Pamputtae Opens For Nicki Minaj On Sold-Out Tour Stop In Canada

Dancehall artist Pamputtae is the first Jamaican artist to perform at Nicki Minaj’s sold-out Pink Friday 2 tour, making her Gag City debut in Toronto, Canada, on Tuesday night. 

The energetic deejay had expressed her interest in joining Minaj’s tour back in February, and it manifested with her opening for the Trinidad-born superstar. 

Clad in hot pink like several Barbs (and her Jamaican flag), Pamputtae best utilised the brief set by performing two tracks, including the hit that brought her to the forefront in 2008, It Good. 

“I need all of you guys to follow Pamputtae…” she said before segueing into her verse for Minaj’s Fine Nine Remix. “I just want to take the time out to big up Nicki Minaj. Pamputtae from outta Kingston, Jamaica, a single mother of two boys and I come to kill it. Drop the track.”

Patrons could be heard engaging the raspy deejay with screams and applause. She enjoyed the rest of the show from the VIP area, before getting some one-on-one time with Minaj backstage. 

“Y’all, guess who blessed us with her presence tonight in Gag City?” the Super Bass rapper asked in her Instagram Story while panning to Pamputtae. “It’s none other than Pamputtae from the Fine-motherf**king-Nine, okay… First of all, shout out to Toronto, and what you up to in Toronto boo?”

Pamputtae responded, “Well, you done know Pamputtae doing some videos, kicking it back with Nicki and always a put in back the work.”

Minaj proceeded to ask her to tell fans what songs she performed, to which Pamputtae delivered a vibrant freestyle of both songs, with the rapper adding background vocals.

Pamputtae, who was accompanied by her older son, further expressed her gratitude to the artist in two posts.

“First and foremost I want to give thanks to the most high God,” she wrote. “Big up @nickiminaj for allowing me to open her second show in Toronto. To all my fans that have been here from day one and the new ones, I love you.”

She continued in another post, “Thank you @nickiminaj again for this amazing opportunity and blessing! 🇯🇲🇹🇹🇨🇦 Nuff love and Respect to team Pamputtae.”

Minaj wrote “Love you” in the comments, behind several other artists including Spice, Tifa and D’Angel who commended Pamputtae for representing the genre on an international stage. 

Pamputtae joins acts like JT, Bia, Tyga, 50 Cent, Jeremih and main guest Monica who have graced the Pink Friday 2 tour. Superstar Drake also made his Gag City debut that night, performing Needle with Minaj, which samples lyrics from Beenie Man’s Wickedest Slam.  

Pamputtae and Minaj first connected in September 2021 when Minaj endorsed Pamputtae’s music on Instagram, sending a flood of new followers to the Ride It deejay’s profile. Then came her inclusion on the Fine Nine Remix, an all-female take on Skeng’s 2022 Likkle Miss track. 

In a 2023 feature with BBC 1Xtra’s Seani B, Pamputtae spoke on how the track drastically changed her trajectory.

“(I’ve had) more interviews, more shows, and whole heap more people see me – international people, too, see the things and follow the thing and go look up pon Pamputtae and see all of the things weh mi been a do from back then til now…”

More Jamaicans may appear on the sold-out tour, considering Minaj’s intention of having some dates in the Caribbean.