Pink Friday

I like to think of myself as someone who was a fan of Nicki Minaj before the hype began for her debut, Pink Friday. I didn't pre-order the album, but expected to buy it when it came out. I heard the 30-second previews on iTunes and wasn't too impressed. I then heard some of the songs on YouTube, which were sped up, and didn't like them either. It wasn't until I finally heard some legitimate copies of the songs that I started to get on board again. I finally broke down on Friday and bought the deluxe edition of the album. I will say that I love it, but I will also say that I think some editing it down would have helped. I would say that there are only two or three songs that I don't like and would skip. For a debut "album" she should be very proud of what she accomplished.

The Good:
1) I'm The Best - Inspiration, cocky and fun to sing along with.
2) Roman's Revenge - This was the track that I hated when I first heard it. I couldn't believe that Nicki would let Eminem use derogatory gay slurs on one of her raps, especially because she knows she has a big gay following. But, the rest of the song is so HOT! I love her crazy voices and she really brings it hard. I've learned to look past
4) Right Thru Me - Love song, but not very romantic. Good, but ghetto.
5) Fly - Introspective and Rihanna does a great job on the chorus.
6) Save Me - So vulnerable and innocent. I can relate and it's really calming.
7) Moment 4 Life - I like the grateful message of the song.
8) Check It Out - Good sample and uber fast raps.
9) Blazin' - This is the kind of song that made me fall in love with her.
10) Here I Am - Very strong message, powerful.
11) Dear Old Nicki I like that she admits she's changed. I think it's brave.
14) Super Bass - This is the perfect mix of hip/hop and pop.
16) Muny - Who doesn't love songs about money?
17) Girls Fall Like Dominoes - I love songs that mention fashion designers and celebrities and this song has them galore.

The Bad:
3) Did It On 'Em - This song was just stupid. It has a great beat but the lyrics are disgusting and lame.
13) Last Chance - I actually like Nicki's verses but the chorus is way too poppy. It's like an outtake from a Hilary Duff album. I would have expected more from Natasha Bedingfield who is featured on the track
15) Blow Ya Mind - Another dumb track.

At 17 tracks, it's very long. I think cutting out the three bad tracks would have made this a perfect album. I noticed that she tends to have 4 lines that all end with the same word. Of course it's going to rhyme if you end each line that way. I'm not an expert on rap, but I think that's a little lazy. Overall, she has a lot of amazing songs on this album mixed in with a few songs that I could do without. I like that people are going to be exposed to her music. I like her craziness and drive to create an empire.

I'll admit it; I'm now a true Ken Barb.