Nicki Minaj has never been afraid to speak her mind, but in the five years since her last studio album Queen, the pop-rap diva’s penchant for controversy – including her now-infamous claim that the Covid-19 vaccine might impact male fertility – has frequently overshadowed her actual music. Pink Friday 2, a sequel in name to her 2010 studio debut, in many ways suggests that Nicki is going back to basics. But more often than not, the album sounds like a queen resting on her laurels rather than proving why she still deserves the crown.
A decade ago, Nicki was largely an island unto herself in a male-dominated rap game; the success of rappers like Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion has opened the gates for a flood of female voices like never before, many of whom owe an obvious debt to Nicki. But without the novelty of being the only major female talent in town, she seems to be struggling to redefine herself: her recent collaborations with younger artists like Ice Spice and Sexyy Red can feel more like clout-chasing than genuine mentorship from one generation to the next.
