Via Getty Images
<p>Just another milestone! Nicki Minaj stood before her fans to accept the 2022 Video Vanguard award on Sunday night, an honor that she&#8217;s dreamed of her whole life. And while Nicki was being recognized for her hard work, dedication and her craft, she was giving flowers to the people who lent her a helping hand over the course of her career.</p>
<p>After Nicki killed her performance of &#8216;Anaconda&#8217; and her new single &#8216;Super Freaky Girl,&#8217; Nicki sent her love and appreciation to a lengthy list of A-list celebs.</p>
<blockquote><p>I wanna take a second to say thank you to all of the key people that inspired me, and who I think inspired my flow: Lil Wayne, Foxxy Brown, Lauryn Hill, Jay-Z, Slick Rick, Doug-E Fresh. The people who gave me huge opportunities that I will never forget: Kanye West, Beyonce, Madonna, Mariah Carey, Eminem, Britney Spears, Rihanna, and all of my Caribbean people but Beanie Man thank you for everything.&#8221;</p></blockquote>
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<p>While Nicki has not publicly spoken about any of her own mental health issues and traumas, she took a moment to acknowledge the greats who came before her, whose mental health may have led to their demise.</p>
<p>Minaj, <a href="https://dev.theshaderoom.com/the-man-responsible-for-killing-nicki-minajs-father-in-a-hit-and-run-is-sentenced-to-one-year-in-jail-update/">who lost her father due to a tragic hit-and-run accident</a>, shared a message about some of the superstars the world lost to tragedy.</p>
<blockquote><p>I wrote this down, I don&#8217;t know why y&#8217;all but this was in my spirit to say: &#8216;I wish that Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson were here. 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 you think have the perfect lives.&#8221;</p></blockquote>
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<p>Soon after, Nicki popped out in a perfectly fitted pink gown to accept the award for &#8216;Best Hip-Hop Video Of The Year for her collaboration with Lil Baby on &#8216;Do We Have A Problem.</p>
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