Rapper Nicki Minaj released her fifth studio album “Pink Friday 2,” a sequel to her monumental 2010 debut album “Pink Friday,” on Friday.
“When I look back at a lot of my music, I’m like: ‘Oh, my God, where was the me in it?’” Minaj told Vogue in a recent interview promoting her new project. “So for this album, I went back to the old game plan.”
Although “Pink Friday 2” seeks to reimagine the original’s nature, the 22-track album lacks the direction needed for a coherent, no-skip LP.
Samples are splattered throughout the album, starting with the opening track “Are You Gone Already,” which relies on a pitched-up snippet of Billie Eilish’s “when the party’s over” for much of its runtime.
The disconnect between Eilish’s airy tone and Minaj’s auto-tuned vocals creates confusing dissonance. Additionally, in the chorus, Minaj and the Eilish sample sing together only for Minaj to hand off the rest to Eilish.
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The Eilish sample being soloed during so much of the track leaves the listener feeling as if the track is over-reliant on the crisp construction of “when the party’s over” crisp rather than Minaj’s expertise.
Excessive openings throughout the tracklist contribute to a tiresome listening experience.
Track three “FTCU” opens with a repetitive introduction lacking intrigue. The song is without the witty lyricism that launched Minaj’s rap career, leaving an empty void.
If “Beep Beep” were from a smaller artist, it would be passable. However, the uninspired production drags this track down, well below Minaj’s proclaimed “Queen” status.
Track five “Fallin 4 U” is the first track on “Pink Friday 2” that is clearly inspired by the prequel, and with success.
“Fallin 4 U” is an intimate track — an archetype that is common within Minaj’s discography. The justification for such a specific paradigm is well-established; Minaj excels in nuance when speaking directly to her audience.
While Minaj is known for her memorable features on other artists’ tracks, she’s faced with a role-reversal in “Let Me Calm Down.”
Minaj is greatly outshined by her guest J. Cole. Though Minaj’s verse is not lackluster, Cole’s sticky flows are reminiscent of Minaj’s past show-stealing features.
“Needle” shows off Minaj’s charisma as a rapper. Her storytelling lets the listener in on her world of infatuation. Drake’s chorus on the track serves as a steady anchor, allowing Minaj’s wistfulness to radiate.
When given the opportunity to use Junior Senior’s legendary “Move Your Feet” as a sample, you would expect a legendary track to be created; however, the production on “Everybody” stifles its enjoyment.
Minaj does not ride the catchy beat long enough for the listener to enjoy, as there are switch-ups very early in the track. Featured artist Lil Uzi Vert’s presence is painfully noticeable on the track, especially in its production.
The amalgamation of incongruent ideas leaves the listeners wondering if the producers wanted to recreate the essence of Lil Uzi Vert’s hit “Just Wanna Rock” rather than embrace the timeless sample.
“Blessings” is by far the best track featuring a guest artist on the album. Gospel singer Tasha Cobbs Leonard’s affinity for God plays well into the track’s theme of having faith in the future.
The soft piano in the back of the mix is evocative of both divine and trap musical stylings, perfectly melding the two artists in this ostensibly unexpected collaboration.
Overall, this album suffers from the same problem many of Minaj’s trap contemporaries’ have struggled with: editing. With condensed intros and outros combined with a tighter tracklist, this project could have been an affirmation of Minaj’s icon status.
Instead, it acts as another oversaturated album meant to capitalize on its value in the perpetually dynamic music-streaming landscape.
