The Pinkprint marks its spot on listeners’ hearts

         On Dec. 12, renound female rapper Nicki Minaj released her third album, on The Pinkprint following the success of singles such as “Pills n’ Potions” and “Anaconda.” The album’s collaborations include those with Ariana Grande, Beyoncé, Drake, Lil’ Wayne, Chris Brown and more. It is clear that Minaj has put more of her own feelings into lyrics throughout this album, giving fans a better look into her personal life.

           Though it wasn’t the album’s debut single, “Anaconda” is undoubtedly the most well-known of the songs on The Pinkprint. The song could almost be seen as a remix of the song “Baby Got Back” by Sir Mix-a-Lot. It received countless positive ratings and certifications, and Sir Mix-a-Lot called himself “a Nicki Minaj fan for life” in an interview with HipHopdx (a hip hop music website). The lyrics may be seen as raunchy or provocative, but they only aid in Minaj’s wild and illustrious image for this gernre of music.

           “Only,” features Drake, Lil’ Wayne and Chris Brown. When announced, it became highly anticipated by fans on social media. The song’s lyrics are a clear effort by Minaj to end rumors of who she has been dating. She then goes on to address those who find an interest in questioning herself by saying “Worried ’bout if my butt’s fake / Worry ’bout y’all.” The song did well commercially, peaking at 12 on the Billboard Hot 100.

          In an attempt to publicize her Caribbean roots, Minaj’s song “Trini Dem Girls” featuring Lunchmoney Lewis, successfully does that. Though raised in New York, Minaj is very proud of her Trinidadian heritage. During the song she raps, “Them island girls is the baddest / American girls run the planet / South African, European, Asian, Australian, and my Canadian Girls.” She hasn’t previously been active in promoting her culture, but this song makes up for it.

          Throughout The Pinkprint, the overwhelming amount of effort Minaj puts into her lyrics is evident. This is contrary to her previous albums, which contained much more superficial lyrics lacking meaning, such as Pink Friday. That album correlated with the phase where she strayed from hip hop and into pop, leading to Minaj being the subject of criticism and ridicule originating from fellow artists in the hip hop community. Nicki Minaj has released a thoroughly written hip hop album that is sure to dominate the charts.