PROSPECT: Nicki Minaj: The PinkPrint
Nicki Minaj has been gaining an insane amount of hype for her third album, The PinkPrint, among fans and critics alike. But she's been downplaying the whole thing: no release date and, few words about features and producers. How much do we know about this album?
Nicki says she's back to where she was when recording her first album, where she was "killing everything", and there's been a lot of talk of her returning to her Hip Hop roots (i.e. Playtime is Over mixtape Nicki).
However, is Nicki still a commercial force to be reckoned with without the crazy outfits and Barbie persona. Personally, I think she is. What we've seen on her releases and guest verses is the same intriguing, animated flow that renders every line memorable. To me, Nicki is the female Busta Rhymes (when he was in his prime), comical, smart and packed full of cartoonish fun. A return to the form of her mixtape beginnings would result in meaner, grittier songs similar to some of her recent work, such as her verse on "Senile" or on Meek Mills tracks. But it also means a crazier, hyper Nicki we see on tracks such as Wale's "Clappers". Yet, the Nicki that will be paramount to the albums success will be the softer, more vulnerable Nicki we see on some of her efforts on Pink Friday (i.e. "Here I am", "Catch me" and "Save me").
Nicki Minaj is such a talented rapper, with a bevy of 'persona's' at hand, each with a specific target audience. If The PinkPrint can strike the balance Roman Reloaded narrowly missed, we may see an album that cements Nicki's place in the Hip Hop hierarchy. Although, 'sassy' pop songs like "Va Va Voom" will be missed.
Mixtape must listens: "I Get Crazy", "Autobiography", "Higher than a Kite", "Keys Under Palm Trees", "Go Hard" and "Itty Bitty Piggy".
Peace and Blessings,
Andre
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