Nicki Minaj Mourns Death Of Her Cousin

What was supposed to be a day filled with celebration, fireworks and music turned into tragedy forNicki Minaj on Monday (July 4).Minaj’s 27-year-old cousin Nicholas Telemaque was murdered near his Brooklyn apartment after leaving a club just before 3 a.m.

Around 2:40 a.m., police were called to East Flatbush, N.Y. and discovered Telemaque bleeding with gunshot wounds to his upper torso. He was immediately rushed to Kings CountyHospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. According to the New York Daily News, Telemaque had just left the C-PAC nightclub before he was shot and killed.

Nicki Minaj took to Twitter to vent her shock and grief behind her cousin’s death, saying, “[He] lived in Brooklyn his whole life. My precious cousin. My baby. Killed last nite.”

Minaj spent Independence Day in Winnipeg, Canada where she performed on the Britney Spears’ Femme Fatale Tour when she received the tragic news shortly thereafter.

The Young Money femcee hasn’t tweeted anything else besides a picture of her late cousin since hearing the tragic news. Earlier that day she wished her longtime friend and hype man Safaree “SB” Samuels a happy birthday via Twitter. “HappyBirthdaySB!!!!!!!! @scaffbeezy hope u like ya gift coon!!!!” exclaimed Minaj before news of her cousin’s death surfaced.

There have been no arrests or suspects in the tragedy and it’s uncertain if Minaj will take time off from the Femme Fatale Tour to spend time with her family during these trying times.