Released moments ago on iTunes, it's the Nicki Minaj - Eminem collabo we've been waiting for!
Saturday, October 30, 2010
'Pink Friday' Tracklisting
Peep the Deluxe tracklisting after the jump...
01 I’m The Best
02 Roman’s Revenge (f Eminem)
03 Did it On ’Em
04 Right Thru Me
05 Fly (f Rihanna)
06 Save Me
07 Moment 4 Life (f Drake)
08 Check It Out (f Will.I.Am)
09 Blazin’ (f Kanye West)
10 Here I Am
11 Dear Old Nicki
12 Your Love
13 Last Chance (f Natasha Bedingfield)
14 Super Bass (Deluxe Track)
15 Blow Ya Mind (Deluxe Track)
16 Muny (Deluxe Track)
17 Girls Fall Like Dominos (Deluxe Track)
17 Wave Ya Hand (Best Buy Deluxe Track)
18 Catch Me (Best Buy Deluxe Track)
Nicki Holds Press Conference
While in Trinidad. Here, Nicki reveals that the album's featured artists are none other than Drake, Rihanna, Kanye West, Eminem, and Natasha Bedingfield!
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Eminem Will Feature On 'Pink Friday'
Young Money’s First Lady and Eminem have recorded a song called “Roman’s Revenge,” which will be included on Nicki’s debut album Pink Friday due November 22.
Nicki Talks To Time Out New York
As Nicki Minaj notes in her cameo on Kanye West’s recent “Monster,” she currently commands “50K for a verse” with “no album out.” That last part is about to change: Capping a year spent chart-surfing with Drake, Lil Wayne and other high-rollers, the 25-year-old MC releases her debut LP, Pink Friday, on November 22. TONY recently caught up with Minaj in a midtown studio.
A lot of your raps have been based on this idea that you’ve “made a million off a mixtape,” just the idea that you’ve come so far without putting out a proper album. So what are you hoping to get out of actually releasing an album at this point?
[Laughs hysterically]. Well, maybe I shouldn’t put one out, if you look at it that way! I want respect from my peers; I want respect from the world as an official artist, an artist that knows how to make music and songs and an album. And when you haven’t put out an album, there’s still something looming over your head a little bit. And I know that I’m capable of really giving a body of music—I’m not a feature artist. You know, some people are just good on a feature. I’m just good enough and I want to show that.
You’ve been so powerful as a guest artist, stealing someone else’s show, and I’m interested to see what you’ll do when it’s your show. Are you thinking a lot about that?
Mm-hmmm, but I’m excited about! Not that I’m thinking about it like, [Sadly] Mmm, dag. I’m happy about it. I’ve been waiting my whole life to do this.
Mixtapes and singles, that’s sort of how music is consumed now. Is the physical product important to you? Or is it just the music?
No, it’s just the music for me. I would like them to buy it on iTunes. It doesn’t matter. If they get it on iTunes, they’ll get the iTunes deluxe edition—they’ll get three extra songs. It doesn’t matter to me if someone has the physical album; I just want them to have my music. I want to have a body of music, so that when I go to my shows, I’m not only doing features. I’m not only doing the hot 16 on that song—I’m doing the entire song, and people know that it’s from my album.
Do you still buy CDs, or do you consume music digitally?
I do both, but that was a good question: Do I care if they have the physical album? My particular fans, though, the younger fans, they really want a physical album. They want to have the poster; they want to have the booklet.
I think that comedy is really important to your music, and the humor is something that really appeals to me about it, like “Somehow I understood him when he spoke Thai” [from “Your Love”]…
[Laughs] Random things.
Do you think of yourself as a comedian as well as a musician?
Mmm-hmm, mmm-hmm!
Are there comedians you admire, along with other rappers?
[Laughs] You have really great questions! Like, by far… No, I’m serious! Yes, I do consider myself to be a comedian. I love Martin [Lawrence] and I love Chris Rock and I love Larry David and I love Judge Judy! She’s a comedian to me in her own right. It’s like, you should be crackin’ up laughing. Some things in the songs should make you crack up. I like that.
In addition to the comedy, your raps also have this really competitive attitude, like “I just annihilated every rap bitch in the building.” Is there an element of comedy in that, too, or is it meant to be an actual put-down?
It’s not meant to be mean; it’s meant to be funny.
So it’s kind of like on the schoolyard—
[Sings tauntingly] Nyah-nah nah nyah-nah. That’s what rap is. That’s what hip-hop is to me. It’s like, “I’m this—I’m better than you, and anybody doin’ what I do, I do it better.” So what people don’t understand is, I don’t hate these girls. Like sometimes you would wish something bad on a person, if that was your real enemy. These people aren’t my real enemy—they’re a competitor in a sport. It’s no different from friggin’ goin’ on a basketball court. You gonna show off—you gonna do your craziest tricks and say, “What?” And [I’ll] push you to the floor if I need to, to show you I’m better than you at playin’ ball, but I don’t go to bed at night hating these people or wanting something bad to happen, you know? It’s so different, and yeah, there is a lot of comedy in it, and there is a lot of just, like, schoolyard [Twists neck to illustrate], twisting your neck—it’s just like that… But I am better.
Do you think that’s been a problem in hip-hop in the past, that things that are just meant as a dis get turned into an actual real-life feud?
That happens with anything. I mean, not just in rap. Things turn violent every day. That has nothing to do with rap. It’s just personalties. It doesn’t bother me, and I’m not gonna change because of it.
Why does there still have to be that distinction of a “female rapper”? Why are there not as many women doing this?
[Softly] I don’t know. I wish I knew.… I really don’t know. I think girls need to write their own raps, though. I think girls need to go in the studio, take a beat, start writing, stop depending on people to do shit for you. Because then, when it’s no longer your moment, you’re lost! You need that ghostwriter that you used to have from ’98. [Laughs] It’s like, “Mmm-mmm.” I think girls after me, and some girls before me—let’s be honest: There’s a lot of girls that’ve done a great job. But I just think women in hip-hop have really predominantly been the sidekick. You have to take yourself out from being the sidekick to the superhero. You can’t be Robin forever, you know what I mean? And that’s what I’m doing; that’s what Pink Friday is. It’s like, “Bitch, I’m Batman, ho.” [Laughs].
So you’re competing with all rappers, not just female ones.
Exactly.
The past year has been so huge for you—your profile has risen so immensely. Do you remember when the moment was that you said to yourself, “I’m becoming a star”?
There have been so many different moments. The VMAs was one; Yankee Stadium with Jay-Z and Kanye West, that was another big one for me; just being asked to be on Kanye’s album was huge for me. I won three BET awards, three hip-hop awards with no album out. There’s been a lot of things, but I guess I don’t sit down and take it all in, pause. It just happens and then I look back and say, “Thank God for this blessing” and blah blah blah. But I’m sure there’s a lot of things happening every day that I don’t even believe.
Another thing I really like about your raps is the self-nicknaming, how you kind of roll off all these names like Lewinsky or the Ninja. What is that all about?
It’s always been in rap. I mean, it’s like Jay-Z: Jigga Man, Hov, S. Carter. I see the big boys do it, and I guess I do it. Dag, the only one who don’t got a frickin’ nickname is Kanye West! [Laughs]
What drew you to the Lewinsky? That was so out of left field.
I don’t use Lewinsky anymore. [Mock-exasperated] I don’t want to talk about it!
You said something about “the mistress” in one of the raps—
[Still mock-exasperated] Ooookay, I get it! No, it was just, like, a joke at that time, because [Lil] Wayne was the President, and I called myself [Laughs] Nicki Lewinsky. It was a funny joke, but I don’t like it anymore.
Any new names coming that we can get a sneak preview of?
Hmmm… Have you heard of Roman?
Roman?
He’s a gay boy—he lives in me.
I look forward to that.
He’s out—he’s out of the closet already.
I was wondering how you felt about the rap in which Drake is basically proposing to you. What did you think when you heard that?
I thought it was cute. He’s a cute little lamb chop. He let me hear it before it came out, though, and I was like, “Whoa, are you really gonna say that?” I didn’t think he was gonna leave it in the song, but I love it.
I’m wondering about the distinction about rapping and singing. You’re known more as a rapper than a singer, but would you ever want to even that out?
Mmm-mmm. I would never even that out, but I would always do a little singing.
I think that duality is interesting, because there’s a part on the mixtape where you’re talking about how the first part was raunchy and you kind of wanted to move into a more “delicate” mode. Do you think a lot about both sides of that coin?
Mmm-hmmm. It’s important to me to stay true to both sides, because I have fans on both sides, so I can’t stray away too far from the crazy, real edgy stuff…[Quietly] ’cause my fans won’t like me.
Do you think you can still be believable singing a sweet love song after you’ve done all that—
Absolutely. I’ve done it on Pink Friday. I’ll play you the song before you leave. I’m believable at whatever I do, because I’m dead-ass doin’ it. Like, I’m not in the studio with somebody doin’ it for me. My fans have gotten to understand that I am many different people, and one day they get one thing, next day they get another thing, but it’s still true to me, and they don’t question it. Like with “Check It Out,” the song I have with Will.i.am, it’s, like, so pop, but, you know, it’s gettin’ played. You would think people would be like, “What?!? She’s selling out!” But it’s charting; it’s on Billboard, and it’s selling on iTunes, so it’s like… The moral of the story is, if I box myself in, it’s suicide. That’s the problem with rap: If you’re not careful, you suicide yourself. You gotta do whatever it is that you love, and not be afraid. ’Cause if you’re afraid, then they can smell fear, you know? I think with me, in the beginning I was afraid to do certain things, so it seemed unnatural and uncomfortable, but now, it is what it is.
Yeah, because “Your Love” was the first song that grabbed me…
You like that song?
I think it’s great, yeah. You’re sick of it?
It’s stupid.
Why do you think it’s stupid?
[Laughs] I don’t know. I recorded that song a long time ago, so it doesn’t feel like me, who I am now. Like, “Right Through Me” is more me, right now, talkin’ about a love story, but that one was more, like, fictional. But it was a pretty beat, and I love the sample, and I love the hook.
Well, you shouldn’t get too down on it—it’s a great song.
[Laughs] I know, right? “Damn.” [Snaps fingers in mock disappointment] You know I broke the record?
For?
For the first female rap artist in seven years to top the Billboard rap charts, and I was No. 1 for eight weeks.
So you can’t disconnect yourself too much from it.
[Mock-sighing] I guess… Fine.
Do you ever think about how you would plan a full headlining show? How would you fill an evening of entertainment?
[Assumes uppity British accent] Oh, well I’d have tons of girls all around the stage, and I’d have lots of color, and—I dunno—I’d probably have, like, you know, spaceships bursting out. And I’d give away lots of gifts, and I’d mingle with the crowd, and…dance routines, darling, and big, poufy dresses too, and ninja outfits too, and then, just, going crazy… Lots of wigs, too. And then a moment where I’m just [Tenderly] sexy and, like, serene and I’m with one boy and I’m doing a dance, like a pantomime or something. [In normal voice] And then that’s it!
[Mock-unimpressed] Only that?
[Laughs] Are you beginning to think I’m crazy?!?
So how many of those wigs do you have [Points to pink wig]?
[Mock-glamorously] Oh, lots, darling.
So is there someone that you have on staff who deals with only that?
Lugs my wigs around…dot-com. [Laughs]
A lot of your raps have been based on this idea that you’ve “made a million off a mixtape,” just the idea that you’ve come so far without putting out a proper album. So what are you hoping to get out of actually releasing an album at this point?
[Laughs hysterically]. Well, maybe I shouldn’t put one out, if you look at it that way! I want respect from my peers; I want respect from the world as an official artist, an artist that knows how to make music and songs and an album. And when you haven’t put out an album, there’s still something looming over your head a little bit. And I know that I’m capable of really giving a body of music—I’m not a feature artist. You know, some people are just good on a feature. I’m just good enough and I want to show that.
You’ve been so powerful as a guest artist, stealing someone else’s show, and I’m interested to see what you’ll do when it’s your show. Are you thinking a lot about that?
Mm-hmmm, but I’m excited about! Not that I’m thinking about it like, [Sadly] Mmm, dag. I’m happy about it. I’ve been waiting my whole life to do this.
Mixtapes and singles, that’s sort of how music is consumed now. Is the physical product important to you? Or is it just the music?
No, it’s just the music for me. I would like them to buy it on iTunes. It doesn’t matter. If they get it on iTunes, they’ll get the iTunes deluxe edition—they’ll get three extra songs. It doesn’t matter to me if someone has the physical album; I just want them to have my music. I want to have a body of music, so that when I go to my shows, I’m not only doing features. I’m not only doing the hot 16 on that song—I’m doing the entire song, and people know that it’s from my album.
Do you still buy CDs, or do you consume music digitally?
I do both, but that was a good question: Do I care if they have the physical album? My particular fans, though, the younger fans, they really want a physical album. They want to have the poster; they want to have the booklet.
I think that comedy is really important to your music, and the humor is something that really appeals to me about it, like “Somehow I understood him when he spoke Thai” [from “Your Love”]…
[Laughs] Random things.
Do you think of yourself as a comedian as well as a musician?
Mmm-hmm, mmm-hmm!
Are there comedians you admire, along with other rappers?
[Laughs] You have really great questions! Like, by far… No, I’m serious! Yes, I do consider myself to be a comedian. I love Martin [Lawrence] and I love Chris Rock and I love Larry David and I love Judge Judy! She’s a comedian to me in her own right. It’s like, you should be crackin’ up laughing. Some things in the songs should make you crack up. I like that.
In addition to the comedy, your raps also have this really competitive attitude, like “I just annihilated every rap bitch in the building.” Is there an element of comedy in that, too, or is it meant to be an actual put-down?
It’s not meant to be mean; it’s meant to be funny.
So it’s kind of like on the schoolyard—
[Sings tauntingly] Nyah-nah nah nyah-nah. That’s what rap is. That’s what hip-hop is to me. It’s like, “I’m this—I’m better than you, and anybody doin’ what I do, I do it better.” So what people don’t understand is, I don’t hate these girls. Like sometimes you would wish something bad on a person, if that was your real enemy. These people aren’t my real enemy—they’re a competitor in a sport. It’s no different from friggin’ goin’ on a basketball court. You gonna show off—you gonna do your craziest tricks and say, “What?” And [I’ll] push you to the floor if I need to, to show you I’m better than you at playin’ ball, but I don’t go to bed at night hating these people or wanting something bad to happen, you know? It’s so different, and yeah, there is a lot of comedy in it, and there is a lot of just, like, schoolyard [Twists neck to illustrate], twisting your neck—it’s just like that… But I am better.
Do you think that’s been a problem in hip-hop in the past, that things that are just meant as a dis get turned into an actual real-life feud?
That happens with anything. I mean, not just in rap. Things turn violent every day. That has nothing to do with rap. It’s just personalties. It doesn’t bother me, and I’m not gonna change because of it.
Why does there still have to be that distinction of a “female rapper”? Why are there not as many women doing this?
[Softly] I don’t know. I wish I knew.… I really don’t know. I think girls need to write their own raps, though. I think girls need to go in the studio, take a beat, start writing, stop depending on people to do shit for you. Because then, when it’s no longer your moment, you’re lost! You need that ghostwriter that you used to have from ’98. [Laughs] It’s like, “Mmm-mmm.” I think girls after me, and some girls before me—let’s be honest: There’s a lot of girls that’ve done a great job. But I just think women in hip-hop have really predominantly been the sidekick. You have to take yourself out from being the sidekick to the superhero. You can’t be Robin forever, you know what I mean? And that’s what I’m doing; that’s what Pink Friday is. It’s like, “Bitch, I’m Batman, ho.” [Laughs].
So you’re competing with all rappers, not just female ones.
Exactly.
The past year has been so huge for you—your profile has risen so immensely. Do you remember when the moment was that you said to yourself, “I’m becoming a star”?
There have been so many different moments. The VMAs was one; Yankee Stadium with Jay-Z and Kanye West, that was another big one for me; just being asked to be on Kanye’s album was huge for me. I won three BET awards, three hip-hop awards with no album out. There’s been a lot of things, but I guess I don’t sit down and take it all in, pause. It just happens and then I look back and say, “Thank God for this blessing” and blah blah blah. But I’m sure there’s a lot of things happening every day that I don’t even believe.
Another thing I really like about your raps is the self-nicknaming, how you kind of roll off all these names like Lewinsky or the Ninja. What is that all about?
It’s always been in rap. I mean, it’s like Jay-Z: Jigga Man, Hov, S. Carter. I see the big boys do it, and I guess I do it. Dag, the only one who don’t got a frickin’ nickname is Kanye West! [Laughs]
What drew you to the Lewinsky? That was so out of left field.
I don’t use Lewinsky anymore. [Mock-exasperated] I don’t want to talk about it!
You said something about “the mistress” in one of the raps—
[Still mock-exasperated] Ooookay, I get it! No, it was just, like, a joke at that time, because [Lil] Wayne was the President, and I called myself [Laughs] Nicki Lewinsky. It was a funny joke, but I don’t like it anymore.
Any new names coming that we can get a sneak preview of?
Hmmm… Have you heard of Roman?
Roman?
He’s a gay boy—he lives in me.
I look forward to that.
He’s out—he’s out of the closet already.
I was wondering how you felt about the rap in which Drake is basically proposing to you. What did you think when you heard that?
I thought it was cute. He’s a cute little lamb chop. He let me hear it before it came out, though, and I was like, “Whoa, are you really gonna say that?” I didn’t think he was gonna leave it in the song, but I love it.
I’m wondering about the distinction about rapping and singing. You’re known more as a rapper than a singer, but would you ever want to even that out?
Mmm-mmm. I would never even that out, but I would always do a little singing.
I think that duality is interesting, because there’s a part on the mixtape where you’re talking about how the first part was raunchy and you kind of wanted to move into a more “delicate” mode. Do you think a lot about both sides of that coin?
Mmm-hmmm. It’s important to me to stay true to both sides, because I have fans on both sides, so I can’t stray away too far from the crazy, real edgy stuff…[Quietly] ’cause my fans won’t like me.
Do you think you can still be believable singing a sweet love song after you’ve done all that—
Absolutely. I’ve done it on Pink Friday. I’ll play you the song before you leave. I’m believable at whatever I do, because I’m dead-ass doin’ it. Like, I’m not in the studio with somebody doin’ it for me. My fans have gotten to understand that I am many different people, and one day they get one thing, next day they get another thing, but it’s still true to me, and they don’t question it. Like with “Check It Out,” the song I have with Will.i.am, it’s, like, so pop, but, you know, it’s gettin’ played. You would think people would be like, “What?!? She’s selling out!” But it’s charting; it’s on Billboard, and it’s selling on iTunes, so it’s like… The moral of the story is, if I box myself in, it’s suicide. That’s the problem with rap: If you’re not careful, you suicide yourself. You gotta do whatever it is that you love, and not be afraid. ’Cause if you’re afraid, then they can smell fear, you know? I think with me, in the beginning I was afraid to do certain things, so it seemed unnatural and uncomfortable, but now, it is what it is.
Yeah, because “Your Love” was the first song that grabbed me…
You like that song?
I think it’s great, yeah. You’re sick of it?
It’s stupid.
Why do you think it’s stupid?
[Laughs] I don’t know. I recorded that song a long time ago, so it doesn’t feel like me, who I am now. Like, “Right Through Me” is more me, right now, talkin’ about a love story, but that one was more, like, fictional. But it was a pretty beat, and I love the sample, and I love the hook.
Well, you shouldn’t get too down on it—it’s a great song.
[Laughs] I know, right? “Damn.” [Snaps fingers in mock disappointment] You know I broke the record?
For?
For the first female rap artist in seven years to top the Billboard rap charts, and I was No. 1 for eight weeks.
So you can’t disconnect yourself too much from it.
[Mock-sighing] I guess… Fine.
Do you ever think about how you would plan a full headlining show? How would you fill an evening of entertainment?
[Assumes uppity British accent] Oh, well I’d have tons of girls all around the stage, and I’d have lots of color, and—I dunno—I’d probably have, like, you know, spaceships bursting out. And I’d give away lots of gifts, and I’d mingle with the crowd, and…dance routines, darling, and big, poufy dresses too, and ninja outfits too, and then, just, going crazy… Lots of wigs, too. And then a moment where I’m just [Tenderly] sexy and, like, serene and I’m with one boy and I’m doing a dance, like a pantomime or something. [In normal voice] And then that’s it!
[Mock-unimpressed] Only that?
[Laughs] Are you beginning to think I’m crazy?!?
So how many of those wigs do you have [Points to pink wig]?
[Mock-glamorously] Oh, lots, darling.
So is there someone that you have on staff who deals with only that?
Lugs my wigs around…dot-com. [Laughs]
Black Men Magazine Salutes Nicki
Black Men magazine has a tribute to our HB on stands now!
You'll get better pics when I do!
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
"Right Thru Me" Producer Talks Nicki
“She was working in L.A. and I work in Miami, with our busy schedules it’s kinda hard to be in the studio together,” admitted Drew Money [the producer behind her hit single, “Right Thru Me”.] as he explained that the track came together via email. “Basically, I just wanted to make something for her that was pop but still rap and a fusion of everything. That’s kinda how my sound is, it’s a fusion of rock and pop, with the guitars, and with the synthesizers and the 808s, that’s a good sound for her.”
Drew, who also worked on “Hello Brooklyn” for Jay-Z, says that he wasn’t a huge Barbie fan before “Right Thru Me” but game recognizes game.
“I’m just a fan of music in general and Nicki is really hot right and I want to work with the best artist out there right now and she’s definitely one of them,” says Drew.
And though he wasn’t aiming for Nicki when he crafted the beat, he knew he had a winner.
“I knew it was something special just listening to the beat, before she put her vocals on it,” says Drew Money. “It just needed the right artist and the right time.”
Like Kanye producing for Jay and expecting a pop track, but getting heart felt prose, Drew Money says he didn’t expect the emotion of “Right Thru Me” but says “it was a good direction for her to go because she didn’t really have a song like that yet and this is like her toned down style, I thought it was very cool.”
Now, the beat miner says he’s working on more tracks for Nicki Minaj as she finalizes her debut.
“I’m not really sure right now how many tracks [of mine will make Pink Friday], I’m just giving her stuff that’s fun and exciting,” he said. “Stuff that I think all her fans will really love, stuff that when it comes on right away, you’re just like ‘Yes, I love this’ like feel-good music.”
He’s also submitting tracks for the rest of Cash Money-Young Money.
“I’m just working with the whole Cash Money-Young Money family,” says Drew Money. “I actually did a song for Wayne last year called “Fix My Hat, and I do have a couple of things in particular that’d be good for him.”
The video for "Right Thru Me" premieres today on 106 & Park!
Monday, October 25, 2010
Women Nicki Should Work With
MTV.com posted this article about the best potential collabos they could come up with. Share your ideas in the comments section!
Nicki Minaj's buzz can't get much bigger than it is right now.
Like Drake in the months leading up to the release of his debut, Thank Me Later, Miss Minaj is everywhere and she's not the only one benefiting from it. To capitalize on her buzz, there have been a number of artists, including Usher, Ludacris, Trey Songz, Jay Sean, Sean Garrett and Sean Kingston, who have turned to her to give their singles an extra boost.
But there's another trend going on as well: Female artists asking Nicki for a little girl power on their power ballads. Mariah Carey did it first on "Up Out My Face," then Christina Aguilera reached out for "Woohoo" and, most recently, Keyshia Cole made her long-awaited return to the R&B game by asking Nicki to jump on her new single, "I Ain't Thru."
But why stop there? Nicki Minaj could help a whole bunch of other female artists—and, in the process, help her own career—by working with them in the near future.
To help give her some ideas, RapFix hatched a list of women Nicki should consider recording with soon and put the grrrrrr back in girl power.
Nicki Minaj x Willow Smith
We almost got this when an unauthorized leak of a "Whip My Hair" remix surfaced (Nicki's contribution turned out to be an old verse). But, let's put it this way: If she can hop on a track with a 9 year-old and give us a PG verse that still sounds good, it'd be an impressive feat—and a reason for Disney to give her a shot at recording a song for a soundtrack sometime soon.
Nicki Minaj x Alicia Keys
Why hasn't this happened yet? Well, probably because Ms. Keys (or is it, Mrs. Beatz?) is out on maternity leave right now with little Egypt Dean. But when she gets back, don't be surprised to hear these two rep the Big Apple on a track together. Nicki is from the City That Never Sleeps after all. And Alicia? Well, you already know she's repping NYC, right?
Nicki Minaj x Katy Perry
Something tells us it's only a matter of time before non-rap acts start knocking on Nicki's door. And something also tells us that Katy P is one of the few females in the music game that could keep up with Nicki's funny faces. This pairing is almost too easy. "I Kissed a Girl 2," ladies?
Nicki Minaj x Rihanna
What's that? They've already got something they're cooking up for us? It's about time. Good girls gone bad, indeed!
Nicki Minaj x Lady Gaga
We pity the poor stylist who would have to keep these two dressed on the set of their music video. But, we're pretty sure the final product would be well worth it.
Nicki Minaj x Ke$ha
Nicki doesn't seem like a Jack Daniel's kind of girl and Ke$ha doesn't look like the kind of girl that played with Barbie dolls growing up. But opposities might attract if these two brought their bigger-than-life personalities to the studio on the same day.
Nicki Minaj x Eve
Eve is trying to make a comeback early next year—and we support. That might have been fairly easy a couple years ago (well, not that easy, considering that she was supposed to come back and never did) but it's gonna be pretty difficult to do now that Nicki's occupying the "one female MC per generation" seat on hip-hop's tour bus. But hearing two successful female rappers on the same track would be kind of nice, wouldn't it?
Nicki Minaj x Madonna
Okay, enough with the softball suggestions. We want to see Nicki win and win BIG. It gets no bigger than recording a track with the original Material Girl. And since she's reportedly been clamoring to work with a rapper as of late (Rolling Stone reported that she tried collabing with Eminem last year) we're guessing this might not be out of the realm of possibility. Can't you just hear all Nicki's Madonna references already?
Nicki Minaj x Sade
Sade has reportedly turned down the opportunity to work with Jay-Z and told Drake to get lost. But, what if a young, strong, independent female MC stepped to her and said that she's been dying to work with her? Hm ... Now we're talking.
Nicki Minaj x Lil Kim
You want to talk about making history? Listen, we know Nicki and Kim have had their problems in the past. But, hell, so did Jay and Nas and they managed to get past it. Great things come out of terrible situations. And something tells us a Nicki Minaj/Lil Kim collaboration would be a win for both parties. What do you say, girls?
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Video: Kanye West's "Runaway"
Nicki adds Voice-Over work to her resume as Kanye's "Runaway" premieres.
Music : Blow Your Mind
A new mixtape joint! This will most likely not be on Pink Friday.
::Download Here::
(Updated With No-Tag Version)
(Updated With No-Tag Version)
Friday, October 22, 2010
Video: Nicki Is No. 6 Hottest MC
On MTV's Hottest MC's In The Game. Bullshit- she should've been in the top five!
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Diddy On His Role In Nicki's Career
Amidst all the rumors lately, Puffy spoke to Hot 97 about his relationship with our HB.
"I'm basically just as the industry changes, you gotta change with the industry just as a hustler," Diddy told Funkmaster Flex. "I have a lot of knowledge I feel I have to give to artists and a lot of ways I can help their brand go to the next level. It has grown to be not just about me, not just about Bad Boy but the future brands that are coming up and the future super stars. I feel I have an obligation to help them and I feel there's a way we can get some money together. As far as with [Rick] Ross, I feel we've done a great job. With the Nicki thing, that was even something me and her made sure we didn't define or kept a mystery. So I don't go around saying I'm her manager. We work together in a certain type of unofficial capacity. But I don't really know where they really got that from. We still work together but it's not about going around saying I'm her manager -- she really does a lot of things by herself. And whatever ways I can assist the situation, or whatever that title is, that's what I do. I play my position on the team..."
Monday, October 18, 2010
Nicki Also Nabs Two People's Choice Noms
The Barbie has already received nods from the Soul Train Awards today, and now the People's Choice Awards nominations are in. Nicki is up for Breakout Artist & Hip Hop artist. Make sure to get over to the website and vote!
You can also write in "Nicki Minaj" while voting for Female Artist and Favorite Web Celeb, and "Your Love, Nicki Minaj" for Favorite Song.
You can also write in "Nicki Minaj" while voting for Female Artist and Favorite Web Celeb, and "Your Love, Nicki Minaj" for Favorite Song.
Nicki Scores Two Soul Train Noms
Congrats to Nicki for earning two nominations at this year's Soul Train Awards (Best New Artist and Best Hip-Hop Song Of The Year for "Your Love"), which airs November 28th.
Rumor: Nicki Hires Benny Medina As Manager
Ya can't believe everything you read, Barbz. Nicki denied this rumor herself via Twitter.
lmao. i've never met benny medina a day in my life. we good on this side. #itspinkfridayhoe
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Confirmed: 'Pink Friday' To Drop Early
It's official!
Tho the release date (for all intents & purposes) for Pink Friday is 11.23.10 , it will be made available everywhere on 11.22.10. Albums are generally released on Tuesdays but in rare instances Record Companies will "break street date" and release on Monday.
Nicki Becoming One Of This Generation's Most Fascinating Musical Figures
Here's what the New York Daily News published yesterday about Miss Minaj.
Nicki Minaj has created an incredible amount of buzz as an emcee — and she hasn't even released an album.
Already a winner of seven music accolades (three from the BET Hip Hop Awards last week), the 25-year-old, Queens-bred artist has collaborated with Mariah Carey, Will.i.am and Rihanna. With an alter ego that she calls Barbie and outlandish outfits, Minaj is quickly becoming one of this generation's most fascinating musical figures.
- On gay rappers: "I think the world is getting more gay-friendly, so hip hop is, too. But it's harder to imagine an openly gay male rapper being embraced. People view gay men as having no street credibility. But I think we'll see one in my lifetime." (Details)
- On her public persona: "Every woman is a character — but people need to see I'm a regular human. It's like you wear a pink wig and you're no longer human all of a sudden. You're a thing." (Complex)
- On rapping about sex: "When I grew up, I saw females doing certain things, and I thought I had to do that exactly. The female rappers of my day spoke about sex a lot and I thought that to have the success they got, I would have to represent the same thing. When in fact I didn't have to represent the same thing." (Vibe)
Nicki's Grammy Sumbissions
Nicki Minaj probably has more eligible songs for the Grammys than any other artist. Below is a list of songs being submitted for consideration at next year's awards. Nicki deserves a trophy in every category, so let's hope most of these make it through to be nominees!
Ludacris & Nicki Minaj – My Chick Bad – Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group
Young Money – Roger That – Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group
Mariah Carey & Nicki Minaj – Up Out My Face – Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
Sean Kingston & Nicki Minaj – Letting Go (Dutty Love) – Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
Nicki Minaj & Sean Garrett – Massive Attack – Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
Trey Songz & Nicki Minaj – Bottoms Up – Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
Will.i.am & Nicki Minaj – Check It Out – Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
Young Money & Lloyd – Bedrock – Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
Nicki Minaj – Your Love – Best Rap Song
Young Money – We Are Young Money – Best Rap Album
DJ Khaled, Rick Ross, T-Pain, Busta Rhymes, Diddy, Fabolous, Joe, Jada Kiss & Nicki Minaj – All I Do Is Win Remix – Best Short Form Music Video
Trey Songz & Nicki Minaj – Bottoms Up – Best Short Form Music Video
Christina Aguilera & Nicki Minaj – Woohoo – Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals
Young Money & Lloyd – Bedrock – Song of the Year
Ludacris & Nicki Minaj – My Chick Bad – Song of the Year
Nicki Minaj – Your Love – Song of the Year
Sean Kingston & Nicki Minaj – Letting Go (Dutty Love) – Song of the Year
Sean Kingston & Nicki Minaj – Letting Go (Dutty Love) – Record of the Year
Young Money & Lloyd – Bedrock – Record of the Year
Nicki Minaj – Your Love – Best Rap Solo Performance
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Friday, October 15, 2010
Is Nicki The Already The Most Successful Female Rapper?
Check out what Much Music published lately about our HB,
Although she’s still relatively new to the game, Nicki Minaj is set to become the most successful female rapper of all-time.
Minaj is already the record holder for most entries on the Billboard Hot 100, chalking up seven in 2010 alone, not to mention download sales of $4,298,000 so far this year.
This, of course, has a lot to do with guest appearances on high profile tracks like Ludacris’ “My Chick Bad”, Usher’s “Lil Freak” and Lil’ Wayne’s “Knockout.” But the rapper’s own material is definitely making an impact, especially [her] single, “Your Love,” which is the first song by a female rapper to hit number one on the Hot 100 since Missy Elliott’s “Work It” in 2002.
What’s most impressive though is how quickly Minaj has tasted this success. Her debut album, Pink Friday is still more than a month away from its release (November 23rd). Who knows what records she’ll rack up with that one?
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Nicki Joins VH1 Divas 2010 Lineup
Katy Perry, Sugarland, Keri Hilson, Nicki Minaj and Paramore are taking part in this year's "VH1 Divas," but they are shifting some of the attention off themselves. They'll be singing for the military through a partnership with the USO.
Hilson calls it an incredible opportunity. She says she is proud to be in the show's lineup among so many other influential, strong and powerful women.
Perry, Sugarland, Hilson and Minaj will perform for thousands of men and women in uniform at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego. Paramore will perform at a military base in the Middle East.
"VH1 Divas Salute The Troops" premieres Dec. 5 on VH1. It will also be broadcast internationally by the Armed Forces Network.
Preview: Nicki's Photoshoot With Mike Ruiz
My, oh my. Photographer Mike Ruiz Tweeted this pic from his latest shoot with Nicki. Can't wait for more!
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Video: Nicki At The BET Hip-Hop Awards
(Yes, this video was uploaded by me, and can now be seen on other Nicki sites!)
Monday, October 11, 2010
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Nicki Sets New Billboard Record
Nicki Minaj made an undeniable splash on the Billboard charts this year, becoming the first female to top the Rap Songs list with her hit 'Your Love' since Missy Elliott held the same position in November 2002. But that was only the tip of the iceberg for the Young Money raptress breaking records on the Billboard charts.
According to the numbers, Nicki has become the first female rapper to have the most entries lodged on the Billboard Hot 100, with seven entries listed on Nielsen Soundscan's 200 best-selling songs of 2010. The Harajuku Barbie has sold a total of 4,298,000 in sales, including her own solo records as well as joints on which she's been featured.
The highest-selling track of the bunch is Ludacris' "My Chick Bad", which sold 1,246,000 copies. Her breakout single "Your Love" came in a distant second with 755,000 units sold, followed by Lil Wayne's "Knockout" (519,000), Trey Songz's "Bottoms Up" (518,000), Usher's "Lil Freak" (508,000), Sean Kingston's "Letting Go (Dutty Love)" (377,000) and Jay Sean's "2012" (355,000).
Despite the number of hits, Nicki still has to tackle releasing her debut. The album, Pink Friday, is set to hit stores November 23.
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