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Nicki Minaj’s Roman Reloaded: Tyga, Big Sean Pick Favorites

‘I like the ones where she’s really taking it back to the essence with the rap,’ Sean tells MTV News of his friend and collaborator. By Rob Markman, with reporting by James Lacsina Nicki Minaj’s Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded Photo: Universal No doubt Nicki Minaj ‘s Barbz are excited for the release of her Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, but a few of her collaborators are also checking for Nicki’s sophomore LP, in stores now. Tyga took a break from his “I’m Gone” video shoot in Lynwood, California, on Monday to talk Pink Friday with MTV News. “I love it,” Nicki’s fellow Young Money soldier said. “I get the concept behind the album. This is her album, and she’s really talkin’ that sh– and tellin’ people they need to glorify her and what she’s done.” Tyga is clearly proud of his labelmate, dubbing her “one of the biggest female artists out right now.” He has a few Roman Reloaded favorites, but his #1 is “I Am Your Leader,” featuring Rick Ross and Cam’ron. Big Sean, who guests on Tyga’s “I’m Gone,” was also on set. Initially, Sean said he was supposed to work on Nicki’s sophomore set, but things didn’t pan out. “I was supposed to be on her album, we were supposed to do something, and then it never worked out at the last minute, but we got some more stuff in the works,” he teased. Judging from the double-platinum success of Sean and Nicki’s “Dance (A$$)” remix, a future collaboration sounds like a no-brainer. Until then, the G.O.O.D. Music MC is enjoying tracks from Roman Reloaded. “I definitely like the one with Chris Brown,” Sean said, referencing Nicki’s “Right by My Side.” “I like the ones where she’s really taking it back to the essence with the rap, sounding like a lot of her early work, her mixtape work.” To celebrate the release of Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, we will be examining the “Evolution of Nicki Minaj” throughout the week. Check MTV News every day to see how the Southside Jamaica, Queens, Barbie went from a promising mixtape standout to rap’s reigning queen. Related Videos The Evolution Of Nicki Minaj Related Artists Nicki Minaj Tyga Big Sean

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Nicki Minaj’s Roman Reloaded: Tyga, Big Sean Pick Favorites

Nicki Minaj Finishes Explicit ‘Beez In The Trap’ Video

Clip for Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded single with 2 Chainz is ‘real sexy,’ Minaj tells MTV News. By Rob Markman, with reporting by Kelly Marino Nicki Minaj Photo: MTV News Nicki Minaj isn’t just creative in the studio — she puts it down on the video set as well. With her first album, we saw the Harajuku Barbie and Amber Rose get their “Thelma & Louise” on in the “Massive Attack” clip, and then saw Nicki the Ninja fight for her man in the “Your Love” video. In the clip for “Fly,” the reigning rap queen sang alongside Rihanna in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, and then, in the bright and cheery “Super Bass” vid, she proved that even the baddest Barbs just want to have fun. Makes you wonder what Nicki has in store visually for her sophomore LP, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded , in stores Tuesday (April 3). We’ve already gotten the Hype Williams-directed “Stupid Hoe,” but there is no telling what Nicki will do next — though we’ll soon find out. “You’re getting two videos: You’re getting the ‘Starships’ video, which I’m hoping it will hurry up and happen,” she told MTV News on Thursday after her “American Idol” performance in L.A. Fans have already gotten a small taste of the ‘Starships’ vid thanks to the set pics that leaked earlier this month of Nicki in a pink bikini, but the Young Money hitmaker still has to do color corrections before the visual is complete. Minaj plans to first release the video for her 2 Chainz-assisted single “Beez in the Trap.” “I actually finished the editing for ‘Beez in the Trap,’ which features 2 Chainz, and … I love that video,” Nicki gushed. She guessed the ‘Beez in the Trap’ clip would come out Tuesday in conjunction with her album release, but couldn’t say with 100 percent confidence. Regardless of its drop date though, Nicki promised quality. “It’s real sexy,” she boasted. “There’s a clean version and an explicit version, and it’s goin’ to be poppin’.” To celebrate Tuesday’s (April 3) release of Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded , we will be examining the “Evolution of Nicki Minaj” throughout the week. Check MTV News every day to see how the Southside Jamaica, Queens, Barbie went from a promising mixtape standout to rap’s reigning queen. Related Videos The Evolution Of Nicki Minaj

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Nicki Minaj Finishes Explicit ‘Beez In The Trap’ Video

How Madonna Got ‘Badass’ Nicki Minaj, M.I.A. On MDNA

Producer Martin Solveig tells MTV News about recording ‘Give Me All Your Luvin,’ ‘I Don’t Give A’ and ‘B-Day Song’ with three fierce ladies. By Jocelyn Vena Madonna, Nicki Minaj and M.I.A. Photo: Getty Images As if just having Madonna on her own album wasn’t enough, the Queen of Pop enlisted the help of two hip-hop princesses to up the girl-power quotient on MDNA . As she sat down with producer Martin Solveig to whip up tunes for her latest studio album, when it came time to bring more feistiness to the already-sassy album, she knew the only two artists who could perfectly compliment her were Nicki Minaj and M.I.A. (Maya Arulpragasam). Solveig explained to MTV News how the twosome came to appear alongside Madge on the album’s lead single, “Give Me All Your Luvin.” “I had this idea of just creating this sort of mini-gimmick that you could very easily use in the stadium or arena,” he said of the cheerleader-inspired chant in the song. “And so I thought of that, which was very basic. … That was the start. “In the first place, it was just the intro, and then it became a bit more of a gimmick, and she liked it, and so she thought, ‘We should have sidekicks to perform with me on the this.’ … She thought of very naturally Nicki and Maya to perform this because they are badass girls. “I was very surprised [it was the first single], and then it made it totally sense with her Super Bowl [performance] because, yes, it was definitely the Super Bowl song. And when we started, it was definitely not the case,” he explained. “We wanted to do something like this. It was a little surf-y. Then I guess when the Super Bowl was confirmed, they thought it would work for that, and I think it did.” Solveig broke down the recording sessions he and the ladies had for not only “Give Me,” but also the scathing “I Don’t Give A,” which features Nicki, and the funky “B-Day Song,” which has M.I.A. “We were the studio both one day with Nicki and two days with Maya,” he said. “They have both very strong personalities and very different. Nicki’s very pro. She’s like, once she arrives and she spends some time, she writes, seriously, her stuff and then she records very quickly, and she’s like bang . “And with Maya, she’s a bit more arty,” he said. “I didn’t see them together. I would have loved to witness this. Definitely, [Madonna] was definitely the perfect [middle].” The “I Don’t Give A” collaboration got a lot of press, thanks to its seemingly overt reference to Madonna’s life and her split from director Guy Ritchie. “A few days after I finalized the song, she finished the lyrics of ‘I Don’t Give A,’ and I could feel there was a lot of references to her life,” he said. “Nothing that I really know of, because you don’t know that kind of stuff, but then I saw it was very commented everywhere.” In the end, when it’s all said and done, Solveig noted that working with Madge was pretty awesome. “I got a call last year from [her manager] Guy Oseary, and he wanted to know if I was in town working, and that was the phone call of a lifetime when you’re a producer, when you heard all the legend and all the story. So I took the next plane and went to meet with Madonna, and I quickly got to work. “In the first place, it’s very confus[ing] because everything that’s all together, you have a very kind person in front of you, [and] you’re like, ‘Can you imagine who you’re talking to?’ and she’s very natural,” he continued. “She’s very easy-going, so you tend to forget it. But, of course, the first time, it’s crazy.”

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How Madonna Got ‘Badass’ Nicki Minaj, M.I.A. On MDNA

Nicki Minaj Deserves Her Own Genre On Roman Reloaded

MC serves up hip-hop and pop on the bipolar Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, which leaked online Wednesday. By Rob Markman Nicki Minaj Photo: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images Search for Nicki Minaj ‘s Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded in iTunes, and you’ll find that it’s tucked tight in the hip-hop/rap section, but putting Nick’s sophomore album in the confines of a single genre only tells half the story. The album was illegally leaked onto the Internet on Wednesday night, but when Barbs officially unwrap Roman’s new LP on April 3, they’ll find a culmination of her musical growth neatly sequenced in a symmetrical pop/rap package. The first half of Roman Reloaded recalls Nicki the Ninja’s mixtape days, where she spewed nothing but venom on tracks like “I Get Crazy” and “Itty Bitty Piggy.” The album opener, “Roman Holiday,” isn’t unfamiliar, but the theatrical track which Nicki brought to life at the 2012 Grammys makes more sense in the context of the LP. The vaudevillian hook gives way to some pretty clever rhymes that many may have missed during the much-panned televised performance. “Anyway stylists go get Bulgari/ I am the ultimate Svengali/ You bitches can’t even spell that/ You hoes buggin’ repel that,” she spits before getting schizophrenic, switching up to a flow that has hints of the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard. Sure, Nicki is a pop icon, but these days, so are Jay-Z and Lil Wayne. The Young Money superstar refuses to give up any rap ground, however, and the first seven tracks from Roman Reloaded are unapologetically street. The Hit-Boy-produced “Come On a Cone” and “I Am Your Leader” are both anchored by bass-rattling beats and both find Nicki (as Roman) inviting haters to her figurative male genitalia. On the latter, the Female Weezy pounds her chest alongside Rick Ross and Cam’ron, baiting her competition with lines like: “Nunchuck her, no time to duck her/ Sign of the cross ’cause this is her last supper.” Roman Reloaded has more rap features than her 2010 debut: 2 Chainz shows up for “Beez in the Trap” and Wayne appears twice, once on the title track and then again on “Sex in the Lounge.” Nicki then gives the hood some inspiration with Nas, Drake and Young Jeezy in tow on the uplifting “Champion,” but shortly after that, the bipolar LP takes a sharp turn. Rather than mix hip-hop with her ever-growing pop sensibilities, Nicki presents Roman Reloaded as a two-parter. If cassettes were still the music medium of choice, there’d be a stark contrast between the A and B sides. RedOne’s pulsating sound dominates on the Harajuku Barbie’s current top 10 single “Starships” and continues for five songs straight — the sequencing is not coincidental. “Pound the Alarm” is an adrenaline-laced fist-pumper, and “Whip It” proves that the reigning rap queen picked up quite a few tricks touring alongside Britney Spears last year. “Automatic” is another sweat-inducing dance anthem that should keep Minaj on the charts while her rap fare will keep her in the conversation amongst the hottest MCs. Over the course of 19 tracks, the Barbs should find a song to suit their every mood. “Fire Burns” for when they’re nursing heartbreak, “Marilyn Monroe” for when the world seems to be just too much and “Hov Lane” when they want to celebrate their relative victories. Since her come-up days, Nick has refused to be put in a box. With her cocksure rap demeanor, it’s hard to ignore her hip-hop roots, but when you factor in her ability to craft a popular tune, the possibilities become endless. Roman Reloaded is a further realization of those infinite possibilities, so instead of defining Nicki Minaj by category, maybe it’s time to give her own genre. What do you think of Nicki Minaj’s Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded ? Tell us in the comments! Related Artists Nicki Minaj

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Nicki Minaj Deserves Her Own Genre On Roman Reloaded

Nicki Minaj Dons Pink Bikini For ‘Starships’ Video

Photos from the Hawaii set leaked online Wednesday, revealing Nicki with greenish-blue hair. By Rob Markman Nicki Minaj Photo: MTV News Green hair? Check. Pink bikini? Check. Exotic shoot location? Check. Must be time for another Nicki Minaj video. On Wednesday morning, pictures from the set of Nicki’s “Starships” video leaked online with the Young Money rap queen decked out in a pink bikini, pink heels and greenish-blue hair. Yesterday Nicki arrived in Hawaii and shared the experience with her fans via Twitter. “The kids @ the airport were like: waikikiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!! I bust out laughin,” she wrote . The multi-faceted MC engaged her followers and of course let off an obligatory Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded tweet, once again reminding fans of her sophomore album’s April 3 release date, though we’re sure a good portion of her 10 million plus followers already have the date marked on their calendars. The three photos that made their way onto the Internet only show Nicki, some production hands and a few female models, but it’s the male eye candy that has the female Weezy the most excited. “Can’t wait 2get on set,” she wrote . “Dem male modelz iz poppinton #starshipsvideo.” The top 5 Hottest MC finalist dropped her RedOne-produced single on Valentine’s Day, and while the pop track doesn’t show off much of Nicki’s lyrical prowess, it has clearly resonated with music fans — it is currently sitting at #36 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. During an interview after her 2012 NBA All-Star Game performance in February, Nicki told MTV News that though she began as a rap artist, she is completely comfortable with her hold on popular music these days. “I guess I am pop culture just because what I’m doing seems to be popular. When people want to do what you’re doing, it’s kinda popular,” she said. “I don’t ask girls to wear pink hair; they just do it. It’s not about black or white; I think it’s just a statement. It doesn’t matter which color you are; it’s just a statement of being fearless.” She also predicted big things for Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded. “April 3 is gonna be a doozy. It’s gonna be crazy,” Nicki said of her album release date. “It’s gonna be important for just hip-hop culture and pop culture. It’s gonna be very big.” Are you excited for Nicki’s Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded ? Leave your comment below! Related Artists Nicki Minaj

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Nicki Minaj Dons Pink Bikini For ‘Starships’ Video

Italian chick raps for Playboy

When chicks try to be funny or witty or do things like rapping – unless they are Nicki Minaj you just have to laugh Continue reading

Nicki Minaj Makes ‘Fearless’ Statement With Music

‘I don’t ask girls to wear pink hair; they just do it,’ Nicki Minaj tells MTV News of her growing popularity. By Rob Markman Nicki Minaj Photo: MTV News ORLANDO, Florida — Who says divas have to be difficult? After her performance at the start of the NBA’s 2012 All-Star Game on Sunday, Nicki Minaj graciously invited MTV News into her dressing room before she even got a chance to catch her breath. Once inside, the reigning rap queen spoke on balancing her pop status with her hip-hop background and used her recent Grammy performance to contextualize things. “That’s just who I am. I was a theater major; I studied theater,” Nicki Minaj told MTV News. “It’s funny because, even with the Grammys, that wasn’t the first time I’ve done theater. Like ‘Moment 4 Life,’ I did a skit I was pretending to be an old lady, Martha, when I did ‘Right Thru Me,’ I did a skit. I always try to do that when I have the forum to do it.” Before she took the stage to perform “Roman Holiday” at the 2012 Grammy Awards ceremony, Nicki prefaced her stage show with the “Exorcism of Roman” mini-movie. Her recent theatrics, which have drawn a ton of criticism, aren’t a far cry from the skits that appeared in her “Moment 4 Life” and “Right Thru Me” videos. Nicki may have started out a rapper, but she has grown to be so much more. A number of her recently released songs, which are being used to set up her sophomore Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, have been pop affairs. From the RedOne-produced “Starships” to “Roman Holiday,” there will be songs that will exist outside of the canon of traditional hip-hop. However, Nicki’s recently released “Roman Reloaded” single featuring Lil Wayne proves that she can still spit bars with the best of them. (After all, she did rank #4 on MTV News’ “Hottest MCs in the Game” list.) Still, Nicki insists that she is merely being herself. “I guess I am pop culture just because what I’m doing seems to be popular. When people want to do what you’re doing, it’s kinda popular,” she reasoned. “I don’t ask girls to wear pink hair; they just do it. It’s not about black or white; I think it’s just a statement. It doesn’t matter which color you are; it’s just a statement of being fearless.” Being fearless is also about knowing when to cut an interview short. “OK, bye, y’all. Get out of my dressing room,” Nicki joked. What did you think of Nicki Minaj’s performance at the NBA All-Star Game? Leave your comment below! Related Photos Nicki Minaj’s NBA All-Star Game Performance

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Nicki Minaj Makes ‘Fearless’ Statement With Music

Nicki Minaj Talks Hottest MCs At NBA All-Star Game

After performing ‘Super Bass,’ MC walked offstage and celebrated her Hottest MCs placement with MTV News. By Rob Markman Nicki Minaj performs at the 2012 NBA All-Star Game on Sunday Photo: Ronald Martinez/ Getty Images ORLANDO, Florida — All the stars are out for the 2012 NBA All-Star Game, but before basketball’s biggest names took the court at Orlando’s Amway Center, Ms. Nicki Minaj set the party off right. The reigning queen of rap rocked her smash single “Super Bass” in the jam-packed b-ball arena. Wearing a skintight white jumpsuit and a blond and pink hairdo, the Young Money MC spit her bars and hit her dance steps in front of the thousands of fans in Amway and the millions watching at home. After the short set, Nicki strutted back to her dressing room and spotted MTV News on the way. The topic of conversation? MTVs Hottest MCs in the Game VII , of course. Nicki placed #4 on the list and proceeded to talk her ish as a true MC should. “Hottest MCs #4, let’s get it,” she boasted with a Queens swagger. “That’s big, though. I deserve it. I put in work.” On Thursday night Nicki released her new single “Roman Reloaded” with Lil Wayne, and on the new single from her upcoming sophomore album she made sure to brag and boast. Only Rick Ross, Drake and Kanye West placed higher, giving Minaj the highest Hottest ranking for a female MC in the history of the debate. Nicki was initially slotted at #5 with Young Money boss Wayne clocking in at #4, but several members of the MTV Hottest Brain Trust felt strongly enough about Nicki’s accomplishments mixed with her lyrical impact and ability to more than hold her own when playing with the boys warranted a second look at her ranking. Hottest MCs moderator Sway Calloway called for a vote and in the end, six of the nine experts elected to move Nicki up to the #4 spot, sending Weezy down to #5. What did you think of Nicki Minaj’s “Super Bass” performance at the start of 2012 NBA All-Star Game? Tell us in the comments! Related Photos NBA All-Star Game | Nicki Minaj Performance Related Artists Nicki Minaj

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Nicki Minaj Talks Hottest MCs At NBA All-Star Game

Lil Wayne Proves It’s Still Wayne’s World As #5 Hottest MC

The Martian’s double-platinum album and star-studded YMCMB roster land him firmly on MTV News’ Hottest MCs in the Game VII list. By MTV News staff Lil Wayne Photo: Getty Images On Tha Carter IV, Lil Wayne raps about his “Nightmares of the Bottom.” While the sentiment revealed a humbler side of Tunechi, the Martian reached astronomical heights in 2011 and lands in the top half of MTV News’ Hottest MCs in the Game VII list. But Weezy’s winning year was even more impressive when you consider that the Cash Money soldier spent most of 2010 behind bars . With little time to prepare, Wayne hit 2011 hard beginning with the smash rap single (and Carter IV lead track) “6 Foot 7 Foot.” As with many albums, C4 saw a ton of delays, but Weezy made up for things with his Sorry 4 the Wait mixtape . When the fourth installment of the Carter series finally arrived on August 28 (after a show-closing VMA performance), Wayne moved 964,000 copies in a single week, just barely missing the platinum-in-a-week mark he hit with 2008’s Carter III. Want to join the debate? Just hit us on Twitter using the hashtag #HottestMC! “Wayne had a strong year; almost a million in a week doesn’t lie,” said Yomi Desalu, MTV’s senior director of music and talent. “He’s definitely remained relevant for the whole year and once he came out, he hit the ground running.” HOT STREAK Album: Tha Carter IV Selected Mixtapes: Sorry 4 the Wait Singles: “How to Love,” “She Will” (featuring Drake), “Mirror” (featuring Bruno Mars) Street Bangers: “6 Foot 7 Foot” (featuring Cory Gunz), “John” (featuring Rick Ross) Key Guest Appearances: Kelly Rowland’s “Motivation,” B.o.B’s “Strange Clouds,” Ace Hood’s “Hustle Hard” (remix), Drake’s “The Motto” Meteoric Metrics: Wayne’s #1 Carter IV moved 964,000 copies in its first week and has been certified double-platinum by the RIAA Business Ventures: Young Money CEO continued to clock dollars off record sales from Drake and Nicki Minaj; launched Trukfit clothing line Tours: I Am Still Music run took Wayne across three continents and raked in $47 million Monumental Moment: Hours after closing out the MTV VMAs in August, Tunechi released Tha Carter IV, earning a platinum plaque in just 14 days. Forecast: Wayne should continue to dominate in 2012. YM president Mack Maine predicted that Weezy will drop sequels to Rebirth and I Am Not a Human Being, and Tha Carter V is always a possibility. “I think that’s an understatement, that he remained relevant. I think that he maintained his dominance,” said Rob Markman, MTV News’ senior hip-hop writer. When we talk about Wayne, nobody [has] sold a million in a week — since Lil Wayne. Quite frankly, I think #4 is too low.” It was another banner year for Wayne. His first-week sales were higher than that of any other rap artist and his I Am Still Music Tour, Video Music Award performance and “MTV Unplugged” special proved that the YMCMB CEO was as impactful as ever. Granted, Weezy’s 2011 style and swag were an acquired taste (see his VMA animal-print jeggings and the day-Glo-green moon boots he sported in Drake’s “Motto” video), but his lyrical prowess on songs like “It’s Good” could not be denied. Some members of the Hip-Hop Brain Trust insisted that the Wayne train had lost a bit of steam though. “You talk about Sorry 4 the Wait, people were disappointed that it wasn’t No Ceilings. People were disappointed that Tha Carter IV was not Tha Carter III, ” said MTV Jams’ Tuma Basa. A few even contended that Weezy was riding off of the success of his Young Money artists Nicki Minaj and Drake. Did the students surpass the teacher? One roundtable panelist argued that Nicki the Ninja, who debuted on the “Hottest MCs” list at #6 in 2010 , had bested her sensei. “I definitely think over the past year Nicki’s singles have actually resonated with her fans. I don’t think any of Wayne’s songs [have] — if you want to say ‘John’ that’s a Rick Ross record; if you want to say ‘She Will,’ it was a Drake record,” said Steven Roberts, a producer/writer at MTV News. The Wayne/Nicki argument became so strong in fact that moderator and show host Sway Calloway decided to take a vote. In a most surprising turn, six of the nine experts elected to move Nicki Minaj up to the #4 spot and Lil Wayne down to #5. Still, no matter how you slice the pie, it’s all Young Moola, baby! What do you think of our list? Sound off on MTV News’ “Hottest MCs in the Game VII” using the hashtag #HottestMC! Related Videos ‘Hottest MCs In The Game VII’

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Lil Wayne Proves It’s Still Wayne’s World As #5 Hottest MC

Mz Shyneka’s Word On The Streets! [AUDIO]

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Did you miss Mz Shyneka’s Word on the Streets News today? In today’s Word on the Streets, Lil Kim says she’s gonna get Nicki Minaj, and a hair dresser could be Khloe Kardashian’s dad!

Mz Shyneka’s Word On The Streets! [AUDIO]