Minaj's Dutch concert nixed in drugs arrest aftermath

AMSTERDAM

A second Dutch concert by US rapper Nicki Minaj scheduled for Amsterdam this weekend has been cancelled after her arrest on suspicion of possessing soft drugs, local concert promotors announced on May 30.

Minaj was detained at Schiphol airport on May 25 as she was about to fly to Manchester in a private jet for the next leg of her Pink Friday 2 World Tour.

She was detained for several hours in an airport cell and eventually let go after paying a fine.

"Due to the events of last week, the Nicki Minaj show on June 2 at Ziggo Dome, Amsterdam will no longer be taking place," concert promotors MOJO said.

"Tickets will be refunded at the point of sale," it added on its website, but did not give further details.

Minaj posted on social media platform X that authorities "said they found weed" in her luggage shortly before takeoff.

The rap artist said the "pre-rolls" belonged to her security guard and that her bags had been searched "without consent."

The delay saw Minaj miss a performance in Manchester, but she said she would return for a second concert in the city on May 30, her next performance.

Minaj suggested in a series of social media posts that the arrest in Amsterdam was "part of a plot to sabotage her tour."

A common misconception outside the Netherlands is that cannabis is legal in the country, home to world-famous coffee shops selling the drug that are a draw for many tourists.

The consumption of cannabis is technically illegal but police choose not to enforce the law for small quantities as part of a "tolerance" policy in place since the 1970s.

Known for her neon costumes and wigs, Minaj is considered one of rap's most influential female artists.