Over the course of 2010, Nicki Minaj has shot from her underground status to become one of the hottest names in hip hop. Swooping in to fill the role of female rap queen left vacant by Missy Elliott in recent years, Nicky matches all the aggression and vulgarity of her male counterparts ounce for ounce on an album that is genuinely rousing in places but lags in others.
The early minutes of 'Pink Friday' are somewhat misleading as Minaj blasts you with all her in-your-face attitude in one short sharp burst. Borrowing Busta Rhymes' line "ruh, ruh, like a dungeon dragon" from A Tribe Called Quest's 'Scenario' to spawn one of Pink Friday's most forceful offerings, Minaj bounces explicit outbursts off Eminem's equally rampant volatility on 'Roman's Revenge'. It's a shame the potent track is tainted by Minaj's strange use of alter-egos, particularly the British mother figure Martha Zolanski, who feels forced and rather gimmicky. Nevertheless, Nicki's rap style is easily more compelling than her singing voice, though her melodic side does excel on 'Save Me' alongside its rapid electronic beats and sharp harmonies.
Samples of The Buggles' classic 'Video Killed The Radio Star' and Annie Lennox's 'No More I Love Yous' are too familiar for Nicki to really take ownership of them, both becoming grating as they are repeated for the duration of 'Check It Out' and 'Your Love' respectively. This kind of stagnation is true of 'Pink Friday' throughout, as these songs never seem to develop, often relying on guest vocals to add variation in colour and tone. Beside appearances from Rihanna, Will.i.am and Kanye West, it's Drake's turn on 'Moment 4 Life' that stands out as the Canadian drops his nasal rap on top of the downbeat yet surprisingly mesmerizing track.
At her darkest and most messed up, Minaj can be utterly captivating but seems to fall slightly off-track with occasional half-cocked attempts at candyfloss pink pop. Yet with her significant talents, Minaj is an intriguing new voice with a very bright future indeed.
