Dec 13, 2019 at 10:36 am

Nicki Minaj Honors Juice WRLD During Billboard 2019 Women in Music Speech - Watch Here!

Nicki Minaj is opening up about the tragic death of Juice WRLD.

While accepting the inaugural Game-Changer Award from Normani at the 2019 Billboard Women In Music ceremony on Thursday night (December 12), the 37-year-old rapper honored her former tour-mate, who passed over the weekend after having a seizure at Chicago’s Midway Airport.

“I recently had the pleasure of working and touring with Juice WRLD,” Nicki said. “I had a great conversation with him and while we walked to the stage, he held my hand and told me to stay calm and to pray. He said that he had been trying to do just that.”

“I was so shocked to hear him — of all people — tell me that, but right there in that room with him telling me that, I actually did feel calm and I felt like, ‘Hmm… what am I actually worried about?’,” Nicki continued. “I felt like he was a kindred spirit. And looking back now, I wish I did something differently, or said something to help.”

“He spoke to me in detail about how in love he was with his girlfriend, and how passionate he was about music, and when he was in the studio with me, he did so many songs so quickly. He was honest and pure about what he felt and that inspired me,” Nicki added. “I know this is a women in music night, and I’m so honored to be in the presence of all of these great women. So I know it’s about that, but it doesn’t feel comfortable for me to talk about me when someone so important to our culture just died. I want to honor him tonight and send my condolences to him and his family and his girlfriend and his friends and everybody.”

Nicki Minaj also talked about drugs as a whole and the struggle with addiction many face, and concluded by telling entertainers, especially women, that they are “allowed to be human” and feel the way they want.

FYI: Normani is wearing a Versace suit.