NEW YORK — Nicki Minaj certainly knows how to throw a party and that's exactly what she did on Tuesday night when a packed crowd of her adoring Barbz turned up for her show at New York's Roseland Ballroom.
Minaj, who planned the concert as a make-up for her canceled Hot 97 Summer Jam performance in June, wowed fans with hit songs, colorful costume changes and, of course, appearances by her Young Money family, Drake and Lil Wayne.
"My family, Drake and Wayne, that's just the icing on the cake," Minaj told backstage after her performance. "I'm always going to say something crazy to them, they're going to say something crazy to me, we just go out there and have fun. And I was so happy they flew ... Drake from Canada, Wayne from Miami, just to be here with me and surprise the fans, so we couldn't have asked for anything more."
In between a back-and-forth flirtation, Minaj and Drake performed "Make Me Proud" before being joined onstage by Lil Wayne. But one of the biggest surprises of the night was when the rapper Nicki called her "idol," Foxy Brown, hit the stage, performing "Oh Yeah" and "Tables Will Turn" with the Young Money rapper.
"I never really told Foxy how much she has influenced me and how she changed my life, and you gotta tell people that when they are alive to even be able to take the compliment, instead of paying tribute to them when they're no longer here," Minaj said of bringing Foxy out. "I never really knew how she felt about me. In the industry, especially with women, you just kind of tread lightly, and I'm glad I was finally able to come out and say, 'Yo, you are the most influential female rapper to me.' And for her to be on my stage tonight — it was emotional, she was emotional."
And it was also an emotional night for her fans. Minaj wanted to make this a special night for all her die-hard Barbz and in the end she was truly touched by all their love.
"I feel so accomplished. I feel grateful, I just feel like the luckiest girl in the world," Minaj said. "The fans tonight were the fans who got me where I am. These are the kids that followed me from state to state, even when I was playing clubs, and they are the ones I feel the most comfortable around and tonight was just a blessing."
What do you think of Nicki bringing Foxy Brown out onstage? Tell us in the comments!