Black Female Artists Who Made History With Their Tours

Source: Jamie McCarthy / Getty

Nicki Minaj’s Pink Friday 2 World Tour is the highest-grossing female rap tour of all time making her the first femcee to achieve the history-defining moment.

Complex sourced data from Touring Data to fuel their latest list highlighting the highest-grossing rap tours. The head Barb came in at No.4 (despite her and 50 Cent claiming PF2 should be higher). 

Nicki wrapped up the North American leg of her Pink Friday 2 World Tour with an impressive gross of $67 million and 439,000 tickets sold, marking it as the highest-grossing and best-selling rap tour by a woman in history.

Kicking off the tour on March 1 in Oakland, California, Minaj earned $2.3 million from 14,000 tickets at her opening show. Over the course of 34 performances across American and Canadian arenas, she concluded the tour on May 13 in Oklahoma City. The Pink Friday 2 routing featured four double-header events, bringing in over $3 million in cities like Atlanta, Boston, Brooklyn, Chicago, and Toronto. Notably, her two shows at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on April 4 and May 1 were standout performances, grossing $4.3 million and attracting 28,100 attendees.

Source: Jamie McCarthy / Getty

Nicki Minaj’s Madison Square Garden show broke a record alone.

It’s no surprise that Nicki Minaj is solidifying her status as the queen of hip-hop. Over the spring, the mother of one was already on track to achieve the huge milestone when her Pink Friday 2 World Tour tour hit a remarkable feat within just the first 17 performances. The tour amassed an impressive $34.9 million USD with fewer than 20 shows, Touring Data reported. The outlet noted that the Trinidadian rapper also claimed the title for the highest-grossing concert. On March 30, she generated a staggering $2.857 million USD from her show at Madison Square Garden, setting the bar ridiculously high. According to Billboard, the New York City show was the highest-grossing stop of the entire tour.

Nicki Minaj isn’t the only female artist making waves in the touring scene. Here are four more Black female artists who have achieved remarkable success during their globally renowned tours.

1. Beyoncé

Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour brought in over $579 million, setting a record as the highest-grossing tour by a Black artist. Billboard reported that the Renaissance World Tour concluded on October 1, 2023, grossing $141.8 million in Europe and $438 million across the U.S. and Canada.

According to Variety, the global extravaganza attracted 2.7 million fans over its nearly five-month duration, making stops in 39 cities. It ranked as the seventh-highest-grossing tour on Billboard Boxscore’s top 10 list. The achievement positioned Beyoncé as the only Black artist, as well as the only woman and American solo performer, to appear on this prestigious ranking.

2. Rihanna

Rihanna’s 2013 Diamonds World Tour grossed approximately $140 million, showcasing her extensive catalog and incredible stage charisma. The tour featured hit songs from her albums, including Unapologetic and Loud. Rihanna’s unique style and ability to connect with her audience made the event a memorable experience, further establishing her as a global superstar.

3. Doja Cat

Doja Cat made waves in 2023 with The Scarlet Tour, which became the highest-grossing rap tour for a female artist that year, bringing in an impressive $37.3 million in revenue. The 24-date tour was in support of her fourth studio album, Scarlet.

Showcasing upscale set design, eye-catching choreography and stellar surprises from Doja, the rap star showcased her growing influence and popularity in the music industry, highlighting her talent and appeal to audiences worldwide.

4. Janet Jackson

Janet Jackson concluded her Together Again Tour in June 2023, achieving remarkable success that marked a high point in her illustrious career. Billboard noted that the tour generated $50.9 million in revenue and attracted 479,000 fans across 37 performances throughout the U.S.

The Grammy winner’s two-night engagement at New York’s Madison Square Garden on May 8 and 9 grossed an impressive $3.8 million and sold 24,500 tickets, making it her most lucrative performance to date, aside from her 2019 residency at Las Vegas’ Park Theater. The achievement eclipses her previous record from August 2001, when she earned $3.2 million over three shows at the same venue, drawing 42,500 attendees.

Additionally, Jackson achieved record-breaking sales in Atlanta, pulling in $3.1 million at State Farm Arena on April 26 and 28, and in Los Angeles, where her June 10 show at the Hollywood Bowl generated $2.8 million, according to the report.