Nicki Minaj Postpones Pink Friday Tour Stop in New Orleans Due to Illness

18 March, 2024

Nicki Minaj reportedly won’t be taking the stage in New Orleans for her Pink Friday 2 World Tour stop in the Big Easy on Monday night (March 18).

Hours before showtime, the Smoothie King Center released a statement claiming that due to an illness, Minaj had been forced to postpone the show to a later date on doctor’s orders.

“Due to doctor’s orders, Nicki Minaj must reschedule her NOLA show tonight. As Nicki is still sick, our team does not want to run the risk of getting others sick, and Nicki would not be able to give NOLA the show they deserve,” the venue wrote to Instagram.

A new date has yet to be announced but the Smoothie King Center’s staff is “working diligently to find a new date” with Minaj’s team. “Please hold onto your tickets, and we will inform you all soon,” they added.

Billboard has reached out to Live Nation for comment.

Nicki will have an additional off day on Tuesday (March 19) to recuperate before she’s slated for three consecutive shows later this week. The “Anaconda” rapper is scheduled to perform a pair of Atlanta concerts back-to-back before heading to Orlando on Friday night (March 22).

Doors to the Smoothie King Center were supposed to open at 7 p.m. ET before Minaj took the stage after Monica around 9 p.m. ET.

The Queens rap legend headlined Friday night (March 15) at Rolling Loud California but informed fans in the hours after the show that she was not feeling well. Minaj revealed on X that she “woke up feeling like” she had COVID-19, but fortunately tested negative.

“Barbz pls send me healing energy. woke up feeling like I had Covid. Thank God I don’t,” Nicki wrote early March 16. “You guys are just everything. I appreciate you. I love you so much.”

Nicki Minaj is currently on the North American leg of her Pink Friday 2 World Tour in support of her Pink Friday 2 album, which arrived in December. The sequel topped the Billboard 200 with 228,000 album-equivalent units sold in the first week to close out 2023.

Find the post from the Smoothie King Center regarding the postponement below.