Nicki Minaj paints hip-hop pink — and changes the game NPR By Phil Harrell Published September 8, 2023 at 5:09 AM EDT Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Listen • 3:47 Nicki Minaj attends the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards at The Forum on August 27, 2017 in Inglewood, Calif. Frazer Harrison / Getty Images Nicki Minaj attends the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards at The Forum on August 27, 2017 in Inglewood, Calif. In the late 2000s, hip-hop was king. But there was a sameness to what was at the top, and there were a WHOLE lotta dudes. Then came a technicolor blast named Nicki Minaj. On Morning Edition, culture critic Kiana Fitzgerald looks back at some of the game-changing moments in hip-hop. One of her choices: Nicki Minaj’s debut studio album Pink Friday. After leaving Trinidad and Tobago for New York, Nicki Minaj earned an instant reputation for outlandish rhymes on early mixtapes and feature appearances on tracks by Usher, Mariah Carey and Ludacris. But it was her star-making turn on Kanye West’s 2010 single “Monster” that “took Nicki from 0 to 100,” as Kiana Fitzgerald puts it. “She just said: I’m not doing anything normal. I’m going to do what I want to do.” Fitzgerald points out that a standard verse for a featured performer lasts around 8-16 bars. “Nicki blew past that in such a major way. For over 30 bars, she was rapping about everything from Willy Wonka to Child’s Play.” “This kind of creative fearlessness is what prepared Nicki for the next step, which was the creation and the release of Pink Friday.” Minaj’s first studio album was released just a month after Ye’s “Monster.” And Fitzgerald emphasizes, “It is not an exaggeration to say that Pink Friday changed hip-hop at its very core.” Minaj incorporated light-hearted pop and R&B into her flow in ways that were almost forbidden at the time, and “it became this very fun, bubblegum, neon pink, experimental playground.” Nicki Minaj also brought a shape-shifting quality to her vocals. “If you listen to Pink Friday from front to back, you won’t hear her use her voice in the same way,” says Fitzgerald. “She may want to sing and then rap immediately after, or she may want to make strange noises that don’t really make sense, but then when you hear it in totality, it’s like, Oh, I’m glad she did this! That makes a lot of sense.” Kiana Fitzgerald hears Minaj’s influence all over modern hip-hop. Artists like Megan Thee Stallion and Ice Spice show their individuality and range of emotion with confidence. “Nicki Minaj knew that not everybody would immediately understand her, and she still swung for the fences. Because she knew that — in being herself 1,000% — she would have an effect on future artists and give them the ability to do what they want to do without being side eyed or being skipped in a playlist.”

In the late 2000s, hip-hop reigned supreme. Dominating charts and airwaves, the genre’s power was undeniable. Yet, a sense of monotony loomed at the top—with male artists largely steering the narrative. Enter Nicki Minaj, a technicolor force who would not only break through but redefine the rules of the game.

A Star is Born

Nicki Minaj’s journey began in Trinidad and Tobago before she moved to New York, where her rise was swift and spectacular. Early mixtapes showcased her razor-sharp lyricism and bold personality, while feature appearances alongside icons like Usher, Mariah Carey, and Ludacris hinted at her superstar potential. However, her groundbreaking verse on Kanye West’s 2010 track “Monster” was the moment everything changed.

Culture critic Kiana Fitzgerald captures it best: “Nicki went from 0 to 100.” Minaj’s feature on “Monster” shattered norms. A typical guest verse might last 8-16 bars, but Minaj delivered over 30 bars of unrelenting creativity, weaving references from Willy Wonka to Child’s Play.

“She just said: I’m not doing anything normal. I’m going to do what I want to do,” Fitzgerald notes. This creative fearlessness would become Minaj’s signature, setting the stage for her transformative debut album.

The Game-Changing Arrival of Pink Friday

Released in November 2010, just a month after her show-stopping appearance on “Monster,” Pink Friday wasn’t just an album—it was a seismic shift in hip-hop. Kiana Fitzgerald calls it a project that “changed hip-hop at its very core.”

Minaj’s fearless blend of pop, R&B, and rap defied conventions. Her sound was a bubblegum explosion, merging fun, experimentation, and boldness. Tracks like “Super Bass” and “Your Love” highlighted her ability to infuse catchy hooks into intricate bars, making her music accessible without compromising its authenticity.

The Shape-Shifter of Hip-Hop

One of Minaj’s defining traits on Pink Friday was her vocal versatility. “If you listen to Pink Friday from front to back, you won’t hear her use her voice in the same way,” says Fitzgerald. From singing to rapping, to making unexpected noises, Minaj’s voice became an instrument in itself. Her willingness to experiment showcased her mastery over her craft and her refusal to conform to expectations.

The Minaj Effect

Nicki Minaj’s influence on modern hip-hop is undeniable. Her unapologetic individuality has paved the way for artists like Megan Thee Stallion and Ice Spice, who exude confidence and embrace their full range of emotions in their music. These artists, like Minaj, are unafraid to push boundaries and challenge norms.

Fitzgerald highlights Minaj’s foresight: “Nicki Minaj knew that not everybody would immediately understand her, and she still swung for the fences.” By being unapologetically herself, Minaj not only carved her own path but also created space for future generations of artists to thrive without fear of judgment or exclusion.

A Legacy of Fearlessness

Nicki Minaj’s arrival in the late 2000s injected hip-hop with a technicolor energy it hadn’t seen before. Pink Friday was more than an album; it was a manifesto of self-expression, experimentation, and unyielding confidence. Minaj’s boldness reshaped the genre, proving that creativity has no bounds.

Her impact continues to reverberate through the industry, inspiring artists to embrace their individuality and take risks. As Kiana Fitzgerald sums up, “Nicki Minaj knew that—in being herself 1,000%—she would have an effect on future artists and give them the ability to do what they want to do without being side-eyed or skipped in a playlist.”

Nicki Minaj didn’t just paint hip-hop pink—she painted it with limitless possibilities.