A relative newcomer to the world of hip-hop is Young Money Entertainment's Nicki Minaj. Her debut full length CD, called Pink Friday, was released in November of 2010 and has since sold over 1.2 million records topping Billboard's Top 200, Top R&B/Hip-Hop and Top Rap album charts. Minaj is set to release her second album, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded in April of this year. She has previously only officially released mix-tapes and features. (A feature, especially when applied to rap or hip-hop, pretty much amounts to a guest appearance.) Since Pink Friday's release, Minaj has become as associated with her wacky, often confusing clothing choices as she is with her music. And let's not forget her ridiculous Twitter war with Lil Kim.
There are several good, if not great songs on this album. From the extremely catchy Super Bass to the Eminem feature Roman's Revenge, Minaj hits the concept of pop-rap out of the ballpark. (Though hearing Em whisper "Rah, rah... like a dungeon dragon" had me rolling my eyeballs and wondering whether Slim Shady is back on the sauce or not.) There are some of hip-hop's heaviest hitters featured on this record, including Kanye West and Will.i.am.
Pink Friday proves that hip-hop is not always rocket science. Minaj, though a talented wordsmith as far as rhyming is considered, is lacking the content of a more seasoned, talented lyricist. Her lyrics are often composed of words that (seemingly) have no bearing on each other not to mention the rest of the song. Her unusual, staccato flow is pretty impressive, though, and she manages to deliver some of her verses with a speed that could make even some veterans envious. Some of the tracks are pop music at it's finest, and I do not mean that with even a drop of sarcasm. Someone in the Young Money organization obviously knows how to make a hit song.
On a scale of one to ten with one being the worst, I'd have to give Nicki Minaj's Pink Friday a solid five. The rap fan in me wants to use this CD as a coaster, but the pop culture whore in me... well, we'll just split the difference.
If you're a hardcore rap fan, or even a casual listener who prefers quality lyricism, then Pink Friday is not the record for you. If you're looking for something catchy, interesting and occasionally eye popping, then this should definitely be on your to-do list, if you haven't done it already.
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