LOS ANGLES — Nicki Minaj told the crowd at the BET Awards that she was close to death recently — an experience that has helped her be herself. The rapper rambled onstage when accepting her fifth consecutive win for best female hip-hop artist, where she thanked Lil Wayne for his support, talked about writing her own lyrics and about getting the credit she deserves in the industry. "The other day, literally I didn't tell anybody this, I really thought I was about to die. Like, I was saying my prayers to die. And I didn't even want to call the ambulance because I thought, 'Well if I call the ambulance, it's going to be on TMZ,'" she said, as some of the audience laughed. "And I would rather sit there and die," she added, looking to the crowd. "And it made me realize I don't care what anybody got to say. I'm going to do me." Minaj performed her latest single, "Pills N Potions," and also won best group with her Young Money bandmates, which includes Lil Wayne and Drake. — AP
