New Video || Nicki Minaj featuring Beyonce

As I am sure you know by now, Nicki released the video for her latest track Feeling Myself exclusively on Tidal last night.
The song, which features Queen Bey, is one of my favourites from the album and a well deserved single - perfect for the summer. The video is also now one of my favs as it sees Nicki and Bey playing around, dancing, twerking and just general living #bffgoals. They both look flawless and their outfits are amazing, definitely worth a view if you haven't already.

Nicki Minaj Comes To Birmingham (with Trey Songz)

On Good Friday, my friend and I were lucky enough to attend the Birmingham show for Nicki Minaj's 'Pinkprint Tour' at the Barclaycard Arena.
Although my review of her album wasn't raving and I haven't listened to a Trey Songz record in ages (he was her opening act), I was still excited about the show as there has been a lot of hype surrounding it and I haven't been to a concert in years.

The show opened with a 45 minute set courtesy of Trey Songz whom I used to be a definite fangirl of but in recent years have slowly lost some interest. However, I must admit there is no possible way not to be just the slightest bit attracted to the singer especially when he stripped down to a closing shirtless performance.
Fortunately, he sang all of his biggest hits rather than album track from his latest release which I admit to having not heard yet.
He began with the older tracks that started his career such as Can't Be Friends and I Need A Girl then filled much of his set list with the anthems like Bottoms Up, Say Aah and Heart Attack.
Of course, all the girls were screaming particularly when he took a moment to point out a few fans around the arena.
As he ended his set with latest single Touchin, Lovin, I noted that he is a strong performer with a string of hits that I didn't give him credit for before the show. He delivered pitch perfect vocals and worked the whole stage so he definitely got us all warmed up before the main artist took to the stage.



At 9.20, Nicki Minaj finally arose from the depths of the stage to kick things off with three of my favourite tracks from The Pinkprint album All Things Go, I Lied and The Crying Game. She was dressed in a black cloak and veil which she eventually removed as she strolled around the stage.
Nicki looked flawless; from her make-up and hair to her body, she was as I would have imagined her to be...just a lot less animated.
I was happy that she left much of her pop songs to the closing few minutes when I was too hyped and into the show to care. But even her Starships performance had so much energy and created such an atmosphere that I couldn't help but dance along.
There were so many great moments throughout the show from her snippets of old classics like Hold Yuh and Itty Bitty Piggy, to her high energy hip-hop club bangers like Truffle Butter, Lookin' Ass N**** and Did It On Them.
Her outfits left little to the imagination and, when paired with some of her risque dance moves, had even the likes of me blushing let alone her younger fans.



Having said that, there is nothing that I can really fault. She interacted with the audience, - including a highlight where she pulled out three fans onto the stage with her - pulled out some great choreography, performed all of the songs I wanted to hear and delivered some great background lighting and imagery.
There were a few classics missing from her set-list and I would have loved a mash-up of some of her best features but that is a time issue that I suppose she couldn't work around.
All in all, I had a fantastic time, as did my friend, and I would happily attend her next tour even if the album isn't up to scratch.

Rating: 4.5/5

Musique Muse End Of Year Awards | Best Collaboration

Runner - Up: Jessie J, Nicki Minaj and Ariana Grande with Bang Bang

Three powerful, talented and successful women coming together to make a song is pretty much unheard of, so Bang Bang brought a welcome change to the music industry. Ari and Jessie's vocals are on point and Nicki adds a flare of fun and attitude to the song. Although it is overplayed at this point, I remember my first time hearing it and being really impressed with the melody and promiscuous yet commercially sell-able lyrics.

Winner : Beyonce feat. Nicki Minaj with Flawless Remix

It's a double whammy for Nicki as she features on both the runner up and winning track proving that maybe it is her presence on a track that brings it to life.

Undoubtedly, these are the two best females in music at the moment and when they came together for this remix it had everyone talking. The lyrics are both witty and clever and Beyonce proves she can not only sing but she has learnt a thing or two from her hubby about rapping.

The original song was amazing but this remix takes it to the next level.

New Video | The Pinkprint Movie

To celebrate the release of her third album The Pinkprint, which is set to be a huge success, Nicki made a 16 minute long 'short movie' featuring a few tracks from the album.
I suppose I was expecting a massive production, a bit of choreography, some epic costumes and full-scale production with a mix of uptempo songs and ballads, and that would have been entertaining and fun and very Nicki. However, she took a different and equally interesting route and decided to put together three music videos that all told one story.
She used her three big ballads The Crying Game, I Lied and Grand Piano as the soundtrack to the story which seems to be heavily based on her own tumultuous and recently deceased relationship with Safaree.
Nicki proves she has acting chops throughout this emotional video, alongside the likes of Boris Kodjoe, and keeps the extravagance to a minimum which makes a welcome change.
It may not be to everyone's tastes and I am sure some will be disappointed in the lack of clarity and conclusion but you can't deny that this does somewhat sell the album.

Album Review | Nicki Minaj 'The Pinkprint' (Deluxe Version)

Nicki has been teasing us with this hotly anticipated third album for months after pushing the date back and leaking a couple of tracks.

But now The Pinkprint is finally here and it seems to be worth the wait with an extensive 22 song tracklist and collaborations with the likes of Ariana Grande, Meek Mill and the Queen herself, Beyonce.

Here is my track-by-track review of the album which is released on Monday 15th December...

1. All Things Go

As opening tracks go, this one is quite strong even though it is a slow burner. Nicki is very reflective and honest on this song as she raps about her family and herself, including the fact that she was pregnant sixteen years ago and that she wants to have another child in the next three years.
It is always welcoming to hear the softer side of Nicki and All Things Go is a well executed attempt at that.

2. I Lied

This is a definite favourite of mine and took that spot from the very first listen. Once again, it is a slow track and explores Nicki's vulnerability as she admits that she fears letting herself be honest and fall in love with a guy because he might hurt her. It is a sentiment all women can relate to at one point or another.
This song is also the first time we hear Nicki's vocals so clearly and they sound really strong and emotional, particularly the chorus as there is something haunting about the way Nicki sings 'I lied'.

3. The Crying Game feat. Jessie Ware

The Crying Game is quite a different sound for Nicki and brings us an unexpected collaboration with Jessie Ware whose vocals are stunning on this track. Although this song doesn't immediately jump out at you, on my third listen I realised just how good of a song it really is - not a standout track but still one of the better ones.
The production, particularly on the verses, is pleasant to the ear and I would have preferred this as a single over Bed Of Lies.

4. Get On Your Knees feat. Ariana Grande

You already know what to expect from the title of the song. A very sexy and lyrically explicit song, which is always hard to buy into when coming from Ariana Grande, but not overtly sexual compared to some of Nicki's previous songs.
This track is a guilty pleasure of mine as there is something quite fun and catchy about it especially when it gets to the chorus. This song would work well as a single but maybe it is too risqué for radio.

5. Feeling Myself feat. Beyonce

I had very high expectations for this song, as does everyone else probably, because it is a Nicki and Beyonce collaboration - two of the best females at what they do.
Nicki's lyrics and flow are strong on this song in terms of being playful (for example, her closing line) and the production is quite genius. It is the first time on the album that we hear a Nicki we can instantly recognise, with her voices and multi-layered persona. Beyonce adds a certain presence and brings attitude to the song that couldn't have been matched by anyone else.
I wouldn't say this song was a let-down, because if I hadn't known about it before listening to the album I would be pleased with the outcome, but I expected something with a bit more of a lasting impact.

6. Only feat. Drake, Chris Brown and Lil Wayne

The current single that I am sure you have already heard by now - check out the video which I posted earlier this week. I am a fan of this song and if I hadn't heard it before the album dropped then it would have immediately stood out as an album highlight. It is Nicki's strongest song lyrically and with all that star power on one track it was bound to be a hit.

In the context of the album, Only really keeps the momentum of the first five songs going yet starts to tease a heavier hip-hop sound that we haven't heard so far.

7. Want Some More

If the title of this song is a question, then the answer is 'no, thank you'.
I thought I was really going to like this song based on the first 40 seconds but then, just as quickly, it began to irritate me. Nicki's flow is supposed to be playful but it irks me on this song and the chorus is just as annoying. It is disappointing because this song had potential to be the start of the hip-hop sound that Nicki had promised fans on this album.

8. Four Door Aventador

The beat and production, particularly on the chorus, reminds me so much of late 90's/early 00's female rap like Lil' Kim and Missy Elliot. It is one of the more understated songs and seems to be over before it has really started but it is enjoyable.
It also delivers hints of mixtape Nicki, which is always a very good thing, and I wish there was more music like this on the album.

9. Favorite feat. Jeremih

Unfortunately, as much as I tried to like this song, there was something not quite right with it and I'm not sure whether it is the lacklustre production or Jeremih. Don't get me wrong, he is a great artist but he misses the mark on this song and makes little impact leaving me thinking it may have been better suited for Trey or August.

Nicki delivers everything she should on the verses even with a dull and underproduced beat underneath her. But, if this song was hoping to be the next Right By My Side then it has failed miserably.

10. Buy A Heart feat. Meek Mill

I actually really enjoy this song as it delivers on every aspect - the beat is good as is the production and Meek's opening verse. 

The song has three different layers to it as the melody changes from the opening to the mid-section to the very final few seconds and it pulls that off well without sounding all over the place (unlike Want Some More). It isn't strong enough to be a single and gets lost amongst some of the bigger, more impactful songs but it is a subtle gem.

11.Trini Dem Girls feat. Lunchmoney Lewis

I expected this to be Nicki's mandatory dancehall-inspired track, which are usually high energy, catchy, standout songs on her album. Unfortunately, this song doesn't quite stick with me. The chorus gives the song potential but that gets ruined on the watered down verses and hook that make this sound way too pop. I wish there had been an authentic Caribbean sound and Nicki had thrown in her Trini accent for good measure.

12. Anaconda

I have never been a fan of this song and, wedged right in the middle of this album, it doesn't belong at all. I was hoping this was just a bit of fun and Nicki would keep it off the album or just throw it on as a bonus track but it takes centre stage where it falls completely flat and feels totally out of place.

I can see the humour and it would probably be a dance floor filler at a club filled with drunk people but, as a serious rapper and artist, Nicki can surely see why this is more suited on previous albums.

13. The Night Is Still Young

This is by far my least favourite song on the album and possibly my least favourite Nicki song ever. This is the commercial, cheesy pop music that I thought Nicki was steering clear of on this album and  yet it makes an unwelcome appearance.
There is nothing redeeming about this track which sounds like a Katy Perry reject song.

14. Pills and Potions

Although this single didn't do so well commercially, and seemed to disappoint critics and some fans, I enjoyed this song and still do.

As I said earlier, it is always nice to hear the softer side of Ms. Minaj and even if the chorus leaves much to be desired lyrically, you can't deny that it is catchy and you'll probably have it playing in the aftermath of a break-up.

15. Bed of Lies feat. Skylar Grey

I was so disappointed in this as a single with its sub-par, metaphorical chorus and boring piano melody. I lose interest in a matter of seconds and maybe that is partially to do with the fact that I am not much of a Skylar Grey fan either. 

16. Grand Piano

The first and only track where Nicki solely sings, which may not go down well with hardcore hip-hop fans, but I like the sentiment behind the song. The orchestral elements are stunning but I can't help but imagine how perfect the song would have sounded with a vocalist like Ariana Grande or Beyonce.
It isn't that Nicki can't sing but when handed a ballad such as this maybe she should stick to what she does best.

17. Big Daddy feat. Meek Mill

I am still unsure with this song because up until I played it in the car last night, I really didn't like it. This may mean that it is best listened to on loud speakers at full volume.
Nicki is back to her feisty rap alter ego and delivers confident verses with Meek executing a standard catchy hook that is borderline annoying.
There is nothing that stands out about this song apart from the beat which may have worked better with an artist like French or Rick Ross as I feel like a second appearance from Meek wasn't all the way necessary.

18. Shanghai

I am not a huge fan of the production for this song, which we have Yung Berg to thank for, because it is trying too hard to be innovative and exciting but it didn't hit the spot for me. Having said that, I like everything else about the song especially Nicki's flow and diction but it doesn't have the same effect that it would have with a stronger beat.

19. Win Again

Another boring, irrelevant song that is underproduced and delivers a repetitive and irritating chorus and not much else. This song is instantly forgettable.

20. Mona Lisa

The first and only song on the album that successfully brings us something different. Nicki experiments on Mona Lisa with a slightly trippy sound, which I enjoy hearing in hip-hop music. I could have done with a little less production on the vocals and it may have been interesting to have a melody change towards the end; however, it is still an interesting song.

21. Put You In A Room

I love the lyrics in this song, it makes a nice change from Nicki's usual provocative and playful verses. Although it is never made clear whether Nicki is addressing a person or a mental struggle, it still hits quite hard. It does get a little stale as the song goes on which makes it understandable as to why it's one of the shorter tracks on the album.

22. Truffle Butter feat. Drake and Lil Wayne

This is by far my favourite song on the album so its unfortunate that it comes as a bonus track and the last one at that.
It samples a 2010 house anthem by Maya Jane Cole which is the highlight of the song. It also showcases Nicki, Drake and Lil Wayne at their best - all starting their verse with 'thinking out loud' implying that a freestyle follows, and if so, then that is where they work well together.
This would make a great single and an even better club song.

So my overall opinion of the album isn't so great after all the hype Nicki has put around it. She promised she would go back to her mixtape sound that we all fell in love with and teased that with tracks like Lookin' Ass N***a and Boss Ass Bitch (Remix) but this album does not fulfil that promise.
Although Nicki plays around with voices and accents far less, which is a massive improvement, she replaces them with reflective ballads and boring melodies.
I am disappointed that on a 22 track album there are only ten tracks I like and only four of those that I love. There are some great collaborations and potential singles and Nicki as a rapper, particularly lyrically, is amazing but I was expecting a lot more from this album.
Rating: 2/5

New Video | Only by Nicki Minaj feat. Chris Brown, Drake and Lil Wayne

After a controversial lyric video, Nicki Minaj has released the official video for her new single Only and it is far from what I expected.
A typical Nicki video is quirky, fun and entertaining but this one takes a much darker turn from the outset with bloodied and beaten bodies and a dangerous setting. It has no connection with the actual lyrics of the song and has no plot or meaning that I can find.
The only positive is that Nicki looks amazing as usual. Fortunately, the disappointing video doesn't make the song any less great.

2014 AMA Performances

It's that time of year again ! Late November marks the beginning of award season and it all starts with the American Music Awards which took place last night. As some of music's biggest starts gather to collect their awards, what we really look forwards to are the show-stopping, entertaining and often controversial musical performances.
Here is a summary of some of the shows biggest performances last night...

Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Christina Milian, Skylar Grey

Young lovers Lil Wayne and Christina Milian open the performance with a potential new song about their love. It could have been cute but it wasn't. I found it quite awkward and unnecessary - Lil Wayne is better than that - however, I will give credit to the song which sounds quite good.
Then out comes Skylar Grey and Nicki Minaj with a performance of Bed of Lies which wasn't anything special but it is a nice song.

Fergie

Fergie hit the stage and it's like she has never been away. She performed her latest single L.A Love alongside DJ Mustard and YG, and hit the choreography and rap with ease. She looked amazing too.

Jennifer Lopez and Iggy Azalea

J-Lo, as always, delivered a sexy and energetic performance to her song Booty alongside her friend Iggy Azalea. The girls looked hot and J-Lo really showed these young girls how to command a stage and an audience with her closing dance number.

Jessie J, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj

The ultimate girl power trio reunited on the AMA stage, this time with no wardrobe malfunctions, and slayed the audience with Bang Bang. Jessie and Ariana were pitch perfect as expected and Nicki looked fierce so it was an all-round success this time.

Iggy Azalea

Iggy also took the stage solo (well, with Charlie XCX) to perform Fancy and newest single Beg For It. It was a bit lacklustre in parts and she didn't show any power or aggression in her verses, maybe because she was more concerned with hitting all her spots, but she did well considering that she is still a newcomer.

Ariana Grande

Ariana took the stage for a second time alongside The Weeknd for a sultry performance of Problem, Break Free and Love Me Harder. She looked beautiful and Jessica Rabbit-esque as she belted out her pop hits but with a jazzy rendition for originality. Then the performance hotted up for the sexy Love Me Harder. All in all, Ariana proved that she is not a teeny-bopper anymore and The Weeknd sounded superb.

Sam Smith

One of this years biggest newcomers, Sam Smith sang to perfection with a stunning vocal on Not The Only One but added a nice surprise with a verse from A$AP Rocky. Although they may not be a musical duo that would ever come to mind, it actually worked really well and this remixed version needs to be released.

Selena Gomez

Before anything, I need to address how beautiful Selena looked while performing on stage last night. An angelic look for an angelic performance.
Selena performed her ballad The Heart Wants What It Wants, which is not-so-secretly a song about her relationship with Justin Beiber. Understandably, Sel got a little emotional as she sang but that made the performance all the more mesmerising.

New Music : Nicki Minaj

Sadly, Nicki announced last week that her album release date will be pushed back four whole weeks but to keep us satisfied she dropped a new song featuring Chris Brown, Drake and Lil Wayne. Only is a lyrically strong and provocative hip-hop song which sees Nicki at her best and delivering what many of her day one fans have been waiting for, that mixtape Minaj.
Chris' chorus is ridiculously catchy and I can definitely hear this being a club banger before the year is up so get ready to twerk to this one on New Years.

New Video: August and Nicki

It's been a while but I'm back...kind of.
There have been a lot of great video and music releases since my hiatus three weeks ago and one of the more recent ones is the video for August Alsina's new single No Love featuring Nicki Minaj.
I love an R'n'B music video with a bit of acting, and the chemistry between August and Nicki is so cute, if not a little enviable.
The song itself is great and it helps that the video is a cute love story with a bit of drama, nothing too flashy or over the top.

New Video: Nicki Minaj

So Nicki has been dropping song after song this year in order to create hype for her album The Pink Print. After already making headlines and topping charts with Ariana Grande, Jessie J, Beyonce and August Alsina, Nicki is doing it solo with her new single Anaconda.
Now, I didn't do a post when the song first dropped because I am really not a fan of it and was severely disappointed after the massive build-up she created with the single artwork. The song plays on Baby Got Back which was a terrible song the first time around. I love when Nicki is vulnerable or tough, not the gimmicky sound that she played around with on her last album so I was not pleased that she delved back there.
The video dropped this morning and if you are in the mood for some borderline porn or are a teenage boy then you'll love it. All it consists of is Nicki and some other curvy women shaking their butt, obviously in keeping with the song, and doing other suggestive things. The only mildly entertaining part was watching Drake get an intimate dance from Nicki...looks like he enjoyed himself.

New Music: Beyonce Remix

A Beyonce remix for Flawless featuring Nicki. No more needs to be said really. Just listen out for the elevator reference, which you can't miss cause Bey says it twice...just to make sure you heard.

New Music : Jessie, Ariana and Nicki

Jessie J, Ariana Grande seem like an unlikely collaboration but they have joined forces for a new song Bang Bang and it's hot. With two powerhouse vocalists and the number one female rapper of our time all on one track it would be easy to get lost in the song as they all fight for lead. But Bang Bang is a fun, catchy summer smash and a video is needed asap!

New Music : August Alsina

Nicki has been teasing a new song from August Alsina and herself for a couple of weeks now and it is finally here. No Love is a pretty ballad but I am a bit disappointed that Nicki spends more time singing than she does rapping on this one.

Twitter: @PaigeLouiseP

New Video : Cam'ron

Cam and Nicki are no strangers when it comes to making great music and cute videos together, after I Am Your Leader, now they are back for Cam'ron's new single So Bad. 
The title aptly sums up this low-budget and pointless video, which is unfortunate because the song is quite good. Cam's video starts with a promise of extravagance and entertainment and only delivers camera shots of New York and a tacky green screen that had me questioning how on earth they even managed to get Nicki to show up for this.
I couldn't take my eyes off for all the wrong reason, I mean, were they even trying ?!

New Music : Nicki Minaj

Nicki decided to drop a freestyle just for the sake of it, as she stated earlier on Instagram, and it's fire !!! On No Flex Zone (Remix) Nicki shows Joseline exactly how it's done on this Mike-Will produced club banger; only reminding us that her album needs to drop asap!




Twitter: @PaigeLouiseP

New Video : Nicki Minaj

Artsy, captivating, understated yet powerful. These are not words that would usually come together in describing a Nicki Minaj video, which are often flamboyant and colourful. But Pills N Potions truly seems like the start of something new for Nicki, as both the song and video, along with Nicki's recent image change, provide us with a softer side of her...and I love it.
The video is really beautiful and fitting yet so simple, there are a lot of people who could take a leaf out of her book when it comes to making an artistic video relevant to the song. (oh, and The Game looks hot in it too!)

Twitter: @PaigeLouiseP

New Music : Nicki Minaj

Nicki released the first single off her highly-anticipated third album this morning and it's a pretty love anthem, very reminiscent of Moment For Life.
The simplicity and honesty of Pills N Potions reflects the image change Nicki has undergone over the past few months and could be a sign of what to expect when the album drops. Could Nicki be heading back to her mix-tape days? Either way, I am a fan of this song and there will be a major album review when The Pink Print drops later this year.

New Music : Young Money Drop Double

Yesterday, three Young Money members dropped two new songs and they are pretty amazing. Lil Wayne and Drake joined forces for Believe Me and although it is catchy, the beat is a bit dry and dull - hopefully it is just a taste of things to come from Lil Wayne.

Then Nicki dropped another new song in preparation for her forthcoming album The Pinkprint due for a May release. Continuing with her intense hip-hop sound Nicki teamed up with Soulja Boy (not a choice I agree with but luckily he just shouts the same two words and has no solo verse) for Yassss Bish. Not a huge fan of Soulja Boy annoying drone of a hook but Nicki slays in the verses.

New Video : No Nonsense Nicki

If you have seen the pics on Instagram last week then you know Nicki has gone back to basics with her image recently and now we get to see why.

Nicki has dropped a video for her new song Lookin Ass Niggas which will feature on the new Young Money album. It includes black and white effects, a barely there outfit and an amazing track which reminds me somewhat of the Nicki from her mixtapes. 

Take a look below! 

The Evolution of Nicki Minaj

Nicki Minaj is notorious for her ever-changing style and evolving music but just this week she posted some telling pictures on Instagram which may be a hint as to what we can expect next form Nicki.
She seems to be going back to her roots, metaphorically and literally, so let's journey back to the beginning of Nicki's career and how she came full circle.

Onika Miraj was discovered by Lil Wayne thanks to this DVD she made called 'The Come Up' and her freestyles and strong attitude caught the Young Money moguls' eye. He quickly signed her and she became the infamous Nicki Minaj.

She started her career as a self-titled 'Harajuku Barbie' which led to her fans being called 'Barbz' and often wore a black clean cut wig and figure hugging outfits.
It was her powerful verses as a feature which first caught the worlds attention but soon her image and personality began to take over.

Her worldwide mainstream breakthrough came courtesy of catchy single Superbass where she also made her mark with a collection of colourful wigs and barely there outfits.

As time went on we saw many sides of Nicki. The animated characters she has created, the sexy businesswoman, the powerful and outspoken rapper and the vulnerable vocalist but something that has never faltered is her great music.

More recently, she has returned to her hip hop origins with her remix of Boss Ass Bitch and everyone seems excited about what this means for her next record.
Whatever happens I am sure this is not the end of Nicki's evolution.