A VMA favorite is returning to the MTV stage.
The MTV Video Music Awards announced on Friday that Nicki Minaj will perform at the 2023 award show.
The rapper will also emcee the ceremony, set to air live from New Jersey’s Prudential Center on September 12, as she did in 2022.
The hip-hop star and last year’s winner of the coveted video vanguard award will perform her latest single “Last Time I Saw You,” which dropped in late August, live for the first time.
The Queen of Rap has made VMA history in the past with iconic performances of her hits like “Anaconda” and by teaming up with fellow superstars including Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande, among others.
The 25-time VMA-nominated artist has six Moon Person nods to her name this year.
She is up for best hip-hop, best visual effects and video of the year for “Super Freaky Girl,” best R&B for her collaboration with Yung Bleu, “Love in the Way,” song of the summer for “Barbie World” with Ice Spice and even the top prize artist of the year.
The rapper continues to have a big year, having recently announced her fifth studio album Pink Friday 2 and contributing the hit song “Barbie World” to the Barbie movie soundtrack earlier this summer.
The highly anticipated, upcoming release will be her first album since 2018’s Queen and is due out November 17.
Minaj joins a stacked slate of previously announced performers including Anitta, Demi Lovato, Doja Cat, Karol G, Kelsea Ballerini, Lil Wayne, Måneskin, Olivia Rodrigo and Stray Kids.
Sean “Diddy” Combs and Shakira, who are being honored with the global icon award and video vanguard award, respectively, will also perform.
The “Super Bass” artist offered her Barbz fanbase an update about her new album in late June, revealing its name that refers to her breakthrough 2010 debut album.
“Dear Barbz, I’ve been trying to find the right time to tell you this for a few days. Due to some really exciting news that I’ll share with you guys @ a later time, I’ve shifted the album date just a tad bit,” the Grammy nominee wrote in a statement on social media.
“Trust me, it’ll be WELL WORTH THE WAIT…but since I AM shifting the date just a tad, I’d like to give you guys a tiny SIP of some more album tea so that I don’t have to get cussed out so…here it goes: MY NEW ALBUM WILL BE RELEASED ON 11.17.23- and she shall be called: #PinkFriday2.”
She continued, “I love you guys so much. I am so grateful for the years of support & love you guys have given me. At times maybe I didn’t even deserve all that you have poured into me. Nonetheless, you. will. love. this. album. I will give tour deets closer to that time, but obviously the tour will start around the first quarter of 2024. I’ll also share the REAL album cover at a later date.”
The “Red Ruby Da Sleeze” rapper unveiled the official album artwork on Instagram on Tuesday, shortly after releasing her single “Last Time I Saw You” last week.
