Nicki Minaj returned for the second year in a row as the host of the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards and had multiple highlight moments during the ceremony.
Nick Minaj Hosts MTV VMAs
On Tuesday (Sept. 12), the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards went down live at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. For the second year in a row, Nick Minaj served as the host of the event, after sharing hosting duties with LL Cool J and Jack Harlow’s at the 2022 ceremony. The head Barb in charge delivered an intro monologue wearing a pink dress and wedding veil where she addressed fears that she would say something out of line, presumably due to Cardi B‘s presence at the show.
“MTV is petrified because they got a couple calls yesterday and people were saying, ‘What if Nicki says this and what if Nicki says that?'” Nicki Minaj told the crowd. “And I said, you know it’s OK, MTV, I can control myself. Because if you can’t control yourself you can’t control anything around you, right? But you know who can’t control themselves? Roman. Ruby Red Da Sleeze, Chun-Li. So I’ll think about it.”
Afterward, Nicki introduced NSync’s performance.
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Nicki Performs Pink Friday 2 Exclusive
While her hosting duties this year were minimal, Nicki also delivered a solo performance, giving the crowd a rendition of her new single “Last Time I Saw You.” She also performed a snippet from a track off her new album Pink Friday 2, which is slated to drop on Nov. 17. The unreleased cut finds Nicki expressing her dominance over the rap game.
Read More: Nicki Minaj Drops ‘Last Time I Saw You’ – Listen to New Song
Nicki Wins Best Hip-Hop Video Award
Nicki won big, taking home the award Best Hip-Hop for the visual for her 2022 single “Super Freaky Girl.” With the win, Nicki extends her record for most Best Hip-Hop wins at the MTV VMAs with five. Nicki beat out Diddy, Bryson Tiller, Ashanti and Yung Miami’s “Gotta Move On,” DJ Khaled, Drake and Lil Baby’s “Staying Alive,” GloRilla and Cardi B’s “Tomorrow 2,” Lil Uzi Vert’s “Just Wanna Rock, Lil Wayne, Swizz Beatz and DMX’s “Kant Nobody” and Metro Boomin and Future’s “Superhero (Heroes and Villains).”
Nicki Minaj Performs During Celebration of 50 Years of Hip-Hop
Nicki Minaj later returned to the stage as part of the celebration of 50 years of hip-hop. She performed “Itty Bitty Piggy” and “Red Ruby Da Sleeze” in a medley that also included songs from Lil Wayne, LL Cool J, Dougie Fresh, Darryl of Run-D.M.C. and others.
Nicki Closes Show
Nicki Minaj ended the show with the brief closer: “I am asking god to bless these people tonight because they are so beautiful and so perfect. I love you so much.”
