By The Voice
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer
The significance of this release goes way beyond the album and Nicki Minaj, for that matter. Nicki Minaj initially made a name for herself as the sexy mixtape rapper from Queens, but she worked her way into the majors. Now, as she is preparing for the release of her second album, Nicki Minaj is positioned to become one of the next pop superstars. In her mind, she has done all she can for rap and now she is expanding.
Ironically, her label home, Cash Money Records, feels the same way, as their latest addition is Limp Bizkit. Much like Nicki Minaj, who went from a popular Queens street femcee to the potential next Queen of Pop, Cash Money Records has risen from a local New Orleans record label to the next Def Jam. Nicki Minaj has made so much history, it is easy to forget she has only released one album.
Fans hoped Nicki Minaj would release a new album in 2011. But, with the release of her debut so late in 2010, a 2011 release appeared unlikely. While Nicki Minaj did not release a new album in 2011, she did release information about her next release. During the closing days of 2011, Nicki Minaj released “Roman in Moscow,” which was met with mostly-negative reviews, which Nicki Minaj predicted. She made up for this days later with the release of “Stupid Hoe,” a jab at her longtime rival, Lil’ Kim.
So far, Nicki Minaj has released four singles from the album. While some songs have been panned by critics and exorcised by religious leaders, the music has the people talking. Nicki Minaj recently announced her album would feature twenty-two tracks, which is considered a long album. Given her success, critics have been wanting to backlash for some time. Even with the negativity surrounding her, Nicki Minaj is still gaining attention, which is the overall purpose. Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, the second studio album from Nicki Minaj, will be released on April 3.
