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 Picture 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, but it surely 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. Simply 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. In accordance with 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 loads currently,” 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.
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Cole took the joke into riskier territory: “She hasn’t been herself, Lord. I imagine 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 digicam panned to a star-studded viewers that included Michael B. Jordan and Regina Corridor, capturing a mixture of hysterical laughter and shocked expressions. Cole prefaced the bit by noting that “folks want prayer in an effort to get by these instances,” earlier than transferring 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 disclose among the messages he acquired from the Barbz.
One fan discovered a photograph of Cole and his late mom and wrote, “Go dig ur mama upppp.”
One other use wrote, “that why ur fats a** black m&m constructed [a**} mom dead b**** god was giving her grace cause she should’ve died when she was giving birth 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 provided the evening’s viral comedic relief, the ceremony remained a powerful celebration of Black achievement. Beyond the jokes, the NAACP honored several titans of industry for their long-term impact on culture. Viola Davis received the prestigious Chairman’s Award. In her moving acceptance speech, Davis urged the community to “move forward together or not at all,” emphasizing that healing requires a “radical acceptance of one’s truth.”
Colman Domingo was honored with the President’s Award. He was recognized for his “impact, excellence, and commitment” to raising the bar in film and advocacy. Salt-N-Pepa were inducted into the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame, celebrating their 40-year legacy of empowering women in hip-hop.
As the night concluded, it was clear that while Cole was willing to poke fun at the headlines affecting his peers. The overarching message of the 2026 NAACP Image Awards was one of resilience and unapologetic celebration.
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