In a tragic example of life imitating art, one of Nicki Minaj's backup dancers was bitten by six-foot boa constrictor while running through a rehearsal of Minaj's latest song, "Anaconda," on Friday, TMZ has learned. MTV has reported that her injuries are not life-threatening.

The rapper was rehearsing the track for Sunday's VMA performance when the dancer was "bit by the reptile in front of everyone," TMZ reports. The snake is named Rocky and has reportedly never bitten a human before.

From MTV's report of the incident:

During the rehearsal, the woman had the snake draped around her shoulders and, at some point, was bitten by the non-venomous, docile reptile known for wrapping tightly around its prey and squeezing. The music was stopped shortly after the dancer was bitten and a concerned Minaj said, "Did she get bit by the snake?"

The constrictor is nonvenomous but will not be used in Sunday's performance. Instead a different snake will be brought in—either a new boa constrictor or a python. But not an anaconda, which, okay?

[Image via AP]