David Lee Roth Hits Up Nicki Minaj During Van Halen Performance
Unpredictable as always, Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth kept his checkered vest on during the band’s Billboard Music Awards performance of “Panama,” but he shook things up Vegas-style by making a sexual innuendo to Nicki Minaj during the song.
He didn’t directly sing, “Be my woman girl, I’ll be your man,” as David Guetta did in “Hey Mama” – the song that Minaj was scheduled to perform live later on the same stage – but Roth implied he’d at least settle for a quickie when he sang, “I’m gonna reach down between my legs and I’m gonna get Nicki Minaj to help me ease my seat back.” (This was a little addition to the original lyric, which as all rock fans knows is the anonymous “reach down between my legs, ease the seat back.”)
Who knew Diamond Dave carried a torch for Her Minajesty? She didn’t respond publicly as of posting time, but we’re sure she must be feeling a little “pistons popping” after that tribute. She did come “burnin’ down the avenue” when she took the stage a little while later.
Van Halen performed the song from 1984 after the premiere of Taylor Swift’s new video. The band was tight, loud, and all smiles. Guitar virtuoso Eddie Van Halen sported his typical grey t-shirt, grey beard and jeans, but visually the performance was all about Roth. How we would have loved to have seen a segment of the crazy tattoos he recently got in Japan. But the singer was more about being wild n’ crazy, not tough n’ buff.
In addition to the square print vest, Roth wore casual slacks, what looked like a golf cap and an Under Armour shirt with net sleeves, and in true rock star-style, he pulled it off as the band pyro burst in volcanos of flame and rapid-fire lasers and lights treated the crowd to a rock and roll spectacle, Halen style.
