Nicki Minaj is still flying high after receiving MTV’s Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at Sunday’s VMAs. Yesterday, she posted a gracious “thank you” note addressed to Beyoncé and Jay-Z for the thoughtful gift they sent to congratulate her. Although the power couple did not attend the VMAs in person, they did make sure to acknowledge Nicki’s achievement with a bouquet of white roses, which Nicki captured in a video posted on her Instagram Story. “Congrats on your beautiful award,” the accompanying card read. “Sending you all of our love. Hov and B Holla.”
In turn, Nicki gushed back, “Thank you so much. The both of you. For everything.”
Beyoncé and Jay-Z congratulate Nicki Minaj on her Vanguard Award with flowers and a note:
“Congrats on your beautiful award” pic.twitter.com/HP9luDzd9E
— Pop Base (@PopBase) September 1, 2022
Both of the music stars turned moguls were instrumental in Nicki Minaj’s success. In her Video Vanguard Awards acceptance speech, she named both as inspirations. Jay-Z was among the artists she cited for inspiring her flow along with Doug E. Fresh(!?), Foxy Brown, Lauryn Hill, Lil Wayne, and Slick Rick (Lil Kim was noticeably absent, as fans pointed out on Twitter). Meanwhile, Nicki mentioned Beyoncé as one of the “people who gave me huge opportunities that I’ll never forget,” which also included Britney Spears, Eminem, Kanye West, Madonna, Mariah Carey, and Rihanna.
Those contributions and more have launched Nicki to heights last seen over 20 years ago; her new single, “Super Freaky Girl,” was the first by a solo female rap act to debut at No. 1 on the Hot 100 since Lauryn Hill’s “Doo Wop (That Thing)” in 1998.