Some Fans Slam Nicki Minaj’s ‘Super Freaky Girl’ Performance at the 2022 VMAs: ‘Lackluster,’ ‘Lazy,’ and ‘Low Energy’
At the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards, Nicki Minaj received the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award and performed a medley of her hits, including the rapper’s new song “Super Freaky Girl.” Here’s what some fans say about Minaj’s performance at the awards show on the night of her historic win.
Nicki Minaj performed her new song ‘Super Freaky Girl’ at the 2022 VMAs
Nicki Minaj released “Super Freaky Girl” on Aug. 12, just in time for the VMAs. It’s Minaj’s first solo single in three years. The track prominently samples Rick James’ 1981 song “Super Freak” and has drawn comparisons to Minaj’s 2014 hit “Anaconda,” as both tracks feature classic samples and sexual lyrics.
The song broke Spotify’s record for the biggest debut for a solo female rap song. “Super Freaky Girl” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it the second female hip hop song by a female soloist to debut at No. 1 after Lauryn Hill’s 1998 single “Doo Wop (That Thing).” The song marked Minaj’s third No. 1 single in the U.S. and her first No. 1 song as a solo artist.
On Aug. 18, Minaj surprised fans with an extended version of the track called the “Roman Remix.” It incorporates the rapper’s alter ego, Roman Zolanski.
Minaj performed “Super Freaky Girl” as part of a medley of her hits at the 2022 MTV VMAs, which took place on Aug. 28. It was her first performance at the VMAs in four years. The rapper also co-hosted the awards show with Jack Harlow and LL Cool J.
Some fans slammed Nicki Minaj’s performance of ‘Super Freaky Girl’ at the 2022 VMAs
Many Nicki Minaj fans felt unimpressed with her VMAs performance of “Super Freaky Girl.” They discussed it in a Reddit thread titled, “What do you think of Nicki’s new song and her performance of it at the VMAs?”
“Low energy, low effort. Her heart isn’t in it anymore,” wrote one fan. “I used to be a huge fan of hers, years ago. This makes me feel sad, but I’m getting used to that with her.”
“I don’t think anyone has a problem with the sexuality of it,” opined another fan. “It’s the complete lack of energy or care in her performance. It’s just lazy.”
“Pretty low effort. I mean, she’s checked out,” said one fan, while another commented, “She doesn’t even look like she wants to be there.”
More than one fan described Minaj’s act as “lackluster,” with comments like, “Her performance felt forced and lackluster,” and, “The whole performance was lackluster, boring, and her new song is soooo a**.”
The rapper received the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award this year
Nicki Minaj not only co-hosted the 2022 VMAs and performed a medley of her hits, but she also accepted the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award.
The honor, also known as the Video Vanguard Award or the Lifetime Achievement Award, is “a merit given to recording artists and music video directors at the MTV Video Music Awards … presented by MTV for ‘outstanding contributions’ and ‘profound impact’ on music video and popular culture” (per MTV).
While other VMA trophies are silver, the Vanguard Award is a special, gold-plated Moonman. Previous winners of the prestigious award include Madonna, David Bowie, Rihanna, Missy Elliott, Britney Spears, and Jennifer Lopez.
