MTV VMAs: Miley Cyrus performs with Drag Race queens, rows with Nicki Minaj
Miley Cyrus and Nicki Minaj had a brief but excruciatingly uncomfortable on-stage ‘moment’ at the MTV VMAs last night, shortly before the event’s host took to the stage herself to perform a new song alongside some recognisable drag acts.
Cyrus had criticised Minaj in a Q&A with the New York Times over the way she handled ‘Anaconda’s snub for Video of the Year; saying among other things: “What I read sounded very Nicki Minaj, which, if you know Nicki Minaj, is not too kind. It’s not very polite.”
Last month Minaj had suggested that her clip would have been given the nod if she were a white popstar, but Cyrus said: “I don’t respect your statement because of the anger that came with it And it’s not anger like, ‘Guys, I’m frustrated about some things that are a bigger issue’. You made it about you. Not to sound like a bitch, but that’s like, ‘Eh, I didn’t get my VMA’…”
Last night, while collecting a gong for Best Hip-Hop Video, Minaj said: “Now back to this bitch that had a lot to say about me the other day in the press – Miley, what’s good?”
Miley replied: “We all do interviews, and we all know how they can be manipulated. Congratu-f**king-lations, Nicki.” She then immediately turned back to her hosting duties, leaving Minaj looking more than a little angry.
Speculation over whether or not it was all staged is ongoing, but it was certainly buttock-clenchingly awkward, in any case.
The former Hannah Montana star wasn’t solely at the event in a hosting capacity, though: rumours that she was planning to surprise-release a new album turned out to be true, and she performed one of its songs – ‘Dooo It!’ – alongside several famous drag queens, many of whom shot to public notoriety on RuPaul’s Drag Race, including Laganja Estranja, Pandora Boxx, Violet Chatchki and Shangela.
Vivacious, Gia Gunn, Porkchop, Pearl, Jessica Wild, Jiggly Caliente, Delta Work, Courtney Act, Carmen Carrera, Cake Moss, Barbie’s Addiction, Alexis Mateo and Alyssa Edwards were also with her.
Watch below. It’s quite something: