Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded

It's Pink Friday, bitch!

Well, not really, but we finally got to listen to Nicki Minaj's new album, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded. 

Quick question, though... Where is Roman? It seems like we've once again been stood up with false promise of a harder Nicki Minaj, but it seems the album was transformed into something more commercially acceptable. Rumor has it the label had some issues with the turn out and asked Nicki to hit the studio again to give more radio hits. That's just a rumor.Truth or not, it does make sense.

Gossip aside, Nicki Minaj just served up some of the best pop tracks of 2012, so far. She pretty much hit the nail on the head with the entire pop side of the album. Each of the pop tracks is a ecstasy riddled, pelvic thrusting night at a dance bar with strobe lights blinking so bright you can see them when you close your eyes. 

"Starships" was the first fully treated single from the album. This song proves that Nicki isn't going to just settle for snatching the gold encrusted crown worn by rap's queen. She wants to be a pop princess as well. Billboard is backing her up, as Starships has served as a stronger radio song than the most recent songs from Rihanna, Britney & Gaga. To be honest, the song is pretty generic up until we get past the chorus. Then the beat drops like a ton of bricks and we're instantly drowned in a flood of  bass thudding dubstep and a chanting chorus of  vocoder "Oohs." In the club, you can't help but hop around like a foolish child and in the car you'll get so lost in the electric beat that you'll look up to see the people in the car besides you pointing and laughing. Easily the best choice on the album to make pop fans aware that Nicki is tackling more than just the urban charts.

"Pound the Alarm" was the fan-favorite snippet when NickiDaily.com posted them. It follows the same formula as "Starships" but has an even more hardcore club feel. It's like Nicki's answer to Rihanna's "Where Have You Been." Ironically, those are both my favorite tracks on each of their albums. The only difference is that Nicki actually has verses instead of just a chorus and a bridge. I dare you to try and not dance to this tune. You have to be a bitter old bitch to not fall in love with this track.

"Whip It" is a lot more toned down than the first two pop tracks on the album. It still plays heavily on the top 40's current most popular sound, but it is accompanied by catch, imitate-able lyrics that drops into a sexy drum section during the verses. The hard-cracking bullwhip that accompanies the transitions each part of the song is the cherry on top and of course the way that the song ends is flawless. It's really how every song should end.

"Automatic" just keeps the flow going. In this song, more than any other, Nicki actually sounds like one of the currently reigning pop divas. She's actually more convincing as a pop star on this record than she was as a rapper in some of her urban tracks. It has the perfect balance of cheesy, fun lyrics and auto-tuned, over-layered vocals that really seems to be hot right now. I do think that this the least single-ready of the other pop tracks, simply because it's been done before so many times. J.Lo's "On The Floor" immediately comes to mind... as does Cascade.

"Beautiful Sinner" actually sounds a bit like a leftover MDNA track that Madonna let Nicki keep for herself. This song is almost too clubby to have made the final cut of the album. I was disappointed to see that RedOne produced this track because it was two steps backwards for the step "Starships" took up.

Jumping down a few tracks to "Va Va Voom," I think she made a mistake not adding it right after "Beautiful Sinner." It's help keep the tempo of the album before dipping a bit in "Marilyn Monroe." Nicki keeps her vocals smooth which meshes really well with Dr. Luke's beat... and can we have a round of applause for Dr. Luke, who finally did something different than what he pretty much handed to ever artist he's work with since 2010.

On to the rap side of the album...

"Roman Holiday" was one of the main reasons I pre-ordered the album. I absolutely loved the Grammy performance and have been listening to the audio since the day it aired. That said, the delivery is completely different and a bit disappointed. She hit that point were she was a little too animated and corny. Still, it's a good track and serves as a great introduction, not only to the album, but to the world of Roman Zolanski.

I had issues with her delivery on "Come on a Cone" too. Another instance where Roman was kind of overkill. She seemed to just be squeaking and hollering during the chorus and switches into a completely different personality during the verses.

I think she found a better balance during "I Am Your Leader." My one beef with this song is that it sounds too much like Lil Wayne wrote it. She's just rapping anything that rhymes. She's a good storyteller. She shouldn't be shelling out any cliché that comes to mind. Rick Ross picks up  the lyrical slack. He's really been stepping up in the rap world. Why Cam'ron though? Is he making a comeback?

"Beez In The Trap" is an absolutely trashy mess... so why do I live for it? I caught myself in the shower rapping this whole song to me shampoo and conditioner bottles like they were battling me. The beat just really goes extra hard. I just wish it wasn't 2Chainz. Saw them in concert at a club a few weekends ago and it was a horrid, shitty mess.

It was nice to see the all-star line-up in "Champion" but it sounds like a Nicki feature. A bad one. Of all the times Nicki has song on a song, I've never really felt like the delivery was bad... until now. She sounds like a nasally hood-rat that thinks she can sing better than she really can.

"Right By My Side" ... awful single choice. 

In the end, Nicki did a great job of topping the original Pink Friday album. I think she did a lovely job of fully crossing over. It's going to create a nice, explosive year for her. With the right promotion, she can probably land her first #1 on the Hot 100 and maybe even get her hands on one of those shiny Grammys. She just has to pray that Beyoncé can't find a babysitter for Baby Blue long enough to hit the studio, though we know that's not happening.

I'll give this album a 7/10. I'd like to see Nicki focus more on her lyrical growth rather than just making songs that will be hits. I know it's kind of give and take, but you have to find the balance. Just ask Jay-Z. 

Tracklist: 

1. Roman Holiday 

2. Come On A Cone 

3. I Am Your Leader Feat. Cam’ron & Rick Ross 

4. Beez In The Trap Feat. 2 Chainz 

5. HOV Lane 

6. Roman Reloaded Feat. Lil Wayne 

7. Champion Feat. NAS, Drake & Young Jeezy 

8. Right By My Side Feat. Chris Brown 

9. Sex In the Lounge Feat. Lil Wayne & Bobby V 

10. Starships 

11. Pound The Alarm 

12. Whip It 

13. Automatic 

14. Beautiful Sinner 

15. Marilyn Monroe 

16. Young Forever 

17. Fire Burns 

18. Gun Shot Feat. Beenie Man 

19. Stupid Hoe

Deluxe Edition 

20. Turn Me On 

21. Va Va Voom 

22. Masquerade