Everybody knows Nicki Minaj for her multiple features in songs like “Bottoms Up” by Trey Songz or by her number one hit song “Your Love” but has anybody really heard Nicki? She doesn’t think so. Her first album, “Pink Friday”, has yet to been released but it has already gained huge press with it’s lead single, “Your Love”, being the first number one rap single by a female artist since Lil Kim’s “Magic Stick”. I have had a chance to listen to the album and I can easily say that this is classic Nicki. From “Roman’s Revenge” featuring Eminem, a track about the fight between her and Lil Kim, to “Dear Old Nicki”, a track about how she has changed since gaining main stream success, the album will have no problem getting attention from music lovers no matter what genre you like.
Her current single “Right Thru Me” is moving up on the charts but doesn’t reflect the true “Nicki” sound that is shown on the album. The softer songs on the album like “Save Me”, where Nicki sings through almost the whole song, and “Fly” featuring Rihanna portray the artist’s lyrical style.
Nicki is not scared about the album making money. She said “Once people hear it, then it will have no problem selling.” And, in my opinion, she is dead right. The album will defiantly live up to Nicki’s fans expectations and will keep the haters quiet.
I’ve heard the entire album and she definitely has talent and potential, mainly in her animation and delivery, but Pink Friday was overall poorly executed. I think the name and pink theme alone eliminates a large portion of the male hip-hop heads who may have wanted to support her. Also, the Lauryn Hill comparisons are unfitting, as her lyrical content remains in shallow water and her singing ability is largely accompanied by technical equipment. And I really, really despised the fact that the whole album was synthesized. Where are the real instruments?
In an interview, she stated that she didn’t want to be a “jack of all trades, but a master of none”, but she contradicted herself with this album. She’s trying to appeal to everyone and include everything, and as a result it’s difficult to comprehend what this album is supposed to represent. I think there’s too much pressure being placed on Nicki Minaj to “save” female hip-hop; that job is too big for one person. Her stress and strain of trying to fulfill this expectation shows on this album.
Overall, for more reasons than one, I just can’t grasp Pink Friday. It was very hard to listen to, not only because of the lack of profound lyricism, replaced instead by hash-tag raps and elementary rhymes, but something about just didn’t feel … “real.” But then again, what do you expect from a Barbie?
great post, thanks for sharing
this is such a good post and I totes agree!