Trinidad Official Says Nicki Minaj Was Paid Too Much

A government official in Trinidad is unhappy with the cost of a concert featuring Nicki Minaj and is asking for an investigation into the event. The price tag for the Oct. 30, 2010 event held at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port-of-Spain was $825,000. An audit has been called on the concert organizers.

The concert was thrown by the Project Records in collaboration with Trinidad's Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs. Local artists were also featured on the bill, but Minaj racked up the highest bill. $382,000 was spent on the Young Money femcee and her entourage, with $60,000 for hotel rooms at the local Hilton. Other expenses included $150,000 on advertising, $75,000 on the venue, $32,000 to the Copyright Organization of Trinidad and Tobago, $40,000 on other artists, and $26,000 for "cultural acts." Sources within the Trinidad government revealed that the funds came from the youth development budget, but an official argued that the event was more detrimental than beneficial, describing it as a "youth decay project."

"All allegations are that a private individual is benefiting at the end of the day and putting money in his own pocket," argued Diego Martin Central MP Dr Amery Browne. "That must be a concern to every single citizen and it is something the Government has to respond to. They have been very silent so far on this matter and they seem very offended when legitimate questions are asked about this particular project."

Darryl Braxton, of Project Records, refuted Browne's claims of an attempted cover-up. Braxton also revealed that the event received sponsorships from local companies as well as the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs, as well as his own financial contributions. "The show did not make any money. I did not make a cent. I am still owing money," he said in an interview.

Minaj was born in Trinidad but left the country as a child to move to Queens, New York. Footage from the concert was featured on the rapper's MTV documentary 'My Time Now.'