There's no need for me to introduce her, unless you've spent the last two years in the wardrobe that leads to Narnia. Nicki Minaj became one of the most influent hip hop artist of the world in a two-year time. I call that everything except sillyness.
PANORAMIC VIEW
Her pink wig hair, generous curves, oversized eyelashes and tendency to provoke puritans minds made people say she was sulfurous, fake, a sl*t, irrespectuous, a sk*nk... People, take a seat. She's giving a new breath to the hip hop genre. There's no one who's rapping like Nicki Minaj, no one that went as far as she did and that's something no one can take from her. Here again we're dealing with someone that doesn't know what 'playing safe' means.
It's very hard for women to establish themselves into the overcrowded hip hop industry. They all fight to survive; in order to evolve in it, you need to be tough and determined to succeed. That's something Nicki Minaj applied with a rare elegance, taking classes at the prestigious LaGuardia High School of Manhattan, before being scouted by Fendi and then Lil Wayne. As Drake said before her 2012 Grammy's performance, she is one of the most intelligent hip hop artist the world has ever welcomed in its arms. She succeeded in becoming an icon, a source of inspiration for incoming new artists and an example for all the women that don't use their talent by fright of being rejected. She's also an eminent gay-friendly and feminist activist.
ONIKA & HER ALTER-EGOS
The first album Pink Friday was released in 2010; the second, Roman Reloaded, in 2012. These two records are brilliant, fascinating, inspiring and questionning. By listening to the tracks you can't help to ask yourself: But who is this Nicki Minaj? Who is this Roman Zolanski?
That's precisely what happens when an artist does his job properly. Heavy beats and sharp lyrics strike out as layers of her complex personalities go through the names of Roman Zolanski (a gay twin brother that only shows up when she's angry), Martha Zolanski (Roman's mother, appearing on 'Roman's Revenge') and Nicki Minaj (first named Cookie and then 'Harajaku Barbie' during her childhood).
We then understand that Nicki Minaj is a character that protects Onika, the 'real' Nicki Minaj; a girl with a troubled childhood struggling with a drugged, alcoholic and violent father.
THE 2012 GRAMMY'S PERFORMANCE
The American Catholic League condemned her live representation that staged an exorcism for the hit 'Roman Holiday' (Roman's Exorcism to be more precise). Too bad for them, they obviously missed something; the performance was truly amazing. It was scary and emotional, while looking at it you actually get trapped into her singular imagination.
Nicki is something tough and irreversible I'm afraid, as she has the whole package. She's pretty, smart, tolerant, talented, funny, creative, challenging, resourceful and I could continue for ages like this, but it would prevent you from seeing again her performance just below!
'Roman Holiday', Grammy Awards - February 2012
PS: Who said she only was a rapper?
'Right By My Side' ft. Chris Brown - May 2012