Nicki Minaj, the Grammy-winning rapper, was forced to cancel her headlining performance at SAGA Festival in Bucharest on Sunday night due to a planned protest in the city.
Minaj announced her decision to withdraw from the festival at the last minute, citing “safety concerns.” In a post on X (formerly known as Twitter), she explained, “Out of concern for the well-being of our team and myself, I have been advised by my security detail not to travel to Romania’s festival tonight due to safety concerns regarding protests in the area. I look forward to seeing you all at another time.”
She emphasized the importance of her role as a mother and the need to ensure the safety of herself and her team, saying, “As a mom, I have to make sure I’m making sound decisions for me to make it home to my son and for my team to make it home to their families. To not heed the advice of security at this time is simply not what I think I should be doing. I love you and thank you for your understanding and support.”
While Minaj did not detail the nature of the protest, Rolling Stone referenced a statement from Risk Management Platform Crisis24, which noted, “Civil society groups plan to march in Bucharest on July 8. Business groups and taxpayers are demanding improvements to the state’s fiscal policies and processes. It is likely that several hundred to low thousands of protesters will take part. Heightened security and localized transport disruptions are possible in the immediate vicinity of the protest. The demonstration will likely be peaceful.”
The SAGA Festival organizers expressed their disappointment in a statement, acknowledging that the decision was beyond their control. “The news has left us all devastated, and we know it’s a huge disappointment for all of you, just as it is for us,” they wrote.
Despite the setback, Minaj’s fans can look forward to her next performance in London at the Wireless Festival on Friday.
