Nicki Minaj fans were left bewildered during her UK tour when she honored the late Princess Diana in an unexpected tribute. During her show at the Birmingham Resorts World Arena on May 26, Minaj handed her microphone to the crowd, asking where they were from. When a group shouted they were from Wales, Minaj, in a posh English accent, paid homage to Princess Diana, calling her a “dear friend” despite never having met her. The rapper, who was 14 when Diana died in 1997, led the audience in a moment of silence, which was met with cheers and confusion.
The tribute, caught on video and shared on TikTok, showed Minaj keeping up the British accent for a while longer, leaving fans puzzled. One user on X (formerly Twitter) remarked, “Nicki Minaj holding a minute’s silence for Princess Diana is not what I ever expected to see in my life but is absolutely essential viewing for us Di fans.” Another added, “Everyone in the arena was so confused but we did the silence for her.”
This isn’t the first time Minaj has referenced Princess Diana. In 2023, she released a song titled “Princess Diana” with rapper Ice Spice, which charted at number four on the US Billboard Top 100. The song’s lyrics include nods to Diana’s troubled relationship with the paparazzi.
Minaj’s tour has faced several disruptions, including her arrest in the Netherlands for possession of soft drugs, which caused her to miss her first gig in Manchester. She has since accused unnamed parties of attempting to sabotage her tour. Despite these challenges, Minaj continues to perform, with upcoming shows in London and Glasgow before returning to Manchester for a rescheduled date.
