Nicki Minaj to headline Saudi Arabia music festival

Nicki Minaj will headline at the Jeddah World Fest on July 18. Photo / Getty Images

Nicki Minaj will be performing at a music festival in Saudia Arabia in July as the ultraconservative country tries to discard decades of restrictions on entertainment.

Nicki Minaj, is best known for her provocative style and profanity-based lyrics. Christian groups criticised her 2012 Grammy Awards performance, which included dancing priests and an exorcism.

The rapper will headline at the Jeddah World Fest on July 18. The concert, which aligns with Saudi alcohol and drug-free laws, is open to people 16 and older and will take place at the King Abdullah Sports Stadium in the Red Sea city.

The announcement has blown up on social media where reactions have ranged from shock, joy and disappointment.

In a video posted on Twitter, which had more than 37,000 views, a Saudi woman wearing a headscarf accused the Saudi government of hypocrisy as Nicki Minaj will "shake her ass and all her songs are indecent and about sex and shaking ass."

"And then you tell me to wear the abaya. What the hell?"

Most Saudi women also veil their hair and faces.

Others have expressed their disbelief on social media.

imagine waking up from a 3 years comma and the first thing you hear is nicki minaj opening an MTV musical festival in saudi arabia, i’d honestly think i woke up in some parallel universe shit https://t.co/O01J8CcYQK

— shrook (@NEWEGYPTIANA) July 2, 2019

Kinda get the feeling that Saudi officials haven't done the due diligence on Nicki Minaj's back catalogue. https://t.co/ya8uB38TEJ

— Richard Hall (@_RichardHall) July 3, 2019

Saudi organisers have said the festival will be broadcast globally by MTV. Other performers include British artist Liam Payne and American DJ Steve Aoki.

Over the past few months, Saudi Arabia has had performances from Mariah Carey, Enrique Iglesias, the Black Eyed Peas, Sean Paul, David Guetta and Tiesto. The concert will mark a huge change from the era when Saudi morality police would raid venues that played loud music.