After three delays, the long awaited Pink Friday 2 by Nicki Minaj is finally here.
Nicki Minaj Releases Fifth Studio Album Pink Friday 2
The release of the Pink Friday sequel 13 years later is a catastrophic moment not just for Minaj’s “Barbz” but for all hip hop fans. Nicki unleashed singles “Super Freaky Girl,” “Red Ruby Da Sleeze” and “Last Time I Saw You” prior to the LP’s release.
Pink Friday 2 includes 22 tracks jam-packed with samples and collaborations from Nicki’s comrades Drake, Lil Wayne and Lil Uzi Vert. Although, J. Cole made a surprise appearance on track six, marking Nicki and Cole’s first ever collaboration. The vulnerable “Let Me Calm Down” sees Nicki give insight into rocky times with her partner. “Just wish you would give me space when I really need it / To be alone in my zone when I’m really heated / Just ’cause I am quiet, don’t mean you’re defeated,” she raps. On the other hand, Cole offers advice to fathers enduring relationship struggles. “But you need patience and a lot of extra faith from God / To keep the family together at a time when it’s so regular to break apart,” Cole raps.
“Gag City”
Minaj’s ferocious fanbase, “The Barbz,” came in clutch with a genius marketing scheme just in time for Pink Friday 2. “Gag City” is an alternate universe dreamt up by Nicki Minaj and the Barbz. The all-pink city has Twitter in a headlock with major brands and celebrities chiming in about their grand entrance into the imagined universe. Chili’s, Spotify and Netflix are among some of the brands that hopped on the Gag City trend.
TikTok Viral Track “Big Difference”
Album tracks “Bahm Bahm” and “Nicki Hendrix” were teased by Minaj via an Instagram live. She also gave a live preview of “Big Difference” at the 2023 VMA’s. Minaj performed a medley of “Last Time I Saw You” and unreleased track “Big Difference” and the crowd went wild. The never-before-heard track became a viral sound on TikTok in September but did not become a single. “Big Difference” sees Nicki boast about people being “out of her league” and being the baddest of them all.
The introduction track, “Are You Gone Already,” samples Billie Eilish’s “When The Party’s Over.” The “Starships” rapper writes about her father passing away before ever meeting his grandson, who is Nicki’s first child. The musician taps into melodies while she speaks to her past self, rapping lines, “Your baby’s three, he’s the best, Onika,” and, “Rich, yes, but are you happy?”
Too Many Samples?
It’s not a surprise that the Junior Senior-sampled “Everybody” with Lil Uzi Vert is rising the charts. TikTok quickly caught wind of the up-tempo Jersey club track and is seeing viral dance challenges. “Everybody” is basically a “Just Wanna Rock” 2.0, capitalizing on the current sample trend dominating the music industry.
Pink Friday 2 highlights the current state of music right now, which is heavy usage of samples from old hit songs. Though the tracks see rapid success on the charts and become viral TikTok sounds, they don’t have lasting power. More recently, such examples are Jack Harlow’s recent Billboard No. 1 track, “Lovin On Me,” and Nicki’s “Red Ruby Da Sleeze” off Pink Friday 2.
Additionally, Minaj makes an attempt at sampling the iconic “Girls Just Want To Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper. Titled “Pink Friday Girls” with production by J. Reid, Nicki makes a nod to her 2010 hits “Super Bass” and “Your Love.” “He got that super bass, make my heart skip a beat, I mean,” she raps.
In fact, Cyndi shared the track on her Instagram story and Nicki reacted on Twitter: “I’m told she’s never cleared a master recording. I am so grateful. I’ve always loved her as you guys know.”
Pink Friday 2 Final Thoughts
However, like the original, Pink Friday 2 is a fusion of genres, including dancehall, R&B, hip-hop and pop. Even more, Nicki taps into gospel music with “Blessings,” featuring Tasha Cobbs Leonard, where she speaks about motherhood and spirituality. 13 years later, Minaj’s life has changed immensely with a son and husband, but she fails to grow artistically. Lyrically and sonically, Nicki doesn’t live up to her potential and lacks creativity. She relies on samples to create memorability. The big name features, with the exception of J. Cole, are not up to par on Pink Friday 2, and Nicki’s overall performance is mediocre. Do you think the LP is a viable sequel to Pink Friday? Leave your thoughts on the project below, and Barbz don’t come for me!
