Nicki Minaj Allegedly Arrested In Amsterdam: What We Know

Rapper Nicki Minaj should have trended for her concert at Co-op Live in Machester, England, on Saturday, May 25, 2024, as part of her Pink Friday 2 World Tour. However, she trended for the wrong reasons after reports revealed that she had been arrested in the Netherlands capital, Amsterdam. Nicki Minaj was arrested for allegedly possessing drugs. The rapper posted a video on social media showing an Amsterdam police officer explaining the reason for her arrest.

Nicki's video sparked concern among her fans on social media. Also, fans in Manchester who were getting set for her concert that night were worried the show wouldn't hold. Those fans' worst fears were confirmed later after the show's cancellation. Meanwhile, Nicki Minaj was eventually released after posting bail. She apologized to her fans in Manchester for the show's cancellation and bemoaned her Amsterdam ordeal. Here's all we know about Nicki Minaj's arrest in Amsterdam.

Read More: Nicki Minaj Insinuates Amsterdam Arrest Was Racial Profiling, Brings Up Ari Lennox's Experience

On May 25, Nicki Minaj took to X to share updates about her detention in Amsterdam. She posted a video showing her conversation with a staff member at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport. The airport staff told Nicki that police ordered her luggage to be searched. The information didn't please Nicki, who wondered why they didn't search it earlier. In another tweet, Nicki claimed the Amsterdam authorities had been doing everything possible to stop her tour.

One of Nicki's fans suggested that the airport authorities waited until the last minute to search her luggage because they knew it would inconvenience her. She replied to the fan's post, "They took my luggage & when I asked where it is they said it’s on the plane. It couldn’t have been, I just pulled up." Nicki also shared that she never gave the airport staff her bags, adding that they were refusing to let her see her bags. In another X post, The BET Awards 2024 Best Female Hip-Hop Artist nominee wrote, "They’re being paid big money to try to sabotage my tour b/c soooooo many ppl are mad that it’s this successful & they can’t eat off me. They got caught stealing money from my travel/jets. Got fired. Got mad. Etc."

Nicki Minaj's fans became worried as she continued to update them about her ordeal in Amsterdam. The rapper was also infuriated, as evidenced by the tone of her posts. Nicki tweeted, "This is how they plant things in your luggage," before adding, "I'm on the jet alone." In her next post, Nicki shed more light on what she felt caused her ordeal. She claimed that the airport authorities always try to make her book another jet. She wrote, "All b/c I fired mngmnt who I found out for years were adding on 30-50K on my jet & pocketing it. I fired a tour mngr recently who was doing the same thing & mad he got the boot. Their goal is to make me late, & to pocket 40K."

Nicki continued posting more updates. She claimed the airport authorities were trying to keep her from Manchester. The "Super Bass" crooner revealed that her luggage was taken without her consent. She also reposted her fans' tweets as they commented on the matter.

After a while, Nicki Minaj expressed more frustration. She revealed the airport authorities accused her of carrying marijuana. Nicki wrote, "😩 now they said they found weed & that another group of ppl have to come here to weigh the pre-rolls. Keep in mind they took my bags without consent. My security has already advised them those pre-rolls belong to him. Oh yea & the pilot wants me to take my ig post down." In another post, Nicki, who previously suggested that it was ironic for her to be detained for marijuana possession despite it being legal in the Netherlands, said her arrest was a ploy to make her late for her tour and write negative stories about her.

Nicki made more posts and reposts about her situation. She continued to emphasize her belief that the airport authorities delayed her intentionally. However, she noted, "They didn’t know I was planning for them just like they were planning for me. Me filming every single thing made them really mad." Later, the award-winning rapper revealed she was asked to write a statement. She wrote, "Now they said I have to go 5 mins aways to make a statement about my security to the police [precinct]." Meanwhile, Robert Van Kapel, a Netherlands military police spokesperson, confirmed Nicki Minaj's arrest. In a statement, Robert said a 41-year-old American woman was arrested for exporting "soft drugs." However, Robert didn't identify the woman or detail the type of drug found in her possession.

Read More: Nicki Minaj Officially Announces Rescheduled Manchester Show Following Amsterdam Arrest

Nicki Minaj calmed her worried fans' fears hours later following her release. The Dutch police confirmed Nicki's release in a statement. They said, "After consultation with the Public Prosecution Service, the suspect was fined and can continue her journey." Reports later revealed that Nicki Minaj was fined €350 (about $380).

In an emotional post, Nicki thanked everyone who prayed for her amid her ordeal in Amsterdam. She revealed she was at the Stock Exchange Hotel in Manchester. Nicki also claimed that she spent "5-6 hours" sitting in a jail cell. She narrated her flight experience before taking the time to appreciate Co-op Live for trying to delay the concert start time as much as possible. She wrote, "That’s why they had to do the big song & dance b/c they knew I’d still find a way to perform even if it came down to my last 90 mins in the building which would have been until 1130pm. The building was willing to go past 11pm. So grateful to them for that."

Nicki shared that despite not hitting the stage for her concert, she got to the root of the matter in Amsterdam. She revealed that she had so much video evidence and would let her lawyers and God take charge. Afterward, Nicki apologized to her fans. She wrote, "Please please please accept my deepest & most sincere apologies. They sure did know exactly how to hurt me today but this too, shall pass. They've been doing this over & over & over again & I've tried so hard to not discuss it b/c you guys deserve to just get the good stuff. I hate involving you in anything that isn't for entertainment purposes only."

A sad fallout from Nicki Minaj's arrest in Amsterdam was the postponement of her scheduled Manchester concert. She told her fans there would be a new date for the show, with the options being June or July. Nicki promised, "I'll 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 tkt for this show."

Co-op Live and the show's promoter also confirmed the concert's cancellation via a statement on X. The statement read, "Nicki Minaj's performance at Manchester's Co-op Live on Saturday 25th May has been postponed. Tickets will remain valid for the rescheduled performance which will be announced ASAP." The statement revealed that Nicki explored all avenues to make the show happen, but her efforts were ultimately futile. The statement concluded, "We are deeply disappointed by the inconvenience this has caused. More information will be available at your point of purchase."

However, despite postponing her Manchester concert, Nicki confirmed she would still perform in Birmingham on May 26 and honor her second Manchester show on May 30. On Monday, May 27, Nicki responded to a fan who wanted an update on the new date for her postponed Manchester concert. She wrote, "Yes, they’d like for me to do JULY 10th. They’ll send you guys official word. What do you think about that date?"

Some hours later, she posted another update. Nicki wrote, "OK guys, I was JUST RE-ADVISED that we actually CAN NOT do any other date for the make up #gagcityMANCHESTER date besides JUNE 3rd. So JUNE 3rd is the new official date for all ticket holders who originally had tickets to the MAY 25th #Manchester show." The rapper added, "I apologize for all the inconvenience this has caused. I really hope you can make the #JUNE3rd show. It’ll be really special. Ticketmaster will contact you to advise officially. #GAGCITY Love you."

Despite overcoming her Amsterdam troubles, Nicki Minaj still had much to say to the Amsterdam authorities. She began by reposting 2021 news articles about R&B singer Ari Lennox's travails in the Dutch capital. One of the news reports said the Dutch police arrested Ari for being "full of emotions" and "wouldn't calm down," while another said she was arrested after tweeting that she was racially profiled by airline staff.

Nicki also reposted a fan's tweet in which they advised black artists to avoid touring Amsterdam. The rapper then commented on one of the news reports about Ari. Nicki wrote, "She was “full of emotions”. She was arrested b/c she was full of emotions in AmsterDAM. Hmmmmm interesting. I didn’t know this was a “thing” there. Who spoke up for her? Could’ve easily been another Sandra Bland incident. I’m so happy she made it out alive & well."

So far, there hasn't been any more word from the Dutch police about Nicki Minaj's arrest. Nicki is obviously still pissed about her ordeal and seems ready to go all the way in getting back at her perceived detractors. We can only wait to see how the situation eventually pans out. For now, Nicki remains committed to giving her Manchester fans a concert to remember on June 3.