Nicki Minaj wax figure (Instagram Photo)
Rapper Azealia Banks predicted it: Visitors to Madame Tussauds Las Vegas would likely be taking sexually inappropriate photos with the provocative new wax figure of Nicki Minaj—the first ever wax figure of a rapper.
This week, Tussauds finally caught wind of fans’ risqué behavior and announced plans to crack down on the abuse.
“We have been made aware of the inappropriate photograph that was taken at Madame Tussauds Las Vegas, involving Nicki Minaj’s new wax figure,” the letter read. “Madame Tussauds attractions are interactive, immersive experiences, and our visitors are generally respectful towards the wax figures. It is unfortunate that this visitor decided to behave so inappropriately and we apologize for any offense this has caused.
“We do have staff monitoring guest behavior in the attraction and do our utmost to ensure our wax figures are treated respectfully, but on this occasion clearly one of our hosts was not present,” the statement continued. “We are taking immediate steps to ensure more staff are present in this area and that the set around this particular is redesigned so that a picture like this cannot be taken again.”
The Vegas attraction released Minaj’s figure on Aug. 4 to much fanfare. The figures depicts Minaj on all fours with her backside cocked into the air, replicating an image from her “Anaconda” video.
The Pinkprint artist seemed happy with the depiction.
“YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO WTF?!?!?!?!??!??” Nicki wrote on Twitter. “Had no idea they were really doing this. I would’ve went to Vegas for this. #HappyBirthdayAnaconda Madam Tussauds Wax Figure.”
Not everyone was as impressed, however. Fellow entertainer Azealia Banks felt the wax figure was a form of “underhanded shade.”
“Wow, they finally give nicki minaj a wax figure and it’s a statue of her bent over on all fours…… White people yo…,” Banks tweeted. “As much as that woman has accomplished, they had to put her on all fours… Why not standing up with a mic in her hand? I would complain and ask for a do-over.”
She also compared the depiction to other Tussaud figures. “Martha Stewart’s most iconic moment was when she went to jail but they didn’t put her wax figure in a jail uniform… Come on y’all…
“All ppl are gonna do is go up to that statue and take pictures shoving their crotch in her face and putting their crotch on her butt,” she concluded. “That’s not nice. I don’t feel good about that. But if u like it I love it.”
Banks’ prediction turned out to be true, though neither Minaj nor Madame Tussauds has publicly responded to her remarks. Minaj, however, commented on some of the racy images.
“Why must yall b this way,” Minaj said about one photo showing a woman with her face in the singer’s behind.
