Nicki Minaj is currently the most significant female artist in hip-hop. However, there’s a good side and a bad side of holding such a lofty position. As this era’s queen of rap, Nicki Minaj garners the attention that every aspiring musician can only dream of attaining. On the flip side, she’s expected to create great music while maintaining her status as a pop culture icon.
Nicki Minaj follows her smash debut Pink Friday album with her sophomore album Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded.
The album begins with the song “Roman Holiday.” Nicki Minaj role plays and goes back in forth rapping in the character of Roman Zolanski and Martha Zolanski. It’s merely a goofy attempt at creativity.
On “Come on a Cone” she takes it to the essence of hip-hop by proving she can still spit rhymes that will remind fans of her pre-fame/mixtape days. “Front row in Oscar de la Renta posture, ain’t a b*tch that could do it, not even my impostor, put these b****s on lockout, where the f*** is your roster? I pull in that new new, Marinara and pasta.”
On “I Am Your Leader” and “Beez in the Trap,” Minaj takes a backseat to superior guest verses by Rick Ross, Cam’Ron and 2 Chainz.
Nicki Minaj comes stronger on her second verse on the Lil wayne assisted “Roman Reloaded.” “You mad cause I’m at the grammy’s with the Vatican, You in the booth, but I’m who you be channelling, Why they never bring your name up at the panel then? Hottest MC’s, top five! You need money, I got mine. More knots than Eric from Basketball Wives.”
“Champion,” featuring Nas, Drake and Young Jeezy, is arguably the best track on the entire album.
Nicki Minaj takes her listeners down the pop lane with “Right by My Side,” “Starships” and “Beautiful Sinner.”
Nicki Minaj often throws in wacky lyrics that have very little meaning, but she knows how to entertain.
Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded isn’t a classic rap album, but it’s good enough to standout in today’s commercialized offerings. –amir shaw
