Nicki Minaj in T&T 

Submitted: Latisha Harry

Trinidadian born rapper Nicki Minaj returned home to shoot the music video for her new single ‘Pound the Alarm’ from her sophomore album Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded. Casting for the video took place two days ago at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain where hundreds of excited fans turned up in carnival costumes for the event.

The video shoot directed by Benny Boom took place yesterday afternoon at the Savannah where the BET award winner performed on stage with local soca artistes. From as early as 9 am masquerades that were selected to take part in the shoot on Tuesday arrived at the Savannah.

Nicki Minaj in T&T

However, those who had not expected to spend more than a few hours at the video shoot spent all day at the venue. Minaj and her team spent most of the morning filming at a house in Cadiz Road, Belmont, away from public eyes. By 12 noon, masquerades became irate sitting and waiting in their costumes and makeup but when Minaj finally showed up for the shoot, the atmosphere became electric.

Minaj was dressed in a flashy carnival costume with fish net tights and high-waisted black pants. Soca artiste Machel Montano, Bunji Garlin (Ian Alvarez) and wife Fay Ann Lyons Alvarez were involved in the activities as they were seen on stage performing with the Young Money star.

Video Director Benny Boom said the video would benefit Trinidad and Tobago stating that “Trinidad is challenge sometimes, tourism wise, because in the (United) States at least people don’t know it as a location for beaches and that sort of thing, so I think that in that regard, you gotta get people to look at the island for what it offers.”

The writer is our correspondent from Trinidad and Tobago