Nicki Minaj Praying for Family of Dead Fan, Defends Entourage From Murder Accusations

By Christine Thomasos, Christian Post Reporter Thursday, May 31, 2012

Nicki Minaj recently admitted that she was sad to learn that one of her fans was killed after attending her concert in Japan last week. The 29-year-old rapper also defended her entourage after reports surfaced suggesting that two members of her team were somehow linked to the crime.

After news broke that Nicola Furlong, a 21-year-old student who was studying abroad in Japan, had been killed after her concert last week, Minaj tweeted her condolences.

"Saddened to learn one of my precious fans; found tragically (dead) in Japan," Minaj tweeted. "My love & prayers are with the family of Nicola Furlong."

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Furlong, a native of County Wexford, Ireland, was found unconscious in a hotel room after she may have been strangled to death last Thursday, according to autopsy reports. Although reports surfaced that two American men were arrested due to their possible involvement in the matter, some suspected that members of Minaj's entourage may have been connected to the incident.

The American men were a musician,19, and dancer, 23, according to Japanese news publication the Daily Yomiuri. Tokyo's Metropolitan Police Department said the two men denied knowing anything about Furlong's death, although they were reportedly arrested for sexually assaulting Furlong's 21-year-old friend during a taxi ride to the hotel hours before the exchange student was killed.

When Media Takeout and Perez Hilton reported that James "King Tight" Blackston, the backup dancer, and Larry Perry, the musician, were members of Minaj's entourage who were allegedly present during the last moments of Furlong's life, fans of the rapper were upset.

"Are you going to fire your backup dancers now," one fan asked Minaj.

Another blamed drugs for the incident.

"This is not Hip Hop, it's pop stars on pills," the person tweeted.

Minaj sent a tweet to Perez Hilton, in an attempt to clear up speculation about the incident.

"That person on your site is NOT my dancer. We do not know the men in custody," Minaj tweeted. "Too much misleading information."

The rapper defended her entourage, saying none of them had been questioned by authorities concerning Furlong's death.

"My dancers had nothing to do with this tragedy," Minaj tweeted. "No one in my entourage was questioned or arrested. They all flew home from Japan."