A Closer Look at Nicki Minaj

A few days before her … um … controversial performance at the Grammys, I found myself arguing with my boy Aak over whether Nicki Minaj was good or not.  My argument was in her defense, but after the Grammy performance, I just gave up.

About a week ago someone says to me, "name one good Nicki verse besides Monster" - I know they exist, but I couldn't think of any off hand.

This is what led me to write this short essay about Nicholas Lewinsky aka Barbie.  Can she really be as horrible as the hip hop community is making her out to be?  I decided to do my own research.

Now, I wasn't exactly a fan of Nicki when she first arrived on the scene.  I'm not talking about her Cash Money days, i'm talking about her Come Up DVD/Fendi days.  She killed a few freestyles, but the only thing that stood out back then (to me) was her physical appearance.  She had a very marketable look, but seemed to rap a little like Lil Kim (ironically) with a strange accent.

Lets take a look at her discography & break down some verses:

Mixtapes:

Playtime is Over (2007) - I had this mixtape, but didn't really like it.  A few tracks were worth 4 stars in itunes.

Sucka Free (2008) - First I heard of this was the "Higher Than A Kite" video.  This is when I said DAMN SHE IS DOPE (and fine)!  I wasn't a huge fan of the whole mixtape, but that one song stuck with me for some reason.

Beam Me Up Scotty (2009) - It was cool.  This is when the whole Barbie craze started,  The tape was ok, but I HATE "Itty Bitty Piggy" that "She Got A Donk" beat drives me crazy.

Pink Friday:

Music Videos were creative, but this album wasn't really my thing - it was pop/light rap.  I wish she had at least one super hippy hoppity song on there, but hey … it is what it is.

Lets look at some of her features since she started buzzing:

Keyshia Cole, I Aint Thru -

Keisha Cole is ALWAYS fire.  Nicki's verse was real good for the song, but it wasn't a super bomb.

Grade: B

Kanye West, Monster - 

She out-rapped Jigga & Yeezy while playing the double personality thing perfectly and tore Lil Kim up.  Everyone knows this was a fire verse.  This is the song that made hip hop heads resepct Nicki.

Grade: A+

Jay Sean, It Ain't The End - 

A lot of the people who read this may hate radio-friendly pop music, but major artists have to do these songs.  I actually think Nicki did a very good job, given the type of track this was.  "Wasn't a rapper, then i coulda got a pop deal" - true story.

Grade: C+

Trey Songz, Bottoms Up -  

This was a little weird, but I liked the whole song.

Grade: B

Sean Kingston, Dutty Love - 

Caribbean feel, she half-rapped with a accent & half rapped "regular."  Was real good for the song.

Grade: C+

Diddy, Hello Good Morning -

She MURDERED this: "wait wait wait holdup they aint get that there, like 1100 horses when i switch that gear/ i just swerve on em sorta like 'i missed that there,' and i PRESS THE LITTLE BUTTON ON THE SITBACK CHAIR" - i rewinded that about 200 times.

Grade: A

The 2 Sean Garrett Songs -

I hate these

Grade: C-

Bedrock -

Um … What were you expecting?

Grade: B-

Ludacris, My Chick bad - 

I feel like Nicki murdered Luda sooo bad on his own song that he kind of bodied his rep as a dope lyricist.  "I fill her up - Balloons" - wtf Luda.  Anyways, "These bitches wanna be my bestie, but I take a left and leave 'em hangin' like a testie/ trash talk to 'em  then i put 'em in a hefty" - fire.  Sidenote: Eve killed the remix.

Grade: B+

Mariah Carey, Up Out My Face -

I mean … its some girly stuff - blah.

Grade: C

Usher, Lil Freak - 

The concept of her getting a female for a threesome is dope lol.  Cmon - I know y'all didn't expect her to spit the illest lyrics ever.

Grade: B-

Yo Gotti - 5 Star Bitch -

I don't listen to any of the artists on this remix - Yo Gotti has some dope tracks though.  I remember watching this just to see Nicki's verse.  She took a down south hit song and MERKED it.  I don't even like the song but that verse was crack.  It was the first time she started doing the funny lil mannerisms.

Grade: B+

Big Sean, A$$ -

I want to say she murdered this, but honestly her ass stole the show.  I think her verse was weird as hell, but she still kinda killed it.  She outshined Big Sean lyrically, but … idk man i give up.

Grade: B

Birdman, Y.U. MAD -

I didn't like this.  I honestly think Birdman had the best verse on the song :-/

Grade: C-

Will.i.am, Check It Out -

I don't care what anyone says, this whole project was creative.  "Put the iron to your face, you ol' wrinkled bitch."

Grade: B+

I feel like the hip hop community goes too hard on Nicki Minaj.  She writes her own lyrics (look for Onika Miraj on the writing credits), which is more than I can say for a lot of your favorite rappers.  I manage a female rapper, so I can only imagine how hard it is for her behind the scenes.  Don't compare Nicki to the Jean Graes, Foxy Browns, and Lil Kim's of the world.  Its not a fair comparison when Nicki is doing songs with the likes of Madonna, Will.iam, and David Guetta, while CROSSING OVER to THEIR genres.  She has radio Disney, White America, and Overseas listening - do you think her label wants Hi-Tek, Pete Rock & Alchemist producing her albums?  Its all about the (young) money.

AT THE SAME TIME … the Marge Simpson hair, devil worshipping performances and super crazy-bitch mannerisms have gone too far.  Nicki has crossed over into pop, but I believe she'll come back and hip hop will be on her "dick" once again.

And yes Aak, she does have more than one good verse.

- Drect