Nicki Minaj became a star on Sunday night, May 22. Sure, those who follow hip-hop and R&B have witnessed Minaj’s rise to fame for several years. However, the Billboard Awards provided her an opportunity to illustrate her magic on prime time TV. Here are three reasons why Nicki Minaj ruled the 2011 Billboard Awards. –a.r.
1) The Opening Act – Nicki Minaj was the first female act to grace the stage by performing a showtune-like duet with comedian-actor-doctor Ken Jeong to open the awards ceremony. Dressed in an all black suit with blonde hair, Minaj sung, “Everybody loves music, that much is plain, everybody loves music, it feels good in your brain.” Her short performance proved that she can adapt to any genre of music without it feeling contrived.
2) The Exotic Onstage Theatrics – Minaj embraces the unconventional and thrives with her uniqueness. While standing in front of a pink boat called the S.S. Minaj, Minaj served as the captain for her all-female crew. Her sailor girls then belted out, “I ain’t talking poultry when I say this chick is fried.” Someone dressed in a chicken suit approached Minaj and took off her jacket. She then began rapping “Super Bass” as nearly a dozen shirtless sailor men received a lap dance from Minaj and her crew. The concept made no sense, but the zaniness kept the audience guessing about what would happen next.
3) The Unforgettable Performance with Britney Spears – Minaj introduced Britney Spears, and the two performed “Til the World Ends.” Similar to how Madonna passed the torched to Spears during the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards, Spears’ appearance alongside Minaj could open the door for the Queens native to become the next mega pop star.
A.R. Shaw is the sports and music director for rolling out magazine. He is also the author of the young adult novel, 23.
