Nicki Minaj Advocates for Mental Health in Vanguard Award Acceptance Speech at MTV VMAs 2022 - Watch!

Nicki Minaj is the latest recipient of the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award!

The 39-year-old “Super Bass” rapper was honored with the award during the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday night (August 28) at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

In her acceptance speech, Nicki first took the time to thank the “key people” who have inspired her, including Lil Wayne and Jay-Z, before thanking famous friends like Kanye West, Beyonce, and Rihanna for giving “huge opportunities” throughout her career.

Nicki then took the opportunity to advocate for mental health.

Click inside to read more…

“I wish Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson were still here,” Nicki said. “I wish that people understood what they meant and what they were going through. I wish people took mental health seriously, even for the people who we think have perfect lives. I wish Pop Smoke and Juice WRLD and Nipsey Hussle were here.”

She paid tribute to people in her life: “RIP Daddy, my cousin Richard and my business manager Angela who I never got to say rest in peace to publicly.”

Nicki concluded her acceptance speech by thank her fans – aka the “Barbs” – and gave a sweet shout-out to her 23-month-old son “Papa Bear.”