The Wait Is Over: Nicki Minaj Drops Pink Friday on Music Monday
posted in: Music News
Pink Friday officially arrived after an unauthorized leak last Wednesday, unleashing the storm that is Nicki Minaj‘s first-full length album. Today, on its release date, (Pink Monday?) Nicki’s debut”the 13-track LP which features cameos from an eclectic bunch including Drake, Eminem, will.i.am, and Natasha Bedingfield among others” is one of the most highly-anticipated records of the year.
With all the pre-album buzz swirling around her seemingly overnight super-stardom earlier this year, this album accomplishes the unattainable task of living up to the hype.
Nicki’s multiple personas are on full display, showcasing her versatility and depth as a writer and performer. At times, she comes off as a soft, vulnerable woman caught in the trenches of love in songs like Right Thru Me and Save Me. The next moment, she’s a fierce firestorm of confidence, virtually unshakable with her no-holds-barred, aggressive rhymes that go toe to toe with some of the rawest men in the game on tracks like Did It On ’em and Here I Am.
All these bitches is my sons¦If I had a dick, I’d pull it out and piss on ˜em
More inspirational tracks like Fly, featuring Rihanna, hone in on the quest to overcome life’s obstacles and succeed despite adversity. The uplifting track inspires hope and strength and was produced by Britney [Spears] collaborator, J.R. Rotem. Minaj offers a glimpse into her core with Dear Old Nicki, a track she literally penned to her former self, reconciling her current success with the work it took to get it. In a way, she’s congratulating herself on a job well done, while convincing herself and others it hasn’t changed her.
The beats on her album are as diverse as the content, jumping from hard, bass-driven sounds to pop-techno stylings on songs like Check It Out featuring will.i.am. She samples Simple Minds’ 1985 hit, Don’t You (Forget About Me) on Blazin, featuring Kanye West and finishes the album with an unexpected rock-tinged twist on Last Chance featuring Natasha Bedingfield.
Pink Friday promises a closer look into Ms. Minaj’s never-ending bag of tricks. If that’s not enough, Nicki has one final treat for fans when her MTV documentary My Time Now premieres November 28th.
1. I’m The Best
2. Roman’s Revenge (feat. Eminem)
3. Did It On ’em
4. Right Thru Me
5. Fly (feat. Rihanna)
6. Save Me
7. Moment 4 Life (feat. Drake)
8. Check It Out (feat. will.i.am)
9. Blazin (feat. Kanye West)
10. Here I Am
11. Dear Old Nicki
12. Your Love
13. Last Chance (feat. Natasha Bedingfield)
14. Super Bass
15. Blow Ya Mind
16. Muny
17. Girls Fall Like Dominoes (Bonus Track)
Cortney Wills is a pop culture journalist born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She has lived in LA, Chicago and NYC and enjoys all things entertainment.