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#28 Onika 'Nicki' Tanya Maraj (Minaj)

ImANewUser wrote:

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Nicki Minaj's write-up to include spoiler-tagged picspam of her "Stupid Hoe" face for her write-up plz

There you go.

I know I'm going to get tons of flack for this choice, but I don't care, BRING IT ON. Fun fact: I considered bumping her further up to #27 (well, it is one spot higher!) but I didn't change it since I wanted my spoiler from the previous post to be accurate.

I'm not going to deny that Nicki Minaj is hugely talented. Her rapping (flow and verses) are a source of controversy amidst certain circles, but I think it's just fine. Whacky, certainly. Inane, sometimes yes. But she can go hard when needed and that's the sort of verses I like from her (e.g. on Monster). She can also sing adequately as well, evidenced from some of her tracks. I do also feel she is intelligent and insightful as an individual.

Also, she has a huge ass. This is neither a point of praise nor derision, it just must be noted that that thing could flatten whole city blocks in its wake.



So what's the problem, then? I think it's everything else. I mean, as much as Nicki is talented you should also be able to acknowledge that she can be highly fucking annoying. All the alter egos, the hair colour changes, the gurning expressions, the incessant features, the over-the-top or ridiculous delivery and verses. But for what? I don't think it's so much of an identity that Nicki wears for herself, but something that swallows her completely, which risks overshadowing her abilities and caricaturising her into something truly one dimensional as a singer, rather than proving that she can have her cake and eat it (be ridiculous as well as popularly AND critically appreciated at the same time); she then becomes an actual living Barbie doll, but not in the way she wishes.



There's no middle ground when it comes to Nicki it seems. She starts off each album wanting to put out some 'hardcore' rap tracks that simply become a full-on assault on audience ears, and not in a pleasant or provoking way. It's like firing a salvo of ridiculousness just because she can. And if the song itself doesn't put people off, the video well might (see: Stupid Hoe). Yes, her fanbase 'gets' it because it's supposed to be so sheerly flat-out weird and whacky, but the average listener really just thinks "What the FUCK is she smoking?".

(Since we're on this point, let's also talk about her infamous Grammys performance of Roman Holiday. To be honest, most of the public have no knowledge of Roman Zolanski or whatever alter ego she is introducing here, since he mostly exists in her 'serious' songs. And then you have this whole mock exorcism with dancers rubbing their crotches against praying altar boys. I mean, she's clearly taking the piss out of the proceedings, but it's not subversive, smart or edgy; it's just fucking stupid like a high school play, and not the best way to introduce yourself to new audiences. There's a reason why only her fans cheered at the end of that rather special act.)



Then you have her albums; basically a schizophrenic split between her rapping (including her� hilarious(ly bad?) English accented alter-ego)) and commercial-pandering light pop ditties focused on her singing and choruses, combined with a bit of her rapping background (like the shit Right Thru Me and less shit Moment 4 Life). And a couple of songs where she goes all-out pop basically with a big song that is actually kind of silly but it's feel good as well so why not. I just feel that a song like Super Bass is a hit in spite of Nicki Minaj, not because of her. Although that song, despite being a bonus track as first, pretty much saved her from irrelevancy, so her label is forcing her to go all out on that front to score those hits. There's a reason why Fly and Moment 4 Life were stuck outside the top 10 while Super Bass was, like, virulent.

However, an extension of that last mentality is what lead to Starships. There's no getting around the fact that it's utterly awful. I mean, I don't just like songs that are solid/good in merits, I also like plenty of shit that is so dire that it's fantastic. This falls squarely into the second category. I mean, it's not so much of a song as a series of drops with tenuously interconnected verses. What's infuriating is that she's basically going down the generic electropop route with Guetta et al. when she IS much better than that. She shouldn't be guesting on cheap party hits just to keep her name out there.

Well, speaking of which, the other big issue is that she's everywhere. She has released like hundreds of tracks and mixtapes and shit. She seems to guest on every third song being recorded. Granted, she has worked with a ridiculous roster of big stars from Jay-Z and Weezy to Madonna and Britney (although it is unknown whether the latter popstars are more cynically using her to stay relevant). Quality control goes out of the window and for every good feature you have like at least another crappy one.



Is her situation still salvageable? (I know this sounds stupid considering that she's the biggest female rapper in the world right now, but let's be real about her popularity or long-term prospects.) Yes, although with Super Bass and Starships having come to pass the danger of her being pigeonholed is very real. Throw in some actual respectable verses, something more 'serious', like on the Eminem/Kanye level. (As a single of hers, not as a featured guest.) She can keep the dramatics, but tone it to be appropriate to the song and not just risk undermining it with sheer ridiculousness. Also, stop doing so many fucking features. You said you wanted to, Nicki, and that was a year ago. When are you going to learn?

Also, if she can actually do a song as good and full of attitude (without her usual ridiculousness) as this, then kudos.



Any song with the line 'I guess that c.unt getting eaten' gets an automatic pass from me I guess, but whatever.



I have no issue with Nicki's hip-hop roots. It's just how she presents herself and is seen, her pop releases and the sheer ridiculousness of her theatrics that detract from her great potential. I know Nicki is trying to establish a legacy for herself, but if she doesn't act fast all she'll be seen as is the whackadoo rapper with alternately shit novelty raps and alternately shit novelty party songs. I'll probably give her another chance, since Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded is coming up right around the corner, but honestly, I don't care if she doesn't make anything worthwhile, because I'm not expecting her to.

Oh god, that was a really long write-up.

Listen to:
Starships
Saxon
Girls Fall Like Dominoes
Moment 4 Life (with Drake)
Monster (with Kanye West, Rick Ross, Jay-Z & Bon Iver)