poland for this concert.

“He knows he’s sold here. It’s a lot of money”.

Other die-hard fans refused to blame Minaj.

Shaz Shah, 23, from Manchester, said: “What happened tonight is definitely not the artist’s fault – it’s an issue that happened in another country and shouldn’t be taken lightly account.

“Co-op Live should have been a bit more transparent and told us a little earlier. People booked days off, bought tickets, only to have it cancelled. The issue should have been escalated earlier.”

On social media, Minaj said she was in a jail cell for between five and six hours and finally arrived at her hotel in Manchester around midnight.

“They succeeded in their plan to not let me on this stage tonight,” she wrote on X, without saying who she was referring to.

“Please accept my deepest and most sincere apologies.

“They definitely knew exactly how to hurt me today, but this too shall pass.

“They did it over and over and over and over and I tried so hard not to talk about it because you guys only deserve the good stuff. I hate to involve you in anything. this is not just for entertainment purposes.”

She said she hoped to announce a rescheduled date on Sunday, promising an “extra bonus” for ticket holders.

Minaj previously filmed part of her arrest, posting it on social media Saturday afternoon.

In the video, a police officer can reportedly be heard telling him, “You’re under arrest.”

The music star posted a series of messages on X. “They took my luggage without consent,” she wrote in one. In another, she added: “This is Amsterdam (by the way) where weed is legal.”

It is technically against the law to possess, sell or manufacture drugs in the Netherlands. But the country operates a policy of tolerance towards the sale or possession of small amounts of some drugs.

In a statement, promoters Live Nation said: “Nicki Minaj’s scheduled performance at Manchester’s Co-op Live on Saturday 25 May has been postponed.”

“Tickets will remain valid for the rescheduled show which will be announced as soon as possible.

“Despite Nicki’s best efforts to explore every avenue possible to make tonight’s show happen, today’s events have made that impossible. We are deeply disappointed by the inconvenience caused by this.”

Co-op Live posted the same statement.

Minaj is due to continue her tour in Birmingham on Sunday, then visit London and Glasgow, before a second scheduled date in Manchester on Thursday.