The 2026 award season has been nothing if not unpredictable, however host Deon Cole took issues to a religious and extremely satirical stage throughout the 57th NAACP Image Awards. Returning to the Pasadena Civic Auditorium to host for the second 12 months in a row, the 54-year-old comic used his opening monologue to ship a mock altar name for a number of celebrities, nevertheless it was his particular prayer for Nicki Minaj that despatched the viewers right into a frenzy of laughter and disbelief.
The jab comes as Nicki Minaj continues to make headlines for her fervent devotion to the MAGA motion. Just days in the past, the “Anaconda” rapper was noticed alongside President Donald Trump at a high-profile cryptocurrency occasion at Mar-a-Lago, shortly after declaring herself his greatest fan. According to The Mirror U.S., Deon Cole didn’t maintain again, framing his roast as a plea for divine intervention for the rapper’s current political pivot.
“Lord, we wish you to bless our sister Nicki Minaj, Lord, sure. She’s been going by quite a bit these days,” Cole started, adopting the acquainted cadence of a Sunday morning preacher. A photograph of the 43-year-old rapper (who was not in attendance) appeared on the display screen.
Cole took the joke into riskier territory: “She hasn’t been herself, Lord. I consider no matter is in her a** is affecting her mind, Lord. Take it out her a**, Lord. We bind that spirit in her a**, Lord.”
The digital camera panned to a star-studded viewers that included Michael B. Jordan and Regina Hall, capturing a mixture of hysterical laughter and shocked expressions. Cole prefaced the bit by noting that “folks want prayer to be able to get by these occasions,” earlier than shifting his comedic blessings onto different stars like Teyana Taylor and 50 Cent.
As anticipated, Nicki Minaj followers, aka The Barbz, weren’t laughing so laborious at Cole’s monologue. The stans have been recognized assault anybody who comes for his or her favourite rapstress, and Cole was no exception. The comic took to Threads to reveal some of the messages he obtained from the Barbz.
One fan discovered a photograph of Cole and his late mom and wrote, “Go dig ur mama upppp.”
Another use wrote, “that why ur fats a** black m&m constructed [a**} mother lifeless b**** god was giving her grace trigger she ought to’ve died when she was giving delivery to u out of her stank a** dry a** raccoon p***y b****.”
Deon Cole Set The Stage For This Year’s NAACP Image Awards
While Deon Cole offered the night’s viral comedic reduction, the ceremony remained a robust celebration of Black achievement. Beyond the jokes, the NAACP honored a number of titans of business for his or her long-term affect on tradition. Viola Davis obtained the celebrated Chairman’s Award. In her shifting acceptance speech, Davis urged the group to “transfer ahead collectively or under no circumstances,” emphasizing that therapeutic requires a “radical acceptance of 1’s fact.”
Colman Domingo was honored with the President’s Award. He was acknowledged for his “affect, excellence, and dedication” to elevating the bar in movie and advocacy. Salt-N-Pepa had been inducted into the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame, celebrating their 40-year legacy of empowering girls in hip-hop.
As the evening concluded, it was clear that whereas Cole was prepared to poke enjoyable on the headlines affecting his friends. The overarching message of the 2026 NAACP Image Awards was one in all resilience and unapologetic celebration.
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