No doubt Nicki Minaj is a musical force to be reckoned with, but could her star power be fading before she’s even had the chance to truly shine? Over the last couple of years, we’ve watched the Queens native morph from the hottest female rapper in the game to a strange hybrid living between pop and Hip-Hop galaxies, without doing either authentically.
Back when she was a virtual unknown, walking not-so-secretly in Lil’ Kim’s footprints seemed like a step in the right direction—plus the fact that her flow at the time was unmatched by any other femcees in her league only added to her intrigue. In the beginning her playful feud with the very woman who made it possible for her to exist was entertaining, but as she preps the release of her sophomore album, things may not be looking too good for Onika.
As far as the mainstream goes, the next year is sure to bring more business deals, high-profile performances, and song features with more music heavyweights. Yet while there are several stones that remain unturned, round two for Minaj may find her alienating the Hip-Hop world to the point of no return. Here are 10 reasons why Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded won’t live up to the hype.
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Photo: Paper Magazine
Distancing herself from Young Money
She used to be all Young Money, all the time. In etching out her own brand– backed by a troth of Barbies– Minaj has been paying less and less homage to YMCMB. Besides lip locking with Weezy.
Too Much Pop Influence
There’s nothing wrong with a good crossover hit, just don’t take it to the extreme. Everything that has come of Minaj’s music box has been more Pop than Hip-Hop as of late.
Ill-Received Singles
Remember when “Massive Attack” was a massive failure? Well the tracks off her second album are following the same blueprint.
Grammy Performance
That Grammy performance was a head-scratching, tired rendition of what Madonna did decades ago, and what Gaga is known for. Nice try, but we can sniff out a lazy cry for attention versus true artistic expression.
The Stupidity of “Stupid Hoe”
The title and the repetitious playground-style bullying is boring beyond measure. This anemic rebuttal to Lil’ Kim is more pathetic and embarrassing than anything else.
She Has Too Much On Her Plate
Between performing all over the world, and jumping on tracks with anyone whose check will clear, Minaj is burning herself out. Puting together a quality album takes time that she doesn’t seem to have.
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Lil’ Kim Won’t Allow It
If Kim has her say, Minaj will never overshadow her Hip-Hop triumphs. Try as they might to distance themselves from the drama, both women pull each other back into battle like crabs in the barrel.
Release Date Pushbacks
Changes in album release dates are a tell-tale sign that the preliminary response is not good. Minaj has been through a few of these because anticipation isn’t as high as she would’ve hoped.
Roman Is Getting Too Much Air Time
When did Roman become worthy of this much attention? He used to be a welcomed addition to her personality wheel, but there’s no way that he needs an entire album full of revenge tactics.
