Sorry Saudi Arabia fans, if you thought Nicki Minaj performing in Jeddah was too good to be true, you were right.
The 36-year old rapper was slated to headline the Jeddah World Fest on July 18 alongside other big names from the music industry such as musician Steve Aoki, and singer Liam Payne.
When the announcement about Nicki performing first broke, it opened up a serious debate on Twitter. While many locals from the Kingdom took to social media to express their anger and concerns about her controversial lyrics such as “wrap like the things on the head of a Saudi.”, Nicki Minaj fans were elated to be hosting the singer in their country.
Nicki Minaj’s name has been now been eliminated from the Jeddah World Fest, with a statement explaining the decision. It reads, “Unfortunately Nicki Minaj has cancelled her live performance at Jeddah World Fest on July 18th due to personal reasons. Ticket refunds will be offered if desired. Please note the second wave of performers will be announced this week.”
Minaj’s concert, along with all the other recent acts brought to the Kingdom, have been a step forward in promoting entertainment and culture as a part of Vision 2030.