Nicki Minaj Advocates for Mental Health as She Receives the Video Vanguard Award at the 2022 VMAs

MTV Nicki Minaj

Nicki Minaj is using her moment to advocate for mental health across the entertainment industry.

At Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards, the "Super Bass" rapper received the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award.

Members from her fan club, widely known as the "Barbz," presented the award to the "reining queen of hip hop." During her speech, however, she took the time to thank the "key people" who inspire her like Lil Wayne and JAY-Z — and those who gave her "huge opportunities" like Kanye West, Rihanna, Beyoncé and more.

Then, Minaj, 39, turned the conversation over to mental health, beginning with, "I wish Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson were still 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 we think have perfect lives. I wish Pop Smoke and Juice WRLD and Nipsey Hussle were here."

Theo Wargo/Getty Nicki Minaj

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She then paid tribute to people in her life, "RIP Daddy, my cousin Richard and my business manager Angela who I never got to say rest in peace to publicly."

She concluded her speech by thanking the Barbz and gave a little shoutout to her 23-month-old son, nicknamed "Papa Bear," whom she welcomed in September 2020 with husband Kenneth "Zoo" Petty.

Before accepting the award, she delivered a crowd-pleasing performance of some of her greatest hits including "All Things Go," "Roman's Revenge," "Monster," "Beez in the Trap," "Chun-Li," "Moment 4 Life," "Super Bass," "Anaconda" and "Super Freaky Girl." She lit up the stage in true Barb fashion and had the crowd standing and singing along. Even Taylor Swift encouraged a standing ovation as Minaj's performance wrapped.

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Minaj joins an esteemed list of previous recipients that includes Madonna, Janet Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, LL Cool J and Missy Elliott.

"Nicki has broken barriers for women in hip-hop with her versatility and creative artistry," Bruce Gillmer, President of Music, Music Talent, Programming & Events, Paramount and Chief Content Officer, Music, Paramount+, said in a statement. "She has shifted the music industry and cemented her status as a global superstar with her crossover appeal, genre-defying style and continuing to be unapologetically 'Nicki'."

Arturo Holmes/Getty Nicki Minaj

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The star has been nominated for 17 VMAs over the years and has five wins under her belt, the first of which came in 2011 for best hip-hop video. She is nominated at this year's show for best hip-hop.

Minaj performed on the main stage for the first time in 2012, and has since sung with everyone from Alicia Keys and Ariana Grande to Usher, Taylor Swift and Katy Perry.

She released her latest single "Super Freaky Girl" earlier this month, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The 2022 VMAs are airing live Sunday night from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.