Image Source: Getty / Arturo Holmes
Nicki Minaj just proved she’s got that “Super Bass.” The rapper — who’s having a great week after debuting her new single, “Super Freaky Girl,” at the top of the Billboard charts — was honored with the MTV Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at the VMAs on Aug. 28. She accepted the honor from Barbz — her dedicated fans — while also emceeing the award show and putting on a hell of a performance, which included her hit tracks “Moment 4 Life,” “Chun-Li,” and “Roman’s Revenge.”
After a brief delay while Minaj’s phone was retrieved so she could reference her notes, she thanked MTV for the honor while calling out artists who’ve supported her — Kanye West, Drake, Beyoncé, and Rihanna, among others — and those who’ve “inspired” her, like Lil Wayne, Lauryn Hill, and JAY-Z. She further honored the lives of several of those close to her, including her late father, after bringing up the importance of taking “mental health seriously.”
“The Barbz, thank you, thank you so much,” she said, before including a shout-out to her son, Papa Bear.
For her performance, Minaj wore her signature hot pink, including her long, curly hair. She ran through her greatest hits while accompanied by backup dancers, ending with an impressive pole routine to her latest single, “Super Freaky Girl.”
Image Source: Getty / Arturo Holmes
Ahead of the New Jersey ceremony, MTV said the new mom was an obvious choice for this year’s Vanguard. “Nicki has broken barriers for women in hip-hop with her versatility and creative artistry,” Bruce Gillmer, president of music, music talent, programming, and events at Paramount and chief content officer of music at Paramount+, said in a press release. “She has shifted the music industry and cemented her status as a global superstar with her crossover appeal, genre-defying style and continuing to be unapologetically ‘Nicki.'”
Minaj is now among an impressive list of past Video Vanguard winners, including Jennifer Lopez, Janet Jackson, David Bowie, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Madonna. She was also a winner in another category on Sunday night, snagging the best hip-hop award for her collab with Lil Baby, “Do We Have a Problem?”
Watch Minaj’s speech and performance below.