After month of waiting, Kanye fans rejoice. The visuals for “Lost In The World”, Kanye’s Bon Iver-sampling power anthem, have finally been released. The song was hailed by critics as being one of the better compositions on My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and they also commented both Justin’s and Kanye’s vocals talents on the track. 

The video opens with several, growing flashes of the word “lost” in different languages. The song has started at this point, with a sped-up version of Bon Iver’s “Woods” bringing in the video. The title of the song appears at :20, and it fades out to show a woman lying across a black floor, before also fading. The sky is shown next, with Kanye standing on a similar black stage looking down as clouds fade over him. When the beat drops, a woman appears right away, and is seen walking around the black stage (with some vertigo-inducing shots of her too). A city seems to be opening up to the sky and several other women watch this happen. Suddenly, several women are seen dancing/convulsing on the stage to the music as the camera turns around them slowly with more strangely angled shots. Kanye starts his verse, but he continues to look at the ground for most of it as clouds continue to fly over him. 

During the build-up, several shots of a city are seen cutting over each other before falling down sharply, with a graphic novel-like appearance. A close-up of Kanye is seen as he mouths “I’m lost in the world” before the camera cuts back to the falling city, this time with a woman plastered over it, making it look like she’s falling as well. The city cuts out, and woman is seen writhing around on the stage. From 3:27 to 3:43, a series of sharply edited frames pop between each other, overlapping and blending together to create a really cool looking series of frames. Tribal dancing, performed by the many women seen the video thus far, is shown until the end. 

It’s been a long time coming, but this video is definitely worth the wait. The intricacy of the production and the painfully detailed parts of the video are simply amazing. Though there wasn’t much plot, it was very symbolic but open-ended - it let you decide what meant what and whatnot. I am very impressed with this video and all it has to offer. Well done, Mr. West.

5/5

After the success of his debut album, Kanye West went back into the studio and produced Late Registration a little after a year later. The album goes back to the themes of his dropping out of college and the struggles one faces in American society. Several skits are placed throughout the album, featuring the meetings of an all-black fraternity, Broke Phi Broke (I highly recommend listening to these, as they are not only informative to the album’s concepts, but also pretty funny). The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 860,000 copies the first week. Receiving praise from the critics, it was named Rolling Stone’s best album of 2005 and it won Best Rap Album at the 48th Grammy Awards. 

*Note that “Wake-Up Mr. West”, “Skit #1”, “Skit #2”, “Skit #3” and “Skit #4” will not be reviewed, because they serve as short intros/interludes that don’t offer enough raw music to be judged properly.

“Heard ‘Em Say (feat. Adam Levine)” - After Kanye is woken up after the intro (provided by the same professor in The College Dropout), he opens up the album with the innocent-sounding yet brutally honest “Heard ‘Em Say”. The song features Adam Levine on the chorus, and it also samples Natalie Cole’s “Someone That I Used To Love”. The verses express the harsh realities of life and that “Nothing’s ever promised tomorrow today”. The song sets the pessimistic and honest nature of the album. 5/5

“Touch The Sky (feat. Lupe Fiasco)” - Producer Just Blaze samples Curtis Mayfield’s “Move On Up” in the flamboyant and celebratory “Touch The Sky”. Lupe joins Kanye on the track, and both rappers perform exceptionally. 5/5

“Gold Digger (feat. Jamie Foxx)” - The infamous (or famous, depending on if you are one or not) gold digger anthem features the power combo that is Jamie Foxx and Kanye West. Ray Charles’ “I Got A Woman” is twisted a little bit to fit the song, but it fits well with the theme. It’s just a great song overall. 5/5

“Drive Slow (feat. Paul Wall & GLC)” - Following the “So we ain’t drivin’!” in “Skit #1”, Kanye brings along leisurely Paul Wall and GLC to talk about just driving slowly. The production features Hank Crawford’s “Wildflower”, and all the rappers add to the lethargic sound of the song. 5/5

“My Way Home (feat. Common)” - Although it doesn’t feature Kanye lyrically it does feature Common rapping and a heavily used sample from Gil Scott Heron’s “Home is Where the Hatred Is”. The song is pretty short, and I feel like it could have been elaborated on. 3/5

“Crack Music (feat. The Game)” - With the metaphor of cocaine, Kanye raps about the creation and distribution of the “dark diction” through American society. He also discusses several conspiracy theories in between lyrics about music acting as a drug for culture. Though The Game doesn’t have a verse, the preaching at the end is pretty interesting. 5/5

“Roses” - Keeping the themes serious, Kanye discusses his visits to the hospital to see his grandmother. He’s met with ignorant requests by doctors and a growing sense of grief. The rhymes are great here, and the sample (“Rosie” by Bill Withers) fits perfectly in the song. 5/5

“Bring Me Down (feat. Brandy)” - With exceptional vocals by Brandy, Kanye pretty much tells the entire rap business to kindly piss off. His lyrics are as good as ever, but there’s only one verse to the song. With a song with this much potential, he could have taken it much further. 4/5

“Addiction” - Kanye discusses his numerous addictions in this appropriately titled track. The production is deep and seedy, just like all his intentions. His verses aren’t as strong as past ones, but Etta James’ “My Funny Valentine” gets a new view, though. 4/5

“Diamonds From Sierra Leone (Remix) [feat. Jay-Z]” - Kanye and Jay address the serious issue of blood diamonds as well as their own precious metals in this, one of the best track on the album. Both rappers’ verses are great and filled with important messages and one-liners. This is probably my favorite song on the album. 5/5

“We Major (feat. Nas & Really Doe)” - At seven and a half minutes long, “We Major” is easily the focus of the album. Nas and Kanye have outstanding verses on the song, and the celebratory sound resonates the whole time. 5/5

“Hey Mama” - In dedication to his mom, Kanye rhymes about the sacrifices she made to keep him happy. The track is a bit of a break from the smoking, drinking and other serious themes. It’s upbeat, heartwarming, and a perfect mommy ballad. 5/5

“Celebration” - Electronic pops fade in between luxurious and carefree lyrics. They definitely aren’t up to his past verses, but the feel on this song is different. The orchestra on this track is incredible too. 3.5/5

“Gone (feat. Consequence & Cam’Ron)” - After Kanye is dismissed from Broke Phi Broke in “Skit #4”, he brings along Cam’Ron and Consequence to rap over a simplistic yet instrumental track featuring Otis Redding’s “It’s Too Late”. It’s also a pretty long song, but it’s a great one regardless. 5/5

“Diamonds From Sierra Leone” - This is the original version of the track heard above. Though I think the version with Jay on it is better, this song has some of the best verses on it - probably some of the best by Kanye. Definitely worth a listen if you liked the remix. 5/5

“Late” - The hidden track on the album is “Late”, the closest thing to the album’s title and full of tardy references. I think the last lines on the song sum up the album as well as his career thus far, “I know it’s late and it took all year, but/You can stop complainin’ ‘cause I’m finally here.” 5/5

74.5/80 (93%)

It’s been quite the journey, but Kanye keeps his determination strong and his rhymes in check even through the lengthiness of the album. Late Registration is quite the album - it continues Mr. West’s story after his infamous college dropout and through the humorous ramblings of Broke Phi Broke meetings. Countless samples and features later, I think it’s safe to say he’s made another classic.

After the release of his first Christmas album, Under the Mistletoe, in November 2011, pop-sensation Justin Bieber returns to pop music with the release of “Boyfriend”, an upbeat, urban track featuring not only his dreamy falsetto, but also rap verses provided by his alter ego, Shawty Mane. The song topped the iTunes store charts within hours of its release, and it has topped the Canadian Hot 100 and broken into the top ten of nine other charts. 

The video, directed by Director X (and partially Colin Tilley), opens with water bouncing off a speaker, several shots of frozen gears, ice and Bieber whispering in girl’s ears. Two girls are seen watching the video in a car on a futuristic iPhone, enjoying the Michael Jackson homages and leather jackets. At :32, however, the video cuts out to a different one (the first one is the scrapped Colin Tilley version, this one is the official one by Director X). Bieber is seen drifting around a parking lot in expensive cars and serenading/rapping to the camera. There’s a bit of a get-together happening in the parking lot, with lots of young people and their fancy cars. The chorus cuts in, and JB sings it to a Selena Gomez look-alike, with more shots of drifting cars in between. 

In the second verse, Shawty Mane returns and he’s still talking to the same girl as an almost dance battle happens in front of them. 1:50 has to be a great moment for pop music, however, when Shawty Mane proudly says, “Swaggie” as his verse ends. JB now has a guitar, and is singing along to the chorus, now kind of dancing with his sweetheart. The bridge shows Justin singing and getting a little serious with her now, sitting in a car together and gazing deeply into each other’s eyes. The final rounds of the chorus start, and the dance-off is seen in full swing under the stars. “Chunky Bieber” makes an appearance at 2:58, and video eventually ends with Justin and his ladylove staring at each other and a gold “BELIEVE” plastered on the screen.

I have to say, despite the mediocrity of the song as a whole, the video is like a right of passage for Justin. He’s eighteen now, and his music and videos have to express that. I was surprised at how ‘grown’ this video is - sexual dancing, romantic courting, near-erotic whispering. Everything about the video is different - the lighting, the cameos, the vehicles - all very mature. However, there’s really not much to the video. Sure, it looks really cool, but all it is is a bunch of twenty-something’s dancing on top of a parking structure with a bunch of cars. I’m not sure how the mothers of his predominately 12-year-old girl fan base will respond, but hey, it had to happen sooner or later.

3.5/5

After their success with the catchy yet cursed “Move Like Jagger”, Maroon 5 continue their radio winning streak by releasing “Payphone”, the first single from their upcoming fourth album, Overexposed. The song features Pittsburgh rapper Wiz Khalifa, and has reached the top five of seven different charts.

The video opens with the ever-so-dreamy Adam Levine in front of a burning car. He’s trying to call home, but his cell phone isn’t working (he promptly throws the useless thing into the fire). He proceeds to a payphone and dials a number. The scene cuts to a cleaner Adam working despondently at a bank, answering phones and shuffling papers and whatnot. We cut back to the payphone and burning car, where a woman picks up on the other line, and the song starts with Adam speaking/singing the lyrics to her. Back at the bank, Adam watches a woman from afar (we’ll call her Jenny), unable to grab her attention. Suddenly, several hoodlums burst into the bank and terrorize its occupants. The robbers proceed to the vaults, where they empty out boxes. Adam, on the floor near Jenny, communicates with her to remove her shoes and get ready. He grabs a poorly secured gun from a nearby robber and attempts to create a distraction. Shots are fired, and Adam and Jenny run, missing every single shot (of course). They run outside, only to be greeted by more shots from the police (thinking he’s a robber, with him having a gun and all).

They run through the streets of Los Angeles, with the police right behind them, until they rapidly lose them. Wiz is seen briefly at a hotel giving his car to the valet, but he quickly goes away. Adam and Jenny then sneak up on the valet, but Adam goes ahead to steal the car, creating a distraction for her to escape. Adam leads the police through the desert, despite being shot/having a flesh wound on his arm. This is during the chorus, so while burning car Adam is singing passionately into the phone, bank Adam is massing a huge, police chase across the desert. Wiz’s rap verse come up but this time he’s in front of a trashcan fire (continuity? What continuity? This is a video, not real life!). Meanwhile, bank Adam somehow evades the gigantic police force following him with a few, swift gear changes. This causes the police cars to smash into each other and create big, obnoxious explosions. The air support magically disappears and Adam drives off safely. 

He drives back into the city and to a familiar abandoned lot (where a certain payphone and rapper are too). He gets out, strips, and lets the car explode behind him, paying no attention to it (cool guys don’t look at explosions, remember?). He goes into the payphone, and dials the number before the camera cuts to black.

Despite it’s numerous plot-holes, this video is rather entertaining. It looks pretty expensive - driving around L.A. and the desert with a bunch of police vehicles and lots of explosions. It looks like a big-budget action movie cut down to four minutes, with constant music and with Adam Levine and Wiz Khalifa in it. It looks like a music video these days should - attractive people doing cool things in expensive cars. However, there are several plot-holes that I think need to be addressed, such as Adam and Jenny’s obviously complex relationship (he couldn’t even get her attention in the bank, then he saves her and is all of the sudden in love with her?), the rest of the people in the bank (Adam and Jenny just leave - what happens to the rest of the people?), the missing helicopters (there were, like, five following Adam, then the cars blow up and they all go away? What?) and Wiz Khalifa’s differing lifestyles (he drops his fancy car off with the valet one minute, the next he’s homeless). If these could be answered in some way, maybe a sequel, I don’t know. Or just leave them open (I’m probably looking to far into this anyway). Pretty good video, though, all things considered.

4/5

Jack White is not only one half of The White Stripes, a member of The Raconteurs and The Dead Weather, the 70th Greatest Guitarist of All Time (according to Rolling Stone) but also a successful and terminally mysterious solo artist. His solo debut, Blunderbuss, was released on April 24th 2012 and quickly made its way to the top of five different charts. Inspiration from Bob Dylan, past works, and Nashville as a musical entity are clearly strung throughout the album. 

“Missing Pieces” - Six simple notes open the album, and by the thirty-second mark, I could tell that this was something special. Jack’s vocals fall perfectly in place with the gritty, country-blue-rock production and the poetic lyrics weave a tapestry that leaves the listener wanting more. 5/5

“Sixteen Saltines” - This is the first song off the album I’d heard, and I was immediately hooked. The simplicity of the production reminds me of the minimalism of “Seven Nation Army”, with a little more spunk, of course. The lyrics continue to be entrancingly poetic and righteously vague. 5/5

“Freedom at 21” - Another sickening guitar line fills the stage for the grungy “Freedom at 21”, an ode to some girl after Jack’s own heart. The lyrics are still strong, but the production’s repetitive use of that building energy loses its flare after a while. 4/5

“Love Interruption” - Never before have I come across such raw, potent lyrics. The simplicity of the song and the vocals makes them that much more powerful, and the lyrics are so visceral and genuine it hurts. 5/5

“Blunderbuss” - A little slower and little more country, Jack continues to weave his stories through swaying da’s and slow, harmonious chords. Lyrics of romance and longing are a bit of a twist after the violence of “Love Interruption”, but they’re warmly welcomed. 5/5

“Hypocritical Kiss” - Jack keeps the country feel, but picks up the pace on “Hypocritical Kiss”. The lyrics are, again, poetic and whatnot, and the production is riveting, but the words sound rushed at times - like he had too many things to say. 4.5/5

“Weep Themselves to Sleep” - Keeping the country-blues sound, Jack continues to keep the pace withe “Weep Themselves to Sleep”, another pleasantly elegiac song.  However, it does sound like the same song over and over again without many new elements brought in to spice it up. But then again, that guitar introduction at 2:43 is amazing. 4/5

“I’m Shakin’” - Covering Little Willie John’s 1960 tune, Jack brings his troupe of back-up singers and his persona to the song to make it his own. The soulful grunge of the track adds a spin to the otherwise despondent glee of the past three tracks. 5/5

“Trash Tongue Talker” - The grunge and grudges continue into this next song, which really brings the album forward. “Trash Tongue Talker” defiantly sends away love, despite how trashy it may be. This sets it apart from songs such as “Weep Themselves to Sleep” and “Blunderbuss” in more ways than one. 5/5

“Hip (Eponymous) Poor Boy” - Like blend between “Blunderbuss” and “Trash Tongue Talker”, “Hip (Eponymous) Poor Boy” sounds sort of like a country sing along. The vague lyrics come back, but in a friendlier, Mr. Rodgers style (not this this is bad, it just doesn’t fit well with the album). The possible cuts at Meg are interesting to hear as well. 3.5/5

“I Guess I Should Go to Sleep” - One of the shortest songs on the album is “I Guess I Should Go to Sleep”, a more instrumental interlude than a lyrical song. Don’t get me wrong, the instrumental parts are killer, and they really make the already mediocre lyrics look bad. 4/5

“On and On and On” - Jack slows it down for “On and On and On”, a relaxed, gentle track that keeps reminding me of The Beatles. The song itself is cool and together, flowing and unwinding while still hitting all the right notes. Everything seems to find its own place within the river of “On and On and On”. I still think the first few seconds’ sound a lot like “Tomorrow Never Knows” though. 5/5

“Take Me with You When You Go” - Mr. White closes the album with the transitioning track, “Take Me with You When You Go”. It’s basically two songs mashed together, but it finally comes together in the end, just as all great songs should. 5/5

60/65 (92%)

Though it’s not his first rodeo, Jack shows that he doesn’t need a sister/wife/band mate or even an entire band - just a kick-ass group of musicians and some vague, romantic lyrics. Joking aside, however, I was impressed by how Jack presented himself over the course of the album. He really lets the music stand for itself, and if Blunderbuss is any proof, it does more than stand.

After several disappointing singles, Rihanna goes all out in the video for her fifth Talk That Talk single, “Where Have You Been”. The song, produced by pop heavyweights Dr. Luke, Calvin Harris and Cirkut, has broken into the top ten of twelve different charts and has gone gold in Australia and New Zealand. The video broke a Vevo record for the most views in a 24-hour period, with 4.93 million views (the former record-holder was Nicki MInaj’s video for “Stupid Hoe”). The video, directed by Dave Meyers, also features choreography, something that’s been missing from Rihanna videos for quite some time. 

The video begins with Rihanna sulking in a swamp, with just her eyes above the water. She slowly rises from the swamp, and is seen to be partially reptilian. Another scene shows her topless and singing, holding a sex toy/feather duster. The scene transitions to an extraterrestrial/African/Egyptian plain, where Riri begins to dance with several men. The dancing continues through the breakdown, and the second verse starts with Rihanna in an African-styled room filled with female dancers. They move and whatnot throughout the verse and into the chorus. Also in the chorus, Rihanna is seen under a tree as some sort of flower child, and close-ups of Rihanna from a discarded Nivea commercial are put in between the tree and the African hut. The breakdown following the second coming of the chorus features more dancing, this time in a foggy backdrop. Rihanna brings out her inner Shakira and does some pelvic-vogue-ing. During the bridge, Rihanna is seen is what seems to be Indian garb, and she sings out the lyrics while her image is mirrored around her. Several critics have noted her allusion to the Hindu goddess Shiva at 3:31, when she looks like she has several arms. As the song comes to a end, Rihanna and her male back-up dancers are seen retreating into the swamp before the frame cuts to black.

Though there is always sufficient hype around the time before Rihanna releases a video, I think that this video lives up to it. I haven’t seen choreography from Rihanna since “Pon de Replay”, and that was a while ago. The intricate set pieces and detail in the editing is spectacular and it makes the video that much more entertaining. This is one of my favorite tracks on the album, and I think Rihanna and Dave have done it justice.

5/5 

The Return

“We Are Golden” was the first single from Mika’s sophomore album, The Boy Who Knew Too Much, and was released back in September of ‘09. The English singer described the song as “…big sounding and aggressive, but in a good way.” The song has reached twenty-three charts internationally and was certified gold in Italy. The video, directed by Jonas Åkerlund, is a tribute, if you will, to, “…all the years Mika spent dancing around his bedroom as a teenager.”

Oddly enough, the video starts with the ending of the song. A tape is seen playing, with Mika’s name across it, and when it finally stops, he is seen striking a pose on top of a bed. In only his underwear, Mika hops off the bed and quickly switches around the tape. The song starts, and he gets into a pulsating stance in the middle of the floor. During this, several cuts of his bedroom, him wearing flashy clothes and making a general mess of the place are shown. Mika is seen doing this throughout the first verse and pretty much throughout the entire song. This first time the chorus comes through, a fully dressed Mika is shown in neon-colors under a black light, dancing and posing as usual. Several different cameras are used to show the different parts of his room as well as how he runs around in it. The video culminates during the final round of the chorus, which features gloves and a headpiece that flash red lasers out of them, an electrical storm ceiling and, of course, more dancing. The video ends with the tape ending and Mika standing on top of his bed, just as he did in the beginning of the video. He hops down, switches the tape, and starts all over. 

Though it may not seem like much, the video is actually very involved. There are so many aspects of his room and his wardrobe (or the lack there of) that allow the video to flourish. Also, the different camera angles and effects make the video not only entertaining but aesthetic too. It kind of takes you on a trip - you start out in a regular room, and you’re thrown into flashing lights and colors and winding, sweeping sounds. Then the tape ends, and it sort of brings you back to reality. But, as with life, all you have to do is turn the tape around. 

5/5

After taking the music industry by storm in late 2010 and much of 2011, Nicki Minaj returns with her famed alter-ego, Roman Zolanski, in the colorful and aggressive Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded. The album features a wide variety of producers and features, such as RedOne, Hitboy, Chris Brown, Lil Wayne, and Beenie Man. Nicki described the album as “diverse”, saying that she’s “…never had this much fun recording music in [her] life.” The album debuted at number one on the Scottish Albums Chart, the U.K. R&B Albums Chart and the U.K. Albums Chart, the latter being the first time a female rapper has done so in the UK.

“Roman Holiday” - Opening the album is the fast-paced, Martha Zolanski-narrated, Blackout-produced “Roman Holiday”. The song seems like a strange cross between radio-pop and hip-hop, and the result is more of a miss than a hit. Her verses are good, for the most part, but they get progressively worse as the song goes on. 3.5/5

“Come On A Cone” - Hitboy (“Ni**as In Paris”, “Drop The World”, “Lay It On Me”) produces the infectious sound of “Come On A Cone”. The lyricism is greatly improved on this track, and it feels more natural and less rushed. The chorus is typical Nicki silliness, but where would we be without it? 5/5

“I Am Your Leader (feat. Cam’ron & Rick Ross)” - Rick and Cam’ron join Nicki on the irresistibly commanding “I Am Your Leader”. Hitboy returns as the producer, as does Nicki’s sharp lyricism. Both features have equally impressive verses. 5/5

“Beez In The Trap (feat. 2 Chainz)” - Nicki’s strong rapping style and creative punch lines continue into “Beez In The Trap”, and 2 Chainz offers a charismatic and passable verse. The poppy, light production is paired with a strong bassline and an unexciting hook. 4.5/5

“HOV Lane” - Harking back to the quickness of “Roman Holiday”, “HOV Lane” combines fierce verses with a zipping track produced by Ryan & Smitty. However, the engine sounds serve less as a bridge and more of an attempt to take up empty time, and the hook is blatantly uninspired. 3.5/5

“Roman Reloaded (feat. Lil Wayne)” - In the album’s title track, Nicki continues rapping in the familiar Roman-esque, angry tone. Wayne joins Nicki on the song but is overshadowed by the fem-cee’s verses. The gunshots are a little much, but if you’ve stuck around this long, I’m sure you won’t mind. 5/5

“Champion (feat. Nas, Drake & Young Jeezy)” - Channeling “Moment 4 Life”, Nicki returns with not only Drake, but also Nas and Young Jeezy. Each rapper has a great verse, and the message of the song is uplifting, compared to past track’s themes. 5/5

“Right By My Side (feat. Chris Brown)” - Converting to a more pop-R&B sound, Nicki teams up with Chris to bring back a “Right Thru Me” sound while still keeping it original. Both artists have similar yet contrasting verses, and Chris’ singing add a smooth R&B element to the album. 5/5

“Sex In The Lounge (feat. Lil Wayne & Bobby V)” - From needing someone she loves in her life to sex in public places, Nicki brings along Bobby V and Lil Wayne to produce “Sex In The Lounge”. Both rappers perform somewhat mediocre verses, and Bobby V does a typical sexy-R&B-ladies man-singer performance during the chorus that’s ultimately unimpressive. 3.5/5

“Starships” - The first official single from the album is “Starships”, a RedOne-produced pop-dance track that sets the tone for the remaining half of the album. The lyrics are typically radio-trash, as is the breakdown after the chorus. The production is immaculately addicting, as is typical of pretty much every RedOne song ever. 3.5/5

“Pound The Alarm” - RedOne continues his production skills into “Pound The Alarm”, which pretty much gives the same performance found in “Starships”. Lyrics of drinking and living life fill the verses, and are half-assed as their description sounds. 3/5

“Whip It” - Another club-ready dance track, “Whip It” keeps the energy high and the lyrics to a minimum focus. The rapping is fast and similar to “Starships”, but the production has improved since then. 4/5

“Automatic” - Typical radio-friendly production continues into “Automatic”, but the lyrics and subject matter becomes unoriginal. The uncreative chorus and bridge just continues to shave away at the dignity of this album. 2.5/5

“Beautiful Sinner” - And so the trend continues. The production (this time by Alex da Kid) is also dance-pop oriented, and Nicki continues to sing humdrum lyrics with humdrum vocals. 2/5

“Marilyn Monroe” - Finding inspiration through the timeless Marilyn Monroe, Nicki trades high-powered synths for piano and more powerful vocals. Monroe’s quotes are littered throughout the song (“If you can’t handle my worst, you ain’t gettin’ my best”), and Nicki does quite well performing them, if I may add. 5/5

“Young Forever” - With a dollhouse-like tune, “Young Forever” again channels “Moment 4 Life”, and brings out a softer side to the album. It’s definitely slower than past tracks despite its pop production, and the lyrics, though sentimental, are a bit cliché. 4/5

“Fire Burns” - From romantic regret to angered resentment, Nicki switches up the meaning, but not necessarily the sound, on “Fire Burns”. The lyrics still sound pretty average, and the production, though mostly good, is a little uninspired. This is the first song like this on the album, and it continues to show off a more sensitive side to Nicki. 3.5/5

“Gun Shot (feat. Beenie Man)” - With a little help from the self-proclaimed king of dancehall, Nicki takes on a more island side with the bubbly, pop-friendly “Gun Shot”. Because of the thick accent that’s used in the vocals, it’s pretty hard to understand what either of them is saying, but the main idea is that Nicki is going to put the girls who have been flirting with her man in their place with the help of a gun (I know, it was better not knowing what they’re saying). Other than the language barrier, however, the song is very inviting and playful. 4/5

“Stupid Hoe” - The much buzzed about track, “Stupid Hoe”, closes out the album with a happycore bang. Obviously aimed at Lil Kim, Nicki stretches colorful and witty one-liners over a DJ Diamond Kuts beat, which features high-pitched woos and a heavy bassline. The track successfully brings the album back to the whole idea of ‘Roman Reloaded’, but it does it in the most annoying way possible. 3/5

74.5/95 (78%)

In light of her recent mainstream pop and hardcore rap success, Nicki was obviously faced with two choices: do a pop album, or do a rap album. Any intelligent businessperson would say to combine the two, in order to appeal to more markets. However, I feel that Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded tries too hard to please everyone. At nineteen tracks total - on the regular version - the album is pushing maximum length, and overall, the themes of the album were lost. It really feels like two separate albums - one pop, one rap. Though I commend Nicki on her attempt to please all her fans, she should have kept it short, sweet and simplified. 

Onika, Nicki, Roman, Martha, Harajuku Barbie, Cookie - whatever.

The first time I heard about Nicki Minaj, I was surprised that the idea of a female rapper was still relevant. Lil Kim had come and gone, and since Missy Elliott stopped rapping about Beyoncé’s hips, there really wasn’t a strong female presence in rap. I was doubtful at first, but after a swift rise to fame, it seemed that Nicki would bring back women’s presence in rap. Her flirtatious demeanor, matched with an unparalleled style was just the thing rap needed to give itself a boost. 

Suddenly, she was everywhere. I dare you - try to find five successful rap songs from 2010 or 2011 that didn’t feature Nicki. Pretty much everywhere you went Nicki was there. Pink Friday only doubled her success, spawning several hits, such as “Moment 4 Life”, “Fly”, and of course, “Super Bass”. With both powerful rap features and commercially successful pop tracks, Nicki had it all and more.

Then Lil Kim came back into focus.

Before we start, let’s just establish that Lil Kim is a rap icon - one of the most successful female rappers of all time, as well as a pretty talented one in her days. Now, that being said, it’s probably safe to say that she’s a borderline, egotistical comeback queen. Instead of fostering Nicki in her younger rapping days, Kim rejected her, saying that she’s copying her style, etc. Sure, there are some similar photos and whatnot, and comparisons are going to happen, regardless of who is involved. However, instead of wasting time and money fighting over things that really aren’t important, Nicki should focus on her wardrobe and Kim should focus on putting out a “mixtape” that doesn’t go straight to PayPal.

Now, back to Nicki.

On Roman Reloaded, I feel that Nicki was trying to hit too many people too fast with too many sounds. Nineteen tracks is a lot of songs, and when half of them sound the same, it makes it even longer. I understand that she wants to appeal to both her mixtape fans and her radio fans, but nineteen mediocre tracks isn’t the way to do it. If I was in her place, I would have focused on making a really diverse yet similar album that featured both radio-friendly songs as well as songs that would please my veteran fans - maybe fourteen songs tops. Also, I would make sure that it had coherent themes and well-structured production.

Sadly, I’m not Nicki Minaj. However, I will continue to support her, because she’s really pretty talented. We all make mistakes, and Roman Reloaded is just another weave in the giant hair-do that is Nicki Minaj.