Album Review: Pink Friday II
By: Emmett Milberg
Nicki Minaj has become nothing short of an icon, opening the gates for and influencing a new generation of female rap. Her debut album, Pink Friday, sold 375,000 copies in the first week, becoming the second-highest sales debut for a female rapper since Lauryn Hill. Released the same day as Kanye West’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Nicki’s album debuted at number two. However, three months after its release, the album peaked at number one, a testament to how much fans loved it and what Nicki brought to the table as a new, exciting, and confident female voice in hip-hop.
Fast forward to December 2023, and we now have the sequel Pink Friday 2. With great lead singles and features from the likes of J. Cole, Lil Wayne, Drake, Lil Uzi Vert, Future, and more, I couldn’t have been more excited to see what the queen of rap had in store for us. Unfortunately, I’m not sure she lived up to the hype for a sequel to her unforgettable debut despite everything she had going for her.
Tracks like “Are You Gone Already” and “Falling 4 U” feel like a rushed and failed attempt at a theatrical showstopper. The sonic atmosphere seems to be aiming for a “Pills N Potions” type moment, but the writing does not match this energy at all. In “Are You Gone Already,” the sample feels forced, as if it were only implemented due to the clout the original song has (“when the party’s over” by Billie Eilish).
When it comes to “Blessings” and “Just The Memories,” Nicki’s singing here is awkward and poorly executed. The instrumentals seem to be going against her rather than supporting her. In “Big Difference,” the beat is entertaining but could’ve been arranged much better. The first verse is great, but the rest just feels awkward and disorganized. The idea for something like “Cowgirl (featuring Lourdiz)” could’ve easily been on Doja Cat’s most recent album, Scarlet, which might explain the rumored attempt to get her on the song. Regardless, “Cowgirl” fails to impress due to some odd cadences from Nicki and a very weak chorus from Lourdiz.
The bloatedness of this album especially shows when you get to “Pink Birthday,” which just feels like an underwhelming sequel to what came before it. The Travis Scott sample is interesting; it’s not horrible, but I don’t see the point of it when a similar song like “RNB” is already there, and right before it, at that. “Forward From Trini (featuring Skeng and Skillibeng)” has some nice ideas but feels unfinished, and “Nicki Hendrix (featuring Future)” is just a mess, I’m sorry.
However, there is a lot to appreciate on this album as well. As I mentioned earlier, the singles leading up to this release were great. On “Red Ruby Da Sleeze,” Nicki is out for the kill but still having fun, “Last Time I Saw You” is a beautiful reflection on those who aren’t with us anymore, and “Super Freaky Girl” is an erotic flip of two retro smash hits. “Super Freaky Girl” is one of three times where the hook is centered around the sample, with “Pink Friday Girls” and “Everybody (featuring Lil Uzi Vert)” being the other two. While these samples have received mixed reviews, I think Nicki pulls it off and gives these classics an extremely fun Nicki Minaj twist. The only drawback from these three is Lil Uzi Vert’s feature on “Everybody” being extremely messy and underwhelming, but I’ll still be coming back to the song simply because of how well Nicki performed.
Nicki turns up the aggression on bangers like “Barbie Dangerous,” “FTCU,” “Beep Beep,” and “Bahm Bahm”, where she sounds as confident as ever. “FTCU” has a bit of an awkward outro but great energy overall.
“Let Me Calm Down (featuring J. Cole)” might be the project’s best. Here, the two legends reflect on the complexities of romantic relationships over an insanely smooth ATL Jacob beat. Nicki holds her own, and Cole continues to prove himself to be one of the most valuable guest verses in rap today.
We get to see more of Nicki’s chill side on “RNB (featuring Lil Wayne & Tate Kobang),” “Needle (featuring Drake),” and “My Life”. “RNB” is a sensual track full of the ethereal queen of New York energy that the album cover exudes, with a catchy chorus from Tate Kobang joined by smooth and raunchy verses from Nicki and Wayne. “Needle” provides some nice island vibes, and with Drake being on the chorus, I could definitely see this one picking up traction as we get closer to summer. Lastly, “My Life” is a confident and self-asserting cut with a calm and simple instrumental.
While it might not compare to her absolute masterpiece, The Pinkprint, or feel as vibrant as Pink Friday, Pink Friday 2 is still a solid addition to Nicki’s discography. She seems to be lacking inspiration for a handful of songs but still manages to remind us why we love her and show glimpses of her old self.