Update: Nicki Minaj has taken to Twitter to clarify that the reaction shot of her during Jennifer Lopez's "Anaconda" performance was not directed at the singer. Minaj put a stop to the gossip by responding to a post from DJ Academics, who tweeted, "Damn J Lo....... Nicki Minaj facial expression says it all... We still love u doe." Nicki replied, "lol says what all? I'm looking at my own face on the screen when I'm looking to the right. I turn Bak & look @ her." Phew! We're glad there's no tiff between two of the women we have to thank most for the prominence of booty pride in pop culture.
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This story was originally published on November 22, 2015.
During her opening number as host of the 2015 American Music Awards, Jennifer Lopez, who kicked things off with a slow-jam rendition of her classic track "Waiting for Tonight," told the crowd the evening wasn't about her. She then transitioned into a jaw-dropping dance number that most assuredly had all eyes on her, including those of a not-so-impressed Nicki Minaj.
J.Lo — clad in a bodysuit and reminding us all that she's still one helluva dancer — performed a dance montage that covered some of 2015's biggest hits, from Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood" to Drake's "Hotline Bling" to Rihanna's "Bitch Better Have My Money" to Ed Sheeran's "Thinking Out Loud."
While Lopez didn't miss a beat, AMA nominee and presenter Nicki Minaj didn't appear to be wowed much by J.Lo's butt-tastic moves to Minaj's hit "Anaconda." (Though Minaj is not performing at this year's ceremony, if she really did take issue with Lopez's performance, there's certainly no sign of a Miley Cyrus "What's Good"-esque moment on the horizon — just sort of bored indifference.)
But, hey, look on the bright side, J.Lo: Even if Nicki Minaj didn't love what you did to her song, Justin Bieber liked your dance moves along to his track "Where Are Ü Now" so much that he broke out into the Robot. You made the Biebs malfunction and, really, that's all that can be asked of any awards-show host.
Watch the full J.Lo performance — which includes her fancy footwork along with Bruno Mars' "Uptown Funk" and Fetty Wap's "Trap Queen," plus that Nicki reaction shot — below: