Bonnie Wilks
Nicki Minaj has made herself a big name and a huge fortune from her music. With songs like “Pills N Potions”, “Anaconda”, “Rise of an Empire”, and “Roman Reloaded”, she’s set the bar high for all her songs.
“Pound The Alarm”
Despite the song’s modest chart success, “Pound The Alarm” has received its share of accolades. Among the plethora of awards the track has garnered, it was named the best female rap single of the year. It is also the first of its kind to reach number one on the US Hot Dance Club Songs chart and the UK’s Official Dance Chart.
This was a reoccurring theme, as “Pound the Alarm” has been praised by a variety of music experts, and has won over the masses with its catchy beats. Aside from being the first female rap to crack the top ten in the Billboard Hot 100 since Rihanna, it was also the biggest hit in Australia. In fact, the song reached number one in New Zealand and Canada. Despite the fact that the track did not get the nod as the best rap album of the year, it has become a cult classic amongst the fans, with the accompanying album being released in March of this year.
For the uninitiated, the song was released as part of the Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded album. It is a collaboration between Minaj and RedOne, the former having written the track, and the latter having provided the slick production. Upon release, the track was well received by the press and received a number of favourable mentions from the likes of Rolling Stone, Spin Magazine and the Daily Mail. It has since been a major hit with a host of devoted fans and was a major part of the Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded tour that wrapped up in May. As a result, “Pound the Alarm” has been certified as a platinum selling record in the UK, as well as in several European countries.
“Anaconda”
When Nicki Minaj released her latest song, “Anaconda,” the song quickly became a hot topic. This song has gained plenty of criticism for its lyrics and for its raunchy content.
As a rapper, Minaj has built a reputation for sugar-coated records. Her latest track is a departure from her usual formula. The song features two verses filled with blatant references to violence and sex. Its underlying message is about the power of women.
The music video for “Anaconda” was directed by Colin Tilley and shot on July 21-22, 2014. Nicki performed the song at Fashion Rocks, iHeartRadio Music Festival, and MTV Video Music Awards. On the day of its release, the video garnered 19.6 million views.
Though the music video received some negative press, the music itself had a positive reaction. According to HotNewHipHop, the song got a 4.5 out of five stars. Other critics gave the record a more mixed opinion. Some called it the worst song of all time. But one author says the song is powerful and daring.
Critics also noticed that the track had a degrading tone. Some claimed that the lyrics were promoting drug abuse, prostitution, and a bad body image. Others thought the record was more about objectifying women than it was about feminism.
The song has since been nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of Best Rap Song. It was also nominated for Best Hip-Hop Video at the same awards ceremony.
The song reshaped the way the family audience consumes music. Before “Anaconda,” hip-hop songs were typically not considered appropriate for the radio. Streaming is a new method for many family audiences. They choose their own music. Therefore, the radio industry has had to adapt to the changing public.
“Pills N Potions”
Nicki Minaj’s latest single, “Pills N Potions”, is one swell track. It’s one of the best songs we’ve heard from the Queen of Hip Hop. In fact, a recent poll found that fans cite the track as their favorite among all her songs. The song has a funky rap/soul vibe to it, but that’s part of the charm.
“Pills N Potions” is one of those music tracks that you’ll want to play on repeat. There’s something about the lyrics that make it hard to put down. This is especially true for the ooh-la-la chorus. The track has been produced by Cirkut and is also the subject of an award-winning remix by Trey Songz. That’s a feat in and of itself.
While this might not be the first time Nicki has sung about love, it’s not the first time she’s done it in the right way. She’s had a history of letting love go to her head. As a matter of fact, her last marriage fell apart when she threw a temper tantrum. And as if her previous marriage wasn’t bad enough, she had a recent split with her longtime wig stylist, Terrence Davidson.
Despite the commotion, Nicki has been releasing quality content and making headlines in the process. Hopefully, her latest effort, a third studio album called The Pinkprint, will be just as well-received. With that in mind, we should all look forward to a funky new track from a sexy rapper who’s ready to show off her skills. We can’t wait! Keep checking back for more updates. Make sure to let us know what you think of the track in the comments section below! We’ll be there to answer your questions, and give you our take on the track.
“Young Money: Rise of an Empire”
Young Money Entertainment is back again with their second compilation album, Young Money: Rise of an Empire. Released on March 11, the album features contributions from several young money recording artists. There are a few notable names in the mix, but there are more evocative moments to be found in the shadows.
There’s no doubt that Lil Wayne is the king of the rap game, but he’s no longer the only star in his league. Nicki Minaj is a five year veteran of the label, while Drake has been in the fold for a while longer. The aforementioned duo have made a name for themselves with their teen pop songs, but the new sextants such as Roc Marciano, Gudda Gudda, and Jae Millz have been the backbone of the label’s slicker side.
While the album’s sexiest moments are few and far between, the most impressive feat of the aforementioned mix is to not only create a new halo for a number of the formerly tainted alums, but to present them with a new lease on life. For instance, Nicki reportedly penned her first song in a decade, and Birdman’s latest offering, the aforementioned flurry, sold in excess of 24,000 copies in its first week. Considering that the rapper is arguably the face of the label, this is a rare occurrence indeed.
As expected, the compilation is a far cry from the raucous bash that was We Are Young Money five years ago. It’s a testament to the label’s penchant for quality that it’s still a top draw today, despite the fact that the aforementioned aforementioned aforementioned aforementioned has been around since 2007. In short, if the aforementioned aforementioned aforementioned is anything to go by, you can expect the next decade to be one of the hottest in the industry.
“Young Money: Roman Reloaded”
Nicki Minaj’s second album, Young Money: Roman Reloaded, debuted on April 2, 2012 and sold over 253,000 copies in its first week. It reached number one on the Billboard 200 in the United States, and was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.
In addition to working with her longtime producer RedOne, Minaj enlisted a variety of producers for her sophomore effort. The album features an unorthodox blend of pop and dance songs with Europop influences. This includes the upbeat, “Fireman”-style beat on “Pound The Alarm” and the disco-styled dance tunes on “Starships” and “Roman Holiday”.
Nicki Minaj’s shrill voice and overblown delivery may be off-putting. She sounds like a rap artist whose mind has gone haywire. Yet, her musical genius still shines through. On songs like “Beautiful Sinner,” she sings of a man whose sex is in question. Throughout the album, Roman is a presence.
Roman Reloaded is divided into two parts: the first half is comprised of rap music masquerading as pop, and the second half is pop and dance tracks. ‘Super Bass’ producer Kane Beatz is responsible for the chintzy digital sound. However, the second half is the highlight of the album.
“Pound The Alarm” is the most successful track on the album. Nicki’s vocals alternate between barbie-doll pretty and exotic malice. There’s even a cover of “Come All Ye Faithful” – an unhinged version.
In addition to working with producers such as RedOne, Hit-Boy, and Nas, Nicki Minaj enlisted other artists for her album. Lil Wayne, Cam’ron, and Young Jeezy all appeared on the LP.
Minaj’s second album, which focuses more on her personal brand than her alter ego, is her biggest commercial success to date. With hits like “Pound The Alarm,” “Roman Holiday,” and “Starships,” Minaj tapped into the power of the rap genre.
