Features

All Categories

Nicki Minaj, Grammys 2012: Rapper Performs 'Roman Holiday,' Levitates

ROBYN BECK, AFP

Suddenly, Nicki Minaj's choice of Grammy date -- some old dude dressed like the pope -- makes a little more sense. Performing 'Roman Holiday' during Sunday night's (Feb. 12) telecast, the idiosyncratic rhymer went for a mystical avant-garde religious theme, imagining herself -- or rather her male alter ego, Roman -- as the subject of an exorcism.

Introduced by pal Drake as "intelligent" and "driven," Minaj started her oddball performance in a confessional booth, where she sang lines from 'I Feel Pretty' and thoroughly freaked out her priest. Nicki then let a pre-taped video segment advance the story, such that it was, and when next we saw her, she was strapped down, as if possessed by the devil.

That's when things got weird. She spoke in tongues, levitated and danced with monks. At one point, the whole gang sang bits of 'O Come, All Ye Faithful.'

In another time, she would have been called a witch and burned at the stake. In 2012, post-Madonna, post-Gaga, she's hailed as genius -- though sadly not Best New Artist, since Bon Iver won -- and wildly applauded. How's that for progress?



See Photos of Nicki Minaj's Performance
See All The Boombox Galleries »
%

Watch Nicki Minaj Perform 'Roman Holiday'
Watch: Nicki Minaj's 'Mess' of Grammys Performance


All the Nicki Minaj info you want to know

Lil' Kim Calls Nicki Minaj 'Catty' and…

The Boombox

Getty Images Lil' Kim takes aim at Nicki Minaj, the Notorious B.I.G.'s mother…

Nicki Minaj 'Right By My Side' Video:…

The Boombox

YouTube Nicki Minaj gets up close and personal with Nas in the video for the…

Rye Rye, 'Go! Pop! Bang!‬': Rapper's…

The Boombox

Kevin Winter Getty Images In 2008, things were moving quickly for Rye Rye.…

See all Nicki Minaj »

Add a Comment

Sign in »
*0 / 3000 Character Maximum

91 Comments

Filter by:
Lucas Alexandre

ela nao e licho eu quero ver alguem subir no palco e fazer igual a ela criticar e mole babacas

February 16 2012 at 11:15 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
devinegirls3

I didn't like this women and her music before I saw that....now......well shes just trash.

February 14 2012 at 2:14 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
ileandy2

Seriously what is this world coming to..is this the new era we live in..to live in a christian country,and offend our lord!!! to disrespect religion and expose such unethical behavior were half of our country is watching..but can I tell you!!!! it is the higher authority that allows this behavior..the( government) why was this even a part of the show..to bad todays artists have no talent what so ever, and actually believe that if they perform with a priest or nun onstage..it will boost their record sales...little do they know that.God is watching and..the end of the road is yet to come..wow I hate todays artists..they are good for nothing..but psycho appearance and behavior...

February 14 2012 at 12:01 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
cassidy.lmao

omg crazy;D

February 13 2012 at 11:30 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Karen Bennet

If this piece of garbage you call a performance is considered "progress", then you can keep your progress. I'd much prefer to regress about 26 years back when a truly memorable Grammy performance that was "wildly applauded" consisted of a musical genius standing in the center of a simple stage sharing her "God-given" talent with the world. Yes, I'm talking about the late Whitney Houston's rendition of "Saving all My Love for You." She didn't have to resort to stupid gimmicks...ugh! I'm so disappointed in the Grammys this year for contracting this talentless Nicky Minaj to perform. Thank goodness we still have artists like Jennifer Hudson to carry the torch in a world of such musical darkness. I wonder why this article didn't even mention her. I guess Hudson isn't worthy of being a "progressive" performer--good for her!

February 13 2012 at 11:30 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Doghouse

Go to KingAmped on youtube.com who has the new "Roman Holiday" post showing up in searches. The previous post got BANNED, had only 300+likes/1000+dislikes. Hmmm, I wonder why... furthermore, this post along with some others are BIASED & will only post likes for Garbaj. They throw some dislikes on the main bar to make it appear authentic. MTV's also trying to put a positive spin on this **** performance. Baby's throwin out $$$ to stop the bleeding lol... u know ur a FRAUD when u have to pay to be adored. Wackass Dumb Money - Death of the Weirdo!!!

February 13 2012 at 10:57 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Yolanda!

ENOUGH WITH BASHING THE CHURCH LEAVE RELIGION OUT WE GET ENOUGH PLEASE NO MORE THIS IS NOT NEW NIKI DO SOMETHING ELSE.

February 13 2012 at 9:12 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
cmgbeme

i mean lady gaga came out with a song called Judas and beyonce came out with a song called ave maria which she changed the wording around and is disrespectful to the blessed virgin Mary and God and she performs it in her underwear basically AND HER HUSBAND SAYS IN THE SONG EMPIRE STATE OF MIND THAT JESUS CANT SAVE YOU LIFE STARTS WHEN THE CHURCH ENDS AND NOW HE WALKS AROUND WITH A SHIRT THAT SAYS OCCUPY ALL STREETS SO WHATS NEW HEAR PEOPLE ? LET ME NOT GET STARTED ON YOUR BELOVED ROCK N ROLL THATS WHERE IT ALL STARTED

February 13 2012 at 8:59 PM Report abuse -1 rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to cmgbeme's comment
cakes38

How can anyone take you serious when you can't even write and spell?? I don't care who you are or what you believe... you make NO point when you rattle on and on like an imbecile!

February 14 2012 at 1:46 AM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
cmgbeme

they have some people that use their brains and then they are those i just want to smack and say wake up stop being a walking dummy

February 13 2012 at 8:53 PM Report abuse -1 rate up rate down Reply
cmgbeme

smh all of these artists like beyonce, rihanna, lady gaga and now niki minaj are practicing witches (fact) the music industry is not what you think it is there is a performance out of lady gaga while she was in her beginning stage of witchcraft performing at a club and she was drugged out

February 13 2012 at 8:52 PM Report abuse -2 rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to cmgbeme's comment
ajax1217

you must not listen to the words of Lady Gaga's songs. She actually praises Jesus in some of them. practicing withches as a fact...LOL....you are funny!

February 14 2012 at 12:31 AM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
ADVERTISEMENT

AOL Radio

Listen to AOL Radio Now
play arrow
Top Hip-Hop - Hip-hop's greatest
Snoop Dogg, Jay-Z, 50 Cent
play arrow
Top Jams - Hip-hop and crossover hits
T-Pain, Mariah Carey, Akon, Lil Wayne
play arrow
Top R&B - Today's top R&B hits
Kelly Rowland, Rihanna, T.I.
Online Radio Guide

Blogroll

;