Nicki Minaj Tour News: Singer's Manager Fatally Stabbed in Bar Fight
Nicki Minaj's tour manager was fatally stabbed in a Philadelphia bar fight Wednesday, police said.
Rapper Nicki Minaj's tour manager, De'Von "Day Day" Pickett was killed and another crew member was critically injured during a fight. The fracas broke out at the Che' Bar & Grill in Philadelphia where Minaj's crew had spent two days rehearsing for the rap artist's March 16 European tour in Stockholm.
An argument broke out and escalated into a fight outside the establishment just after midnight. Pickett, who incurred multiple stab wounds in the torso, later died in the hospital. His companion and Minaj's associate, Eric Parker, was stabbed in the left arm and left side, and he is currently in critical condition.
According to witnesses, the pair were involved in a verbal altercation with a group of males in the bar which turned into a physical confrontation. The suspect, one of the males in the opposing group, pulled out a knife and stabbed Pickett and Parker multiple times.
Both victims were taken to a nearby hospital where Pickett was pronounced dead on arrival.
Police described the assailant as a 30-year-old bearded man who fled the scene of the crime in a dark gold Buick Lesabre. They are currently reviewing surveillance videos of the incident, and are offering a $20,000 reward towards the identity and arrest of the suspect.
Trinidad-born Nicki Minaj, who was raised in New York and rose to rap stardom as one of the most popular females in the hip-hop genre, posted news of the incident on her Twitter account yesterday.
Nicki Minaj Twitter
Pop singer Rihanna, Brooklyn rapper Fabolous, singer/songwriter Candace Wakefield, and musician Questlove posted their tributes to the victims on their social media accounts. Fabolous sent his sympathies to the family of Pickett, and called on his Instagram followers for prayers towards Parker's recovery.