Nicki Minaj Steps It Up With A New Album And A New Interview
This past December Nicki Minaj released her latest album, The Pinkprint, and it seemed to reveal a wiser, if not more troubled, Nicki. The neon wigs are no more and, along with them, it seems Minaj has also veered away from the perky, animated pop songs. Vogue suggests that the change in Nicki’s overall tempo may have come after the trials of past years, a life that has seen a teenaged abortion, the killing of her cousin, and a struggle with addiction to painkillers.
In a recent interview with Vogue, Minaj opened up about competing with male rappers, while exploring themes of feminism in her music. One would think such contradictory goals would have hampered her success, but Ms. Minaj was pleased to find that she has instead opened herself up to new audiences. Confessing an almost maternal pride in her latest achievement, Nicki focuses on the one song that speaks to her more than any other on The Pinkprint.
“When I listen to a song like “Grand Piano,” I’m proud of myself that I sang that song. I’m a rapper at the end of the day, but I sang a song like ‘Grand Piano’ and people can feel every word. And it doesn’t sound like a rapper singing a song. It just sounds like a beautiful song. I’m always proud when I step out of my comfort zone and do songs like that.”
Ms. Minaj responded to questions about feminist themes in her new album and, while she dislikes being labeled a feminist, as well as labels of any kind, she does support women in greater roles and a more balanced life for all women. As much as she supports the themes of feminism, she confesses that she lives life on her terms and accepts that such convictions cause her to act in ways that aren’t always popular with the majority of feminist supporters. Like she said, she hates labels.
So what does feminism mean to Nicki Minaj, personally?
“There are sexual things that I do that aren’t for a man. I feel empowered sometimes by being sexy and being comfortable enough to be sexy on camera—a lot of woman struggle with that. But there are some days that I don’t want anyone to see me. I’m just a regular girl. Some days I’m super strong; some days I’m super insecure. But I don’t really identify with any particular label. I just speak my truth and if people like it, they like it, and if they bash it, they bash it.”
What about love? The question comes up in every interview and this one was no different. Nicki responded to the subject with the forthright honesty fans have come to expect from her, replying simply that she was enjoying life, partying it up, and feeling happier than she has in years. When the subject veered towards Nicki’s relationship with rapper Meek Mill, Ms. Minaj became uncharacteristically coy, saying only that the two had been friends for many, many years.
Speaking of Ms. Minaj’s former relationship with Safaree Samuels, Design & Trend reported that she made a clean break, moving out of the mansion the couple had once shared. The move probably came to know surprise to neighbors, following recent police responses to domestic violence calls at the mansion. Incidents involving Minaj chasing Samuels out of the house with a baseball bat, smashing his car, and throwing his clothes in the trash have all been documented, so it seemed to have been a matter of time, before the couple called it quits.
In another Inquisitr news story, it was revealed that Drake plans to compete with Meek Mill for Nicki’s affection, so it seems Ms. Minaj has no shortage of admirers.
