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Hip-hop has a strong affinity for creating sequels, with artists like Jay-Z, Eminem, Future, Kid Cudi, Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, and Method Man all feeling compelled to release follow-ups to their most beloved works, often years after their initial release. While this trend may suggest a desire to revive past successes, it does not necessarily apply to Nicki Minaj’s Pink Friday 2, which she has been teasing since 2019.
Despite any opinions on Minaj’s recent music, her career is still thriving. It may be difficult to listen to her collaboration with Ice Spice, Barbie World, without losing the will to live due to its repetitive sample from Aqua’s Barbie Girl. However, the numbers speak for themselves. With 371 million streams on Spotify alone and popularity in countries like Honduras and Hungary, it is her 23rd Top 10 single in the US, more than any other female rapper. Clearly, she does not need a commercial boost and she makes sure to point that out in her lyrics, stating that she’s “moving units” and her music is being streamed on platforms like Spotify.
However, the fact that Barbie World exists may reveal Minaj’s intention to classify her fifth album as a continuation of her first. While Pink Friday included some mainstream pop elements, such as samples from the Buggles’ “Video Killed the Radio Star” and Minaj singing instead of rapping, it also had a strong trio of opening tracks – “I’m the Best,” “Roman’s Revenge,” and “Did It on ‘Em” – that showcased Minaj’s true hip-hop roots and her talent as a highly skilled and delightfully unpredictable MC.
However, it was Minaj’s popular songs that shaped her success in the music industry and still do to this day. These hits include Starships, Anaconda, Bang Bang, Bed, Barbie World, and Super Freaky Girl. The last one is featured on Pink Friday 2, along with a few other pop tracks such as Everybody, which samples Junior Senior’s dance hit Move Your Feet. While this song has the potential to be a hit, it can also be quite irritating and makes Barbie World seem more subdued. Overall, the album is not as reliant on catchy hooks as it is on a moody atmosphere, innovative production, and Minaj’s impressive skills on the microphone.
Similar to the original Pink Friday, the first part of the album is dedicated to a series of intense, dark hip-hop tracks. “Beep Beep” has a trap-like feel that seems to have been recorded in a dungeon. The production on “Fallin 4 U” is exceptional, incorporating disorienting swells of distorted vocal samples and synths that disrupt the rhythm. These tracks do not feature any guest artists, allowing Minaj to showcase her lyrical skills. When guests do appear, they are top-tier artists such as Drake and Sza on “Needle,” with Sza appearing through a voicemail. J Cole also contributes a smooth verse on “Let Me Calm Down,” which has a more creative and spacey sound compared to traditional hip-hop ballads. However, none of these guests steal the spotlight from Minaj, as seen in the amazing “Nicki Hendrix” where Future’s Auto-Tuned vocals blend into the electronic background.
In Pink Friday 2, Minaj manages to control her numerous wild alter egos, showing growth and maturity in the opening track “Are You Gone Already.” This song reflects a similar emotional state to her previous announcement of retirement in 2019, where she wanted to focus on being a wife and mother. The sample from Billie Eilish’s “When the Party’s Over” adds to the emotional weight as Minaj expresses her struggles with balancing her career and spending time with her three-year-old son, whom she affectionately calls Papa Bear. This album is released on her 41st birthday and also deals with the loss of her father in a hit-and-run accident two years ago. The theme of motherhood is revisited in “Blessings,” featuring gospel singer Tasha Cobbs Leonard, but the beat creates an unsettling contrast to the sentimental lyrics.
However, regardless of her maturity level or emotional tendencies, it is impossible to ignore Minaj’s fierce dismissal of her rivals, her clever showcasing of her talents (“I can embody Big Poppa and give birth to Papa Bear”), and her unapologetic pride in her own sexuality. She may admit to moments of self-doubt on the track “Just the Memories,” which draws inspiration from Bunny Brown’s reggae rendition of Johnny Bristol’s “Memories Don’t Leave Like People Do” and hints at a possible panic attack, but she quickly regains her dominant persona by listing off her accomplishments and confidently boasting about her abilities. While Pink Friday 2 may not be flawless like its predecessor, it undeniably provides ample evidence to back up Minaj’s claims and prove that they are more than just empty words.
Source: theguardian.com
