Nicki Minaj had to make it clear to everyone at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards why she is the Queen of Rap. That evening, she doubled as a host and performer. She made waves with her live performance of “Last Time I Saw You,” putting rappers who were not named on notice. Nicki Minaj had to make it clear to everyone at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards why she is the Queen of Rap. That evening, she doubled as a host and performer. She made waves with her live performance of “Last Time I Saw You,” putting rappers who were not named on notice.
The rapper, who was born in Trinidad and reared in Queens, is a trailblazer for her generation and has been calling all these bitches her sons for a long time. Pink Friday, her full-fledged pop-rap hybrid debut album from 2010, inspired a generation of young female rappers to be as serious, humorous, funny, hardcore, or quirky as they pleased. When Minaj broke out from being limited to a single sound or identity and adopted alter identities akin to Harajuku Barbie, Pink Friday set a precedent for others to follow. Pink Friday 2, which was first hinted to in 2020, is scheduled for release in the fourth quarter of 2023. During the most of the year, Minaj used guest appearances to reestablish her dominance. Remixes of Ice Spice’s “Princess Diana” and Sexyy Red’s “Pound Town” are her most popular collaborations from 2023. She also managed to stay in the public eye with collaborations with Lil Uzi Vert (“Endless Fashion”), Young Thug (“Money”), and YoungBoy Never Broke Again (“WTF”). Pink Friday 2 is a risk-free Nicki album that makes conservative choices in order to live up to her fans’ expectations. By doing this, she further blurs the boundaries between pop and hip-hop with her sophisticated Barbie aesthetics and more adult reflections, thereby expanding her influence as a global force. Pink Friday 2, which follows Queen’s controversial and mixed response, is a return to form, showcasing her vocal prowess in dancehall, pop, R&B, and hip-hop, even though she isn’t the one driving the trends anymore.
Remixes of Ice Spice’s “Princess Diana” and Sexyy Red’s “Pound Town” are her most popular collaborations from 2023. She also managed to stay in the public eye with collaborations with Lil Uzi Vert (“Endless Fashion”), Young Thug (“Money”), and YoungBoy Never Broke Again (“WTF”). Pink Friday 2 is a risk-free Nicki album that makes conservative choices in order to live up to her fans’ expectations. By doing this, she further blurs the boundaries between pop and hip-hop with her sophisticated Barbie aesthetics and more adult reflections, thereby expanding her influence as a global force. Pink Friday 2, which follows Queen’s controversial and mixed response, is a return to form, showcasing her vocal prowess in dancehall, pop, R&B, and hip-hop, even though she isn’t the one driving the trends anymore. When Minaj collaborates with Lil Wayne, Drake, J. Cole, and other artists on songs, she takes them to Gag City, the AI-generated pink metropolis that her fans built before her album was released. Instead of taking control of the song with a scene-stealing verse, Minaj lets them finish what she had in mind for Pink Friday 2. The hardest-working rapper currently alive, Lil Wayne, joins Tate Kobang on “RNB,” contributing to the group’s history of Young Money reunions. On the Afrobeat-infused song “Needle,” Drake and Minaj reconcile, bringing fans back to his “Controlla” and “One Dance” eras. Considering the importance of a Pink Friday sequel, their musical relationship has only been stronger since “Moment 4 Life.” Selecting beats that sample songs is highly valued, both for nostalgia’s sake and perhaps to increase the likelihood of a Billboard Hot 100 hit. However, Minaj adds some flavor by demonstrating her uniqueness through a number of vocal alterations, technically impressive verses, and enjoyable singing over these reworks. Even so, Pink Friday 2’s samples—Billie Eilish’s “when the party’s over” on “Are You Gone Already,” Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” on “Pink Friday Girls,” Blondie’s “Heart of Glass” on “My Life,” Lumidee’s “Never Leave You” on “Red Ruby Da Sleeze,” and Rick James’ “Super Freak” on “Super Freaky Girl”—feel like a big bag flex for getting rid of them.
In the thirteen years since Pink Friday, hip-hop has undergone significant transformation, most notably in terms of women’s acceptance and the fact that they may be producing more engaging music than men. And with this follow-up, Minaj makes the shift from trailblazer to adaptor, delivering a professional set of songs that adhere to the current Rap trends. It falls short of the original’s high standards, but yet, it provides her supporters with a strong body of work that affirms her reputation.
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