Nicki Minaj is three months away from releasing her long-awaited fifth studio album, Pink Friday 2. With so much time between her announcement and the release date of November 17th, I had questions:
1 - What does a 3-month rollout look like
2 - How will she stir up anticipation for a project so far away
Well, Nicki Minaj may have answered one of those questions by setting aside her usual paranoia, ditching the fixation on whether the "duds" would copy her, and actually allowing people to hear some music! Nicki, who is known to be a creature of habit, probably was nudged (or pushed, dragged, and shoved) into this new direction, potentially to divert attention from the latest update in Jennifer Hough's lawsuit against her husband, Kenneth Petty. Regardless of how we go here, fans finally get a taste of what she's been working on through these listening sessions on Instagram Live.
These Nicki Minaj listening sessions kicked off on Sunday, August 13th, with Pop Nicki hopping on IG, sharing a singing track reminiscent of "Regret In Your Tears." This track, currently dubbed "Last Time I Saw You," surprisingly sounds good. We all know Nicki's singing can be hit or miss but in this snippet? It's a hit, no miss. Hopefully, she doesn't ruin it by inserting a rap verse that takes shots at Megan, Latto, or Cardi B.
The second session occurred last night when Rap Nicki showed up, wearing a backward red baseball cap, ready to share a new rap verse off the upcoming album. In acapella and blaring out of speakers, you hear Nicki Minaj spit:
"Picture that / Picture Me Giving Bitches Slack?
Bitches pretending (inaudible) now all these bitches piggyback
Picture using me and the Barbz and never giving back"
I am not going to hold you; the verse is a bit of a recurring theme with Nicki – with the whole "you owe me, ladies" vibe, and by including the "Barbz," it invokes another recurring theme of 'it's us against the world." This is what keeps them invested and loyal to her. The only thing is, does this excite anyone outside of STAN culture?
Despite having an eye-roll moment with that verse, Nicki Minaj is still one of the best technical rappers in Hip Hop. So, how she sounds on this track gives it a promising edge.
I must also note that I believe this second session was Nicki's way of clapping back at those people calling her out for leaning on Pop Nicki to carry her after doing all this Queen Sleeze talk. But, unlike with her standard clap backs, this works in her favor because the snippets sound good.
NICKI MINAJ: K-I-S-S
As one of Nicki Minaj's loudest critics, I've got to give credit where it's due. She's stepping up her presentation game, finally. Instead of her usual chaotic buildup leading to a whole lot of nothing, she's embracing simplicity – Keep It Simple, Stupid, as they say.
She is on IG Live in a dimly lit room with psychedelic lighting in the background sitting on a white
couch. It definitely sets the right mood for sharing snippets of her new music. It would be perfect if she could limit the talking because I still find her personality off-putting. But, otherwise, I kinda like it. Finally, she is doing something interesting with her social media.
Can this last for 3 months? Probably not. She will need to drop a lead single and prove these snippets are actually good songs. But for now, Nicki may have something.
Who would have thought there may be some good music behind those discombobulated tweets.
Can Nicki Minaj Sustain Momentum for Three-Month Album Rollout?
Speak, Heart, Share...Thanks!
Hopefully she'll stay focused on her fucking music and Nothing else I can't stand this broad.
Her live recently are more better and focus hope she don’t ruined it ( she still need to retire the duds talks lmao like we don’t care)
I like the 2 snippets the pop song is very promising, the second too, wish we heard the beat but I think must be a crazy beat, she has atl Jacob for the first snippet so I do hope she picked the best beat maker for that album, I think the real rollout will start around September-October. As for the Jennifer part I think she don’t give a fuck about distracting people from it that shit going on since 2020, she was interacting with her fans way before Tyrone filed those news documents…