In Need of Change (And Some Nicki)

This year has been nothing short of a revolution in my life, starting with July 2010 when I finished writing my second (still unpublished) novel, continuing with a very (socially) wild Fall 2010 semester, and ending with unforeseen good fortune in these first few months of 2011. That being said, I'm cruising for new ideas to spice up this blog. I can't keep reviewing stuff people have already heard, mainly because I don't have enough time or the means to track down new music before it gets released. By the time I review it, it's mostly old news. And besides, just doing a regular review is nothing cool - you could read that in Rock Sound or SPIN or whatever.

I guess I'm saying I need a new angle, somehow. Suggestions are welcome, although I'm really just wondering aloud here. To be honest, I'm kind of over this blog. It was created as 1) a hobby/distraction back in the Summer of '09 and 2) because I thought I wanted to review music for a living, like a columnist or something, but I don't want to do that anymore. But I suppose it's still a good hobby.

Anyway, if I'm gonna keep up with it, I might as well spill my guts about my latest musical crush: Nicki Minaj, the newest pop diva out to shock you with her ingenious (or maybe insane) outfits and hairstyles and - of course - music. You've all heard her featured in songs by other artists like Lil Wayne and Jay Sean, and with her debut album Pink Friday out somewhat recently, she's been the talk of the pop/hip-hop world. My favorite songs are those she is featured in, like "2012" by Jay Sean and "Bottom's Up" by Trey Songz, mainly because Nicki gets to sing the best lines.

But my favorite of Nicki's work actually doesn't come from Pink Friday. It's a song called "Girlfriend," which is hilarious and catchy and often gets blasted in my car and screamed back and forth with some of my best friends. Basically, the song is about your "BFF Girlfriend" (who is rather more than a friend) in which Nicki pulls off the most absurd lyrics, such as my personal favorite: "Would you like some rice with that? / We get a lotta cheese, no mice with that / I mean, I want some ice with that / No soda, where your owner? / Give ya license back, ho!" Does it make any sense? Not really, but it still sounds amazing. And the rather clever lyric: "Get them bottles of Rose, one Long Island Ice-ee Tea / Put my bracelet in the mirror, I see me, icy me - get it?" (And if you don't like it, too bad, it all sounds awesome when you're tipsy, in which case no one cares if it doesn't make any sense!)

I'm really not much of a rap fan except for some classic Eminem, but this chick's got attitude and she'll go far with it, despite the competition of the pop genre with goddesses like Gaga floating around. On the surface, Nicki's songs seem like they're all about partying, fame, and money...but there's a harshness underneath, a certain fiery aggression that I've only seen flauted in female artists like Missy Elliot - but Nicki goes above and beyond with her Gaga-esque flair for flamboyant fashion. Keep an eye on this star - Nicki Minaj isn't done shocking her fans and stirring up the critics, not by a long shot.

Hope you all had a good weekend,
Emily Noel