Nicki Minaj has undoubtedly cemented her legacy as considered one of hip-hop’s most essential artists. She has been an endlessly inventive pressure in hip-hop all through the 2010s. Certainly, in 2017, she earned a Guinness World Report for probably the most Billboard Scorching 100 entries by a feminine solo artist. Alongside along with her greatness, she boasts a controversial streak that retains grabbing headlines, however the perfect Nicki Minaj songs are what her fame will relaxation on. As she continues to construct on what got here earlier than, she constantly lives as much as the declare she made along with her first group, The Hood$tars, again in 2004: “I ain’t the lady to mess with.” Listed below are 20 important tracks that show why.
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20: 5 Star Remix (Yo Gotti, that includes Gucci Mane, Trina, and Nicki Minaj)
“I just had an epiphany, I need to go to Tiffany’s,” is the best way that Minaj begins her all-star look on the remix of Yo Gotti’s 2009 single. On this observe, Minaj is the rookie, however she undoubtedly holds her personal alongside Gotti, Gucci Mane, and her veteran inspiration, Trina. With the final verse, Minaj steals the present, alluding to her Fendi prints, the intercourse toys that she would finally deliver on stage throughout tour appearances, and her love for Harajuku ladies. At this second, a star was born. Years later, her visitor spot on Gotti’s “Rack It Up” would show how far she’d come.
19: Win Once more
If Minaj wanted a subject for her senior thesis, this bonus observe from 2014’s The Pinkprint would offer it. With an unapologetic swagger about her dominant reign, the rapper compares herself to the 21-times nominated and three-time Academy Award-winner Meryl Streep, and forewarns, “I’m gonna s__t on my critics some more”. This anthemic single finest summarizes her success and is essential to understanding Minaj’s gameplay.
18: Catch Me
“Catch Me” later appeared as a bonus music on the finish of her debut album, Pink Friday, and would lay the pinkprint for Minaj’s futuristic sound. An extended-time fan favourite, it captures either side of Minaj’s persona: she is available in all-guns-blazing, however by the point the refrain kicks in, she’s gone right into a full R&B diva croon. Produced by Swizz Beatz, the standout observe includes a hard-hitting tribal bass and space-age synths – a slick hybrid sound that will come to dominate the perfect Nicki Minaj songs.
17: Anaconda
A novelty observe by Minaj’s personal admission, “Anaconda” nonetheless slaps to today, because of Minaj’s full-throttle dedication to the “size-matters” ethos of Sir Combine-A-Lot’s 1992 observe “Baby Got Back.” Even when the music doesn’t have the identical endurance as the remainder of Nicki’s catalog, the video broke the web when it first premiered and continues to rack up views because of Minaj’s homage to good posteriors.
16: Right here I Am
As a standout deep minimize, “Here I Am,” is a uncommon case the place Minaj lays out her insecurities for all to see. The tenth observe from Pink Friday asks, “Why is it that you can only see the worst in me?” earlier than acknowledging, “But to keep it all real it’s kind of hurting me!” Initially titled “Letter To The Media,” the message works on each counts, with Minaj addressing her critics in music and her relationships. “Here I Am” displays Pink Friday’s conflicting aggressive and extra weak sensibilities, as Minaj is each wounded and unapologetic. She even quotes Helen Reddy’s well-known anthem “I Am Woman.”
15: Chun-Li
After laying low for a 12 months following 2017’s “Regret In Your Tears,” Minaj re-emerged in April 2018 with two back-to-back singles, “Chun-Li” and “Barbie Tingz,” giving a style of her forthcoming album Queen. She wasn’t simply taking pictures at nameless aggressors right here; it was clear Minaj was coming for the hip-hop crown within the face of imitators who “copy every word, every inch”. A transparent throwback to the sort of mid-90s swagger she grew up on, Minaj introduces one other alter-ego , Chun-Li, into her arsenal, named for the ass-kicking Road Fighter online game character. Over a hypnotic saxophone line and head-nodding beat, Minaj delivers considered one of her most-quotable singles but, “They need rappers like me/So they can get on their f__king keyboards and make me the bad guy, Chun-Li,” she declares, touchdown within the Billboard High 10 whereas doing so.
14: Hi there Good Morning (Remix) (Diddy – Soiled Cash, that includes Rick Ross and Nicki Minaj)
Through the lead-up to Pink Friday, Minaj’s knack for offering show-stealing visitor verses resulted in smash hits for among the greatest names within the recreation together with, P. Diddy and his Soiled Cash trio’s “Hello Good Morning (Remix),” that includes Rick Ross. Minaj units the observe ablaze, her rapid-fire tempo offsetting Ross’ extra mellow movement. “I just came up in it, a little bit self-centered/But did I kill a queen?” Minaj spits, even claiming she’s eclipsed the previous “Queen Bee”, Lil’ Kim.
13: FEFE (6ix9ine, that includes Nicki Minaj and Murda Beatz)
Controversy was undoubtedly the secret when Nicki Minaj linked up with controversial rapper 6ix9ine for “FEFE.” Although the union sparked some outrage in the summertime of 2018, it was additionally clear that “FEFE” was an inescapable hit. It additionally proved that Minaj had her finger on the heart beat of the hip-hop’s SoundCloud technology, and will nonetheless present a observe’s most memorable verse.
12: Beez In The Lure (that includes 2 Chainz)
Not many individuals notice how integral Minaj was to the entice music scene of the 2010s. In any case, she is the feminine protégée of the style’s greatest champion, Lil Wayne. As along with her activate “5 Star Remix,” “Beez In The Trap” proved that she might swap up her New York movement with southern cadences. Alongside 2 Chainz, Minaj additionally offers a shout-out to varied areas, cities, and states, guaranteeing everybody was represented on terrestrial radio.
11: Roman’s Revenge (that includes Eminem)
A famous diss observe throughout her ongoing feud with the unique queen bee, Lil’ Kim, “Roman’s Revenge” unleashes Minaj’s signature alter ego, Roman. Right here, her persona faces off towards one other alter ego, Slim Shady, as the 2 battle in verse. The lyrics are dirty sufficient to match Eminem’s rage whereas additionally exposing Roman’s violent nature. The 2 MCs introduced out the perfect in one another: as Minaj despatched Em a verse, he would come again with one thing even tougher. That includes a seizure-inducing Swizz Beats manufacturing, “Roman’s Revenge” is chaotic, and one of many wildest Nicki Minaj songs. Roman could be a relentless character in Minaj’s discography, together with on her Pink Friday follow-up, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded.
10: Starships
With the EDM explosion taking on mainstream pop within the early 2010s, Minaj joined in as an enforcer of the sound, going head-to-head with the pop stars of the period. “Starships” had been a drastic and considerably surprising flip for a hip-hop star to make – it even upset a few of her core followers and hip-hop personalities, amongst them Scorching 97’s Peter Rosenberg, who publicly referred to as the music “bulls__t”. As soon as the controversy died down, it turned clear that Minaj had carved out one other lane for hip-hop. The music propelled to No.5 on the Scorching 100, turning into a global smash in 2012 and setting the tone for extra EDM-fueled Nicki Minaj songs.
9: Excessive Faculty (that includes Lil Wayne)
One side of Minaj’s brilliance is her potential to repackage her albums into deluxe editions and re-ups. “High School” comes from Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, and fused dancehall with hip-hop. Minaj had discovered earlier dancehall success with a visitor spot on Sean Kingston’s “Letting Go (Dutty Love),” in 2010, however “High School” took it a step additional along with her mentor, Lil Wayne. Halfway via the observe she breaks down the riddim, tapping into her roots. (Minaj was born in Trinidad & Tobago.) She would return to this sound on Queen’s “Coco Chanel.”
8: Truffle Butter (that includes Drake and Lil Wayne)
Have a look at any hip-hop DJ set and the jittery home beat of “Truffle Butter” will seemingly discover its means into the combination. Often known as the “Big Three” of the Younger Cash roster, Lil Wayne, Drake, and Minaj all present thrilling and equally engaging verses to this observe. As all three begin their respective components with “Thinkin’ out loud,” the unity on this bonus observe from The Pinkprint would go unmatched, as every MC discusses the moderately crude sexual time period the music is known as after. It earned all of them a nomination for Greatest Rap Efficiency on the 2016 Grammy Awards.
7: Feeling Myself (that includes Beyoncé)
A collab that gave the impression to be a very long time within the making, The Pinkprint’s “Feeling Myself” related two queens. Following the impactful shock launch of her self-titled album, Beyoncé makes a splash alongside Minaj, whose punchlines are equally boisterous, witty, and rightfully cocky. Within the music video, which was filmed throughout Coachella, each women delight in a friendship that noticed two robust ladies in music come collectively. The duo would rekindle the chemistry on a remix of Queen Bey’s “***Flawless,” from her self-titled album.
6: Your Love
Although her precise debut single, 2010’s “Massive Attack,” didn’t see the sort of industrial success she hoped for, Minaj shortly adopted it up by releasing “Your Love.” Initially included as a fast minimize on her mixtape Barbie World, the music ended up being leaked to radio stations, and DJs instantly took a liking it. What powers “Your Love” is Minaj’s flirtatious rapping and singing over a pattern of Annie Lennox’s 1995 gem “No More I Love You’s.” With just a few lyrical modifications, “Your Love” confirmed that Minaj had the power to turn into a mainstream solo star. It peaked at No.14 on the Scorching 100 and have become the primary music by a feminine artist to prime the Scorching Rap Songs chart since Lil’ Kim’s “Magic Stick” in 2003.
5: Monster (Kanye West, that includes Jay Z, Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj, and Bon Iver)
“Pull up in that monster automobile gangsta…” The remainder doesn’t want repeating, as a result of it’s most likely being recited in your head as you learn alongside. That is Nicki Minaj’s most iconic verse and her most interesting visitor look, solidifying her spot amongst her friends, each feminine, and male. Arrange for her to emerge because the victorious “Monster” MC on Kanye West’s My Lovely Darkish Twisted Fantasy, followers and critics unanimously agree that Minaj defeated West himself, alongside the observe’s different friends. Go to any occasion, have this music come on, and the gang will all take part unison, simply ready for Minaj’s verse to obliterate the others.
4: Second 4 Life (that includes Drake)
Nicki Minaj’s rise is a fairytale narrative, particularly when wanting again at her Pink Friday begin. That includes Drake, “Moment 4 Life” finds Minaj comfortably spitting bar after bar in her celebratory ode to the brand new acclaim she’s discovered. Each MCs work as good opposites, with Drake taking his likelihood to “propose” throughout his verse. Changing into a mainstay on radio, the music would peak at No.13 on the Scorching 100, whereas incomes Minaj her second No.1 on the Rap Songs chart.
3: Tremendous Bass
Already a fixture in hip-hop, Nicki Minaj wanted a music that will guarantee she’d turn into a pop crossover sensation. This energetic and glowing bonus observe from Pink Friday would turn into that go-to quantity, making her a family title all over the world. With an addictive pre-chorus and hook, “Super Bass” bought audiences conversant in the colourful nature of Minaj’s rapping and singing, finally paving the best way for the dance-pop route she would later embark on. The video for the music was her first MTV Video Music Award win, on this case for Greatest Hip-Hop Video.
2: Lookin’ Ass
Generally rappers have one music that goes for the jugular and doesn’t let up. That music usually lays every little thing out and, by the tip, there’s nothing that may be debated or picked aside. In 2014, whereas main as much as The Pinkprint, it appeared as if Minaj was going via a picture change. Bored with her pink wigs and the colourful numbers that made up Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, Minaj’s new route targeted on bars that annihilated her critics. “Lookin’ Ass” catches Minaj in her rawest type, calling out misogyny and offering lady code on the identical time. It’s hip-hop’s reply to TLC’s “No Scrubs.” however harsher. Undeniably considered one of her strongest rap performances, it greater than earns its place among the many finest Nicki Minaj songs.
1: Itty Bitty Piggy
When individuals talk about the perfect Nicki Minaj songs, they at all times return to her mixtape days. Earlier than there was a “Super Bass.” earlier than there was a collab with Beyoncé, earlier than the Lil Wayne and Drake link-ups, earlier than her show-stealing activate “Monster”… there was 2009’s “Itty Bitty Piggy,” from her 2009 mixtape, Beam Me Up Scotty. Over the reworked DJ Vacation beat of Soulja Boy’s “Donk,” Minaj drop a number of units of 16 bars that showcase her dexterity in movement, rhyming, and punchlining. She slyly references Whitley from the sitcom A Completely different World, the Little Crimson Using Hood folklore, Oscar Mayer wieners, and the Muslim salutation “As-salāmu ʿalaykum” in lower than 4 minutes. This music’s lyrical potential put Minaj on the map. It sees her at her most assured and conquering, and options all of the facets that make her the star that she is at the moment. Merely put, “Itty Bitty Piggy” is Nicki Minaj in her purest type.
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