Spat over, Minaj will open MTV awards
Nicki Minaj will open the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday, the network announced late Thursday.
Minaj joins a lineup that includes Justin Bieber, the Weeknd, Pharrell Williams, Demi Lovato, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Tori Kelly, ASAP Rocky and Twenty One Pilots.
The pop-rap star helped kick off last year’s ceremony with a medley alongside Ariana Grande and Jessie J, but the addition of Minaj this year is surprising given her views when this year’s nominations were announced. Massive hits like Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk,” Big Sean’s “IDFWU,” Hozier’s “Take Me to Church,” Fetty Wap’s “Trap Queen” and Minaj’s smash “Anaconda” were all recognized.
Built around a sample of Sir Mix-a-Lot’s “Baby Got Back,” her ode is a celebration of curvy black women who have seen their bodies shut out of fashion spreads.
But Minaj, who scored three nods, fired off a series of tweets airing her grievances about the nominees — specifically, the song’s exclusion from the night’s biggest race, video of the year.
“If I was a different ‘kind’ of artist, ‘Anaconda’ would be nominated for best choreo and vid of the year as well,” Minaj wrote. Her tweets raised larger questions about race and body image in pop music.
Taylor Swift was among those artists who were recognized in the top category. The country-pop singer took Minaj’s response personally.
A social media debate between Minaj and Swift ensued; it eventually ended after Swift apologized.