Oh-a-o oh-a-o. Oh dear it's happened I have jumped well and truly with two feet on to the band wagon.
I first saw Miss Minaj on Perez Hiltons blog, in a picture with Katy Purry, my first thought who is this Lady Gaga carbon copy who people are constnatly mentioning. Her hair
was a candy floss pink and she was accessorised with a permanent pout making kooky Katy look really quite normal standing next to her.
The next time I saw her, her white blonde locks looked as though they had been coloured in with green felt tip paint, wearing a coral bodice with bejewelled ribs, halloween chic? Again where had this Lady GaGa Katy Perry spawn come from.
After speculating judging this book by her cover, I finally listened to her sing.
While perusing the internet for celebrity gossip I saw a headline saying something along the lines of, "Chezza Features on song with Will.I.am and Nicky Minaj", despite normally steering away from Cole news curiousity killed the Cat (ha!) and I watched the video....
The fashionista sunglass clad audience screamed GaGa, the Asian introduction was Gwen and the sample of The Buggles just made me want to be able to raise an eyebrow. But then she began to rap and that was one thing I didn't see coming.
It was refreshing I hadn't seen a female quirky rap artist that had clicked with me, since Lisa Left Eye Lopez. Like Lisa she wasn't afraid to don the drag style make up, tilt her head child-like at the camera and not take herself too seriously.
The song is clever, it has the ability to appeal to both rap and pop audiences. Not only that the layered effect of the song also makes the song 3d, the base of The Buggles/Cheryl Cole, the clap of the beat, Nickis' & Wills' raps and bridges and the chorus. Audiences can chose which hooks will stick with them or be stuck with all. There's "oh-ah-o, oh-ah-o" , "I can't believe it, it's so amazing...(etc)" or "Check it out , check it out , check it out".
Will.I.am and his crusade to get Cheryl to the U.S. strikes again plunking her in the video, in a bodice, leggings and Rupunzel length hair, repeating the chorus, that's one way to get her stuck into the membrane.
Not only does Minaj have the wardrobe, wigs, make-up, rhythm and title of Will.I.am's protege but she's can sing! As she proved on 'Check it out' but on th
e album, 'Pink Friday'.
The album Pink Friday shares it's title with a mac make-up promotion, where incidentally a Minaj lipstick was selling and sold out before anyone could 'check it out', later placed on ebay selling
for over fifty pounds! The debut album has already caused a storm and that was proved when Nicki was mobbed by fans earlier this week when she flew into the UK.
The track, 'Save Me', is a change from the hardened rap or the commercial pop. This slow tempo plea, is placed on a modern track that you might hear liquid footed Neyo crooning along too. In this journey you are provided of the imagary of a lost girl aimlessly driving and singing to an absent partner.
Projecting the image of urban independent woman lyrics such as , " you gave me strength, gave me hope for a lifetime" are ones you wouldn't think would to be penned to this album.
The chorus ," This time won't you save me, baby I can feel myself giving up", and the tender verses show, that this is not just the run of the mill, soppy song but Nicki showing a vulnerability which may be unexpected.
The verses are complimented by a note that could be compared to a digital teardrop and a simple piano tune, not only are the lyrics raw but the tune as well.
Other songs on Pink Friday go in a different direction from Save Me, rapping lines that are not just punchy and dangerous but witty and current. Rhymes in the raps are clever and entertaining not just there through sake of convenience.
'Roman's Revenge' is a probably the grimiest track on the album, full of rage, and providing a window for Eminem go back to his glory days as Shady. His appearance on the album is the sort of performance that you would expect, to appear on albums such as Slim Shady LP and Marshall Mathers LP. Bringing him back to true form where he attacks your ears and places shady back on your radar.
Nicki Minaj, is not a girl to be reconed with her cocksure attitude is made more dangerous by the pace and content rhymes, and if that isn't enough this lady manages to leave Eminem in the dirt.
At the end of the track you might want to listen out for a TERRIBLE English accent. She may have been taking her English lessons from Dick Van Dyke!
Throughout the majority of the songs on Pink Friday, she sings of her life struggle,
which might be tired theme in rap, but it sells records and shows passion, letting fans know where artists have come from. Songs where this is particularly evident are 'Dear Old Nicki'. Where future Nicki sings to past Nicki about where she is now.
A existential song where she is looking at herself and whether she has gone in the right direction, without forgeting who she was and how she has helped herself get to where she wants to be.
Pink Friday is a great album, even if you aren't a rap fan it might be worth a listen with effective use of samples such as Eurythmics, and Simple Minds, creative lyrics and attitude, Nicki is just proving she is not just another rap artist that will disappear into the ether!
Dueting with names such as Kanye, Eninem, Drake (please just tell Ri-Ri her name?!) and Rihanna show that Minaj isn't scared to play with the big boys and giwls!
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