Host Trevor Noah takes aim at Nicki Minaj, goes easy on Kendrick Lamar at Grammys

Trevor Noah concluded his six-year run as Grammy host Sunday night with a monologue that walked the line between playful celebrity roasting and pointed political commentary, delivering his trademark audience interactions at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

The comedian, who has announced this will be his final time hosting music’s biggest night, reserved his sharpest barb for an absent Nicki Minaj, referencing her recent controversial White House meeting with Donald Trump.

“Nicki Minaj is not here,” Noah told the audience to enthusiastic cheers. “She is still at the White House with Donald Trump discussing very important issues.” He then launched into a Trump impression, quipping, “Actually Nicki, I have the biggest ass, everybody’s saying it Nicki.”

The joke addressed Minaj’s recent political pivot toward the MAGA movement, which has surprised many of her long-time fans and industry colleagues. The rapper’s embrace of Trump represents a significant shift in her public political stance, coming at a time of heightened political tension in the entertainment industry.

Noah largely avoided wading into contentious territory during the remainder of his monologue, despite the presence of “ICE OUT” buttons worn by many attendees protesting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement policies. Instead, he cleverly condensed multiple political references into a single joke about Lauryn Hill’s return to the Grammy stage.

“Do you understand how long ago that is?” Noah remarked about Hill’s last Grammy performance in 1999. “Back in 1999, the president had had a sex scandal, people thought computers were about to destroy the world, and Diddy was arrested.” The line drew knowing laughs for its parallels to current events, particularly with Sean “Diddy” Combs facing serious legal troubles.

Throughout the evening, Noah maintained his signature approach of mingling directly with celebrity attendees. He stopped by a table where heavily tattooed artists Teddy Swims and Jelly Roll were seated, suggesting they try to unlock each other’s phones using face ID – a lighthearted jab at their distinctive facial tattoos.

In another moment, Noah praised British singer Olivia Dean for her advocacy against Ticketmaster’s practices after she successfully secured partial refunds for fans last year. “Because if the fans can’t afford tickets, we can’t have live music,” Noah said, before adding, “and without concerts, how would we find out which CEOs are having affairs on the Jumbotron?” – a timely reference to a recent viral sports arena incident.

When approaching Kendrick Lamar, the night’s most nominated artist, Noah took a more cautious approach. “I actually thought about writing a few jokes roasting you, but then I remembered what you can do to light-skinned dudes from other countries,” said the South African-born comedian, referencing Lamar’s feud with Canadian rapper Drake that culminated in Lamar’s Grammy-winning track “Not Like Us.”

“Hip-hop beef has gone to a new level,” Noah continued. “Rappers are doing full-on detective work on your life. It was so much simpler when all you had to worry about was being shot.”

Later in the program, Noah sat with reggaeton superstar Bad Bunny, asking if he could seek refuge in Puerto Rico if conditions in the U.S. deteriorated. Bad Bunny’s deadpan response – “Trevor I have some news for you. Puerto Rico is part of America” – delivered one of the night’s most authentic laughs.

The Recording Academy announced Noah’s return as host just three weeks before the ceremony, noting it would be “one final time.” Noah himself acknowledged this during the broadcast, simply stating, “I believe in term limits.”

With six hosting stints, Noah’s Grammy tenure is second only to singer Andy Williams, who hosted seven times during the 1970s. Noah himself is a four-time Grammy nominee and was nominated this year in the best audio book recording category for “Into The Uncut Grass,” a children’s story, ultimately losing to the Dalai Lama.

As Noah exits his Grammy hosting duties, he leaves behind a legacy of blending humor with cultural commentary while maintaining the celebratory atmosphere that defines music’s biggest night.