Nicki Minaj

Pink Friday (Young Money/Cash Money/Universal Motown)

By Jodi Root
Published: December 21st, 2010 | 7:00am

If you haven’t heard of Nicki Minaj by now, you’ve probably been hiding under a rock for the past few months. Coming across like a mix between Lady Gaga and Kid Sister with her flamboyant bob/banged colored wigs and flirty (yet sexually modest) outfits, you’re certain to have at least seen her cute and quirky image splashed all over the blogosphere, record stores, and award show circuit. While it may seem to most of us that she seemingly came out of nowhere, Minaj has actually been at the rap game for quite some time, initially being discovered by fellow Cash Money guru Lil Wayne with the help of some demos she posted on her MySpace years back.

Fast forward past the numerous mixtapes, guest artist hook-ups, and record label bidding wars and Minaj has finally dropped her long awaited debut Pink Friday. Upon first listen, it was immediately clear it was worth the wait. Hugging the line closely between pop and hip-hop, Pink Friday is full of girly hooks, catchy beats, and undeniable prowess. From the opening rap braggadocio lines of the epic pop number “I’m the Best,” Minaj sells her skills as if her life was depending on it. She then transitions from grit into one of her many alter egos, “twin sister Roman,” with Eminem in the Lil Kim bashing “Roman’s Revenge,” to an R&B softy tracks including the Rihanna-featured “Fly” and “Save Me.”

Several cuts from the album contain heavy pop culture influenced samples such as the Buggles’ “Video Killed the Radio Star,” (“Check it Out”), Annie Lennox’s “No More I Love You’s,” (“Your Love”), and Simple Minds’ “Don’t You (Forget About Me)”, in Pink Friday’s highlight, the Kanye-featured “Blazin’,” making the record that much more addicting.

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Nicki Minaj official site

Nicki Minaj MySpace page

Young Money Entertainment

Cash Money Records

Universal Motown Records