Nicki Minaj angers Catholic league with Grammy performance

Los Angeles: Rapper Nicki Minaj, who arrived at the Grammy awards this year escorted by a man dressed as the Pope, pushed religious boundaries with her performance which included exorcism and Catholic confessional.

Wearing an Oscar de la Renta dress, the 29-year-old shocked viewers when she performed her new song `Roman Holiday` for the very first time, channeling her alter ego Roman Zolanski, reported Us magazine. "I had this vision for Roman for him to be sort of exorcised. People around him tell him he`s not good enough because he`s not normal and he`s not blending in with the Average Joe," she said. The Grammy nominee`s performance included a Catholic confessional, demonic possession, dancing monks and a levitation scene. "The people around him are afraid because they`ve never seen anything like him. He wanted to show that not only is he amazing... but he`s never going to change. He`s never going to be exorcised. Even when they throw the holy water on him, he still rises above." The rapper`s performance angered the right-wing Catholic League, who issued a press release condemning it Monday. "Whether Minaj is possessed is surely an open question, but what is not in doubt is the irresponsibility of The Recording Academy. Never would they allow an artist to insult Judaism or Islam," president Bill Donohue said. Minaj, meanwhile, stands behind her elaborate stage show. "It`s the most comfortable I`ve ever been onstage in my entire life," she said. PTI