The self-described Queen of Rap’s new album, The Pinkprint, released 2 years after the fierce Pink Friday: Roman Reloadedshowcases a change of thematic for the singer. Not content with mere bubblegum beats and quirky lyrical stylings, Minaj has opted for a significantly deeper and retrospective look on her life over the past years; with the lyrics offering up some intense emotional expression about the struggles she went through and how she finally ‘made it’. Although this type of self-reflection is nothing new, it’s interesting to see that The Pinkprint encompasses Minaj’s trade-mark quick-spitting raps mixed with addictive beats and an air of vulnerability.
Opening the album is the highly personal ‘All things go’, documenting Minaj’s past emotional battles including the murder of her cousin, her abortion and the effects of her substantial success as a musical artist and a notable black female rapper. The inspiring and also tragic story is particularly evident in ‘All things go’ as Minaj combines rap with traditional melancholic singing, heavy basses and bittersweet synths. The effect is a powerful one. This softer, intimate sound continues in track 2 & 3, named ‘I Lied’ and ‘The Crying Game’.
But just in case you thought you had lost the sassy and sexual lyrics that Minaj is known for, you reach track 4, ‘Get On Your Knees’ – this time featuring the sweet and vocally powerful Ariana Grande – which is essentially 3 minutes 36 seconds of not-so-subtle allusions to oral sex. Dominant Nicki shows her talents at rapping in this trap track, whilst the addition of Grande adds a memorable segment to the song which essentially switches tables on the usual R&B tracks whose sole focus is male pleasure.
Queen Bey(once) is back and teaming up with Minaj on #5’s ‘Feeling Myself’, continuing the sultry sexual theme. The track is fun and features a killer flow from Minaj, whilst Beyonce shows her stopping power, by halting the track to a temporary stop, breaking up the rhythm and creating an interesting distinction. With a whole host of notable names making an appearance on The Pinkprint, it seems Minaj is still reigning supreme in the rap-world. Skylar Grey swoops in for an emotional stint on ‘Bed of Lies’, whilst Drake, Lil Wayne and Chris Brown stop by for several verses on ‘Only’, a steely addition to Minaj’s discography, and one that shows her rapping skills outshining many of her fellow male peers.
Fans of Minaj’s ‘Starships’ should stop by #13 ‘The Night Is Still Young’, which sees the singer show she can still pull out a powerhouse, dreamy pop anthem. The Pinkprint also features phenomenal hit ‘Anaconda’ and previous hazy, heavy-beat single ‘Pills N Potions’. Additionally, if you happen to have the Deluxe Version lying around, we recommend checking out ‘Shanghai’, a dizzy grime-house sound featuring some killer instrumentals and has some of the best of ‘crazy Nicki’. We also recommend ‘Win Again’ is you’re looking for some super-confident, super-clear pop mix with a solid beat. Nicki really sells the last two tracks.
Overall, Minaj introduces us to a quirky and vibrant mix of several styles: from brash hip-hop to euphoric synths, accompanied by some serious rapping skills and confident vocal performances from the female rapper. The Pinkprint has something for everyone, whatever ‘style’ of Nicki you are looking for, you’re likely to find it here, and the contrast between the more emotional additions and her trippy, domineering ones is fascinating. Whilst The Pinkprint doesn’t conquer any abstract ground or pave out any new pathways in music, it does show the individual style of the singer far more successfully than most albums, and this in itself is an accomplishment.
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4 stars.
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