Nicki Minaj had a busy night at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards. Not only did the superstar share hosting duties with none other than LL COOL J and Jack Harlow, but she also took home major awards and gave one of the night's most talked-about performances. Nicki was named the recipient of the 2022 Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award, and during her acceptance speech, she showed love to some of the rap game's greatest. After laughing about how much she prepared, and having her phone brought out to help her, Minaj thanked everyone for their support, before naming the emcees who inspired her flow.

"Lil Wayne, Foxy Brown, Lauryn Hill, Jay-Z, Slick Rick, Doug E. Fresh," Minaj rattled off, saluting those rappers who she has looked to for inspiration.

The rapper also addressed mental health awareness and artists who have sadly passed on.

“I wrote this down, I don’t know why y’all but this is what this was in my spirit to say, I wish that Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson were here,” Minaj said at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. “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. I wish Pop Smoke and Juice WRLD and Nipsey Hussle were here”

Nicki also saluted those who "gave me huge opportunities," before acknowledging stars like Kanye West, Beyoncé, and Madonna. Minaj would also take home the VMA for Best Rap Video later in the evening, and she would also think will.i.am. and Fergie, Taylor Swift and others during that portion of her speech.

During Women's History Month this year, Nicki proclaimed her love for Slick Rick after the Ruler gave Minaj a shout-out as a woman who has done amazing things in Hip-Hop.