Nicki Minaj Pays Homage to Juice WRLD During Billboard’s Women in Music Awards

Earlier this year Nicki Minaj went on tour overseas with Juice WRLD on their joint, Nicki WRLD Tour.

The Queens rapper teased a collaboration with the late rapper on Instagram live after the tour wrapped up, but that never saw the light of day.

She took the time out to speak on his “kindred spirit” while accepting the Game Changer award at the 2019 Billboad’s Women in Music ceremony. “I recently had the pleasure of working and touring with Juice WRLD,” she said. “I had a great conversation with him one day and while we walked to the stage he held my hand and told me to stay calm and to pray. He said he had been trying to do just that. I was shocked to hear him of all people tell me that, but right there in that moment with him telling me that, I actually did feel calm and I felt like, ‘Hm, what am I actually worried about?'”

“I felt like he was a kindred spirit, and looking back now, I wish I did something differently or said something to help,” Nicki added. “He spoke to me in detail about how in love he was with his girlfriend and how passionate he was about music. And when he was in the studio with me he did so many songs so quickly. He was honest and pure about what he felt and that inspired me.”

Nicki Minaj did acknowledge that this night was for music but “someone so important to our culture just died.” Before offering her condolences to Juice WRLD’s “Drugs isn’t the problem, it’s the way we fix our problem. So, it’s so important that we don’t pass judgment so that people don’t feel ashamed to speak up and ask for help.”