Award-winning rapper Nicki Minaj recently received the 2022 MTV VMAs Vanguard Award and shouted out Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston during her speech.
According to Deadline, Nicki, whose real name is Onika Tanya Maraj, was awarded the 2022 Video Vanguard Award at the MTV VMAs on Aug. 28. During her acceptance speech, she shouted out the iconic Michael and Whitney, among others, while touching on mental health.
“I wrote this down. I don’t know why y’all, but this is what this was in my spirit to say. I wish that Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson were here,” she said at the award show, which took place at the Prudential Center in New Jersey. “I wish that people understood what they meant and what they were going through. I wish people took mental health seriously, even for the people who you think have the perfect lives. I wish Pop Smoke and Juice WRLD and Nipsey Hussle were here.”
Nicki also praised a long list of individuals during her speech, which Whitney similarly did at the BET Awards in 2001. She thanked several other key people that inspired her decade-long career, including legendary rappers Lil Wayne, Foxy Brown, Jay-Z, Doug E. Fresh, and Kanye West. Her lengthy list included legendary singers Lauryn Hill, Rihanna, Mariah Carey and Beyoncé.
In addition, Nicki thanked her loyal fanbase, the Barbz, her Young Money crew and veteran rapper Drake, for their endless support. She even made it a note to mention her son, whom she affectionately calls Papa Bear.
Before her speech, the Queens native performed her greatest hits, including the remix of her latest Billboard hit song, “Super Freaky Girl.”
For the rest of the evening, she hosted alongside iconic rapper and actor LL Cool J and rapper Jack Harlow and won a second award for Best Hip-Hop Video. The award was reportedly for her song “Do We Have A Problem,” featuring Atlanta rapper Lil Baby.
Let's hear it for @NICKIMINAJ! 👏
Artist just took home the win for Best Hip-Hop! #VMAs pic.twitter.com/7tSKhuDKHt
— Video Music Awards (@vmas) August 29, 2022
