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Nicki Minaj Declares Her 4th Album Will Be “A Hip Hop Classic”

June 7, 2017 by B Brusberg Leave a Comment

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In an interview (which will fully air on June 10th) with DJ Whoo Kid on his Shade 45 program Whoolywood Shuffle, Nicki Minaj announced her fourth album will be a “hip hop classic.” That’s definitely a great way to generate all kinds of buzz. Her exact words were “…it’s going to be amazing because I want to thank the people who’ve rocked with me all these years, because my fans are a different level of die-hard. So like, I always feel like I gotta make them proud. I gotta go hard. I gotta impress them, because they always waiting for me. You know, that’s a blessing in itself. So that’s next on my bucket list. To deliver my fourth album and make sure that it’s a classic hip-hop album that people will never forget.” She also said it will be “her best body of work.” She’s setting high expectations! She also discussed the nostalgia of hanging out with Drake and Lil Wayne at the 2017 Billboard Music Awards.

Let’s not forget that musical tastes are subjective, but calling something a “hip hop classic” is a pretty bold claim no matter which artist you’re talking about. Maybe she means classic as in it will be Nicki being Nicki. Y’know, classic Nicki! That will probably please her fans if that’s the case and her mention that it will be her best work is also exciting. But classic as in “A Tribe Called Quest made some classic albums,” is also an interpretation one could make and I’m expecting there will be debate about this, mostly between her die-hard fans and everybody else. I just hope everyone would hold all artists to this degree of scrutiny.

There’s no way to tell if the album will be a classic until it’s out, and Nicki hasn’t disclosed a release date yet, and we’re not sure if she revealed the title. Even after it’s out folks will debate, but I admire her for what she said about her fans. I like to see artists who cater to their fanbase because if it weren’t for public support, no artists could reach Nicki’s level of popularity. If she does bust out something that really is excellent it would be exciting for everyone to hear. I’m going to end up hearing it anyway, though. Just as the first time I heard the below track was during a routine cleaning at my dentist’s office, there’s no escape.

Filed Under: Blog, News Tagged With: nicki minaj

Remy Ma vs. Nicki Minaj: Resurgence of Dueling Femcees

March 9, 2017 by I.S. Jones Leave a Comment

by: Shavontae Patrick & I.S. Jones

On February 25, 2017 a feud deferred filled the speakers and headphones of hip-hop stans, and many that indulge the culture listened in awe to the slaughter Remy Ma produced in her diss track “Shether”. The target being the boss, the ninja and resident “Queen of Rap”, Nicki Minaj. On this nearly 7 minute track, the Bronx native Remy Ma spits over Nas’ classic “Ether” beat,  fitting being that “Ether” is recognized as one of the greatest diss tracks of all time. Much like Nas’ diss against Jay Z, Remy used “Shether” to not only remind Nicki her reign as queen was being threatened but that with the crown comes responsibility.

Remy left no subject untouched from Minaj’s questionable body modification, to her previous failed relationships and even called Minaj out for supporting her brother, Jelani Maraj, who is set to stand trial for the sexual assault of a 12 year old girl. The most successful bit in the track is Remy challenging Minaj about her 70 million dollar net worth. Minaj is currently the highest paid female MC in the game and while featuring on Gucci’s “Make Love” she reminds Remy of this. In all shade she raps, “She ain’t eatin’ but I swear she got some bum a—taste / Text her man like, “Dawg, how that bum a—taste?” / Pay your rent! And stay in your bum a—place.” Perhaps the indirect reference towards Papoose stirred her opponent’s rage, either way Remy was having none of it and spells out for listeners how irrelevant net worth in the rap game is compared to skill as she breaks it down: “And stop talking numbers, you signed a 360 deal/ Through Young Money, through Cash Money, through Republic/ Which means your money go through five niggas before you touch it / Any videos, promotions come out of your budget/ Endorsements, tour and merchandise, they finger-fuck it/ You make like 35 cents off of each ducat”. Collectively, Remy Ma’s fan base argue if not her for incarceration, she would have exceeded Minaj in terms of sales and net worth.

“Shether” for Remy Ma was an effortless delivery as she is not new to demanding respect being a veteran battle rapper, but also the diss track was an ingenious tactic to elevate the rapper’s stance in the game. As the only female rapper in The Terror Squad, Remy Ma was beginning to rebrand herself while Nicki still held onto the crown. While Nicki only had a verse, Remy almost had to have an entire track to prove Minaj could be challenged and for so long that was just was not the case. Onika cleaned up house as the “hottest female rapper” out because there was no one else. We have Trina and Eve operating in the same era, but Nicki was chosen, so to speak, over the rest. By now “Shether” has been played on a loop from the internet to the club, and while others argue over net worth, longevity, and women being pitted against one another, hip-hop fans await impatiently for Minaj’s response. Minaj attempts to distract her fans with clips from her upcoming video with Future, this feud is probably one of the best things to happen to women in hip-hop in a while. Just in time for National Women’s History month. While many fans choose to overlook it, femcees are so easily disposed of and it’s disgusting. Remy Ma has now opened up the possibility for multiple women in hip-hop to be acknowledged in a way the game has never seen before. We are hoping Nicki comes back with that fire, but even if she doesn’t, this is definitely a win for women in hip-hop.

In hip-hop’s culture, it is rap beef that not only keeps the genre lively but it also feeds and nurtures critical discourse. For many old heads of the culture, they remember the jean jacket stand-offs, the b-boy battles or the infamous battle of The Cold Crush Brothers and The Fantastic Romantic Five. While The Fantastic Romantic Five won the battle with their fly threads and irresistible lady killing vibes, it is said that The Cold Crush Brothers were the most relevant after that battle when the tapes revealed their undeniable flow. Hip-hop beef was never purely about who won the battle because in the end what remained was the story and the music that was relevant decades after it was released to the streets.

However, while the rap game forever immortalizes our male MCs for their quick wit and ability to ‘50 cent‘ the competition, it is our female MCs who are rarely recognized. Remy Ma’s diss track is important to hip-hop not because she is spearheading the force that is Nicki Minaj, but because historically any time two women in hip-hop beef it reminds folks that they been out here spittin’. Let’s take it back for a second to 1988 when MC Lyte drops “10% Dis” in response to rapper Antoinette for biting Audio Two’s record “Top Billin’”.  During this time we all know MC Lyte and Queen Latifah were running the show as far as femcees but after Antoinette responded in multiple records, the most popular being “Who’s The Boss” , everyone knew her name. I would argue that “Who’s The Boss” made folks question why they never gave Antoinette a serious listen or perhaps why they only made space for a select few femcees in their record collections?

“Shether” is more than a lyrical beating or a MC drag if you will, it is a part of the HERstory built that keeps female MCs relevant. “Shether” will be remembered as a site of triumph. It will remind us that competition is the reason we thought of Remy as more than a hypothetical threat. Although we all knew Remy was capable of yanking Nicki’s barbie chain, after Ma’s incarceration she dropped a few tracks and we barely gave them a listen. Soon she joined Love and Hip-Hop New York and we sort of gave it a side-eye until Remy and Papoose stole our hearts. The point is we didn’t see her coming hard for her spot and we forgot she was a problem. “Shether” woke us up, previously any female MC who challenged Nicki has been forgotten. Like, we all knew Baltimore rapper Keys was an issue when she came at Nicki in her parking lot impromptu rap diss screaming, “You not hard you’d get killed round these parts/ Fuck tryna get shine off your name/ I’m a motherfucking bully, I ain’t worried ‘bout the fame.” And although we downloaded shorty’s music, who really bumped “The Infiltration” after a week?

We are going into another week and the meme community is asking Nicki like, sis, what’s good? Rap beef is pure because there is nothing that can save you except skill. If nothing the only thing Nicki has taught us is to stay in your bag, and stop being scary (it’s embarrassing). Nicki forgot that history repeats itself and no crown is safe nor is anyone exempt. For the sake of Nicki Minaj’s street cred and her crown we pray she steps up to the mic soon. It will take more than a few RTs and instagram photos for and from her fans to stop folks from wondering if her and Meek Mill belong together, one L united.

Filed Under: Articles, Music Tagged With: female emcees, female rappers, nicki minaj, remy ma, shether

Nicki Minaj – Bed Of Lies (ft. Skylar Grey)

November 17, 2014 by Dead End Hip Hop Leave a Comment

Here is “Bed of Lies,” Nicki Minaj’s latest single, from her upcoming album The Pinkprint. “Bed of Lies” has Skylar Grey on the hook.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: nicki minaj

Artwork: Nicki Minaj – The PinkPrint

November 6, 2014 by Dead End Hip Hop Leave a Comment

nicki-minaj-pinkprint-cover

Nicki Minaj releases the artwork for her album set to drop December 15th.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: nicki minaj

Nicki Minaj – Only (ft. Drake, Lil Wayne & Chris Brown)

November 6, 2014 by Dead End Hip Hop Leave a Comment

nicki-minaj-only-drake-chrisbrown

Nicki Minaj’s new single, produced by Dr. Luke, Cirkut, and J Mike, is the follow up to her controversial “Anaconda” release from a few weeks back. “Only” features Drake, Lil Wayne, and Chris Brown.

Listen: Nicki Minaj-Only (ft. Drake, Lil Wayne & Chris Brown)

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: nicki minaj

Nicki Minaj – Pills N Potions

May 21, 2014 by Dead End Hip Hop Leave a Comment

Nicki Minaj dropped off her new single “Pills N Potions” from her upcoming album The Pink Print.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: nicki minaj

Nicki Minaj – Yasss Bitch!! (ft. Soulja Boy)

May 6, 2014 by Dead End Hip Hop 2 Comments

Nicki Minaj’s walk back to hip hop continues as she releases a new song with Soulja Boy. Look for The Pink Print coming soon.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: nicki minaj

New Year’s Resolution: Let’s Be A Little Less Elitist

January 21, 2014 by Dead End Hip Hop Leave a Comment

No_Trolls_allowed_by_hawanjaThe internet is a breeding ground for trolls and the perfect place to state any extreme opinion you may have, but as we all should know by now, internet arguments rarely end in anything other than insult wars and hurt feelings. So why don’t we all try to get along a little better? Just because you listen to one area of music doesn’t make you cooler than someone who listens to something else any more than being a vegan or spending twice as much on shoes does.

I’m sure we’ve all seen the phrase “Lil Wayne and Nicki Minaj are ruining hip hop” plastered across YouTube comment sections, Facebook walls and Twitter feeds. Valuable characters and clicks that should instead be spent on promoting your favorite artist. Telling a Lil Wayne fan that what he’s listening to is trash isn’t going to make them like Tech N9ne. If anything it would stop them from wanting to listen to anything you’ve suggested. Maybe, instead of telling people their favorite artist is trash, you should tell them why you like Tech N9ne and why they might do too. They’ll be more open to listening to them and they probably won’t think you’re a complete tool.

I’ve been in situations where someone will say something like “Drake is the best rapper alive” and naturally my fists clench, my skin crawls and I grit my teeth. “This fool.” I think “I’m about to go school this dude.” So that’s what I do. “Nah man, Drake is ok but have you ever listened to (insert name here)?” The crazy part is that people listen most of the time. When you’re passionate and friendly people will listen to what you have to say. When you actually know what you’re talking about it will be really obvious to the person you’re speaking to. Educate them and then you’ll feel better at the end of the day, putting one more person onto your favorite rapper.

Chief Keef made “Love Sosa”, Riff Raff was on “Bird on a Wire” and Meek Mill released “I’m a Boss.” Maybe they’re bad examples, but the point is these songs pleasantly surprised me. Songs that were created by artists that I previously dismissed. Artists that are regularly dismissed by hip hop “purists. And, although I’m not exactly excited for ‘NEON iCON’, I will give it my best shot to listen to it with an open mind because maybe I’ll be pleasantly surprised. Much of mainstream rap isn’t as lyrical or conscious as Rakim or Talib, but I’ll be damned if some of it isn’t entertaining as hell.

I get the animosity…I do…but trolling comments sections and being a snob about your music tastes aren’t going to help anybody except your inflated ego. Give it a break. How about this year we collectively try to not to be assholes about music and just enjoy it?

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: chief keef, drake, hip hop elitists, hip hop purists, Lil B, lil' wayne, meek mill, nicki minaj, riff raff, tech n9ne

Nicki Minaj and Peter Rosenberg MakeUp On Hot 97…Sort Of

May 28, 2013 by Dead End Hip Hop Leave a Comment

Man, this whole thing comes across awkward. It really seems like Peter was told to just take what Nicki Minaj dishes out especally in the first 6 to 7 minutes. I’ll even go as far as to say that the whole explanation by Peter in the beginning sounds like fiction. While it may be true, it doesn’t come across as geniune and really sounds measured. I wonder if Nicki has a new album in the works.

She talks about other stuff not related to the issue but let’s not keep it all about drama.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: nicki minaj, peter rosenber

Nicki Minaj Twerks On Lil Wayne

May 21, 2013 by Dead End Hip Hop Leave a Comment


213519223415 by YardieGoals

You can watch the whole video if you want but the fun begins around the 2:30 minute mark.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: lil' wayne, nicki minaj, twerkin

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