Nicki Minaj | Pink Friday

I recently listened to Nicki Minaj's debut album, "Pink Friday" and though I didn't think any of the tracks had any real staying power, I still don't think it was a bad listen. I saw a lot of reviews before listening to it that really smashed the record and said it wasn't good at all. I'd be lying if I said I didn't go into it with just a little bias.

Well, here's my review of the Young Money femcee's first project.

"I'm The Best"| Nicki Minaj is feeling her steez and I think everything is good here minus the hook. The problem I have with "I'm The Best" is that she couples bragging/flaunting about her lifestyle with doing it for the girls. Huh? It doesn't work. If you're doing it for the girls, then you need to talk more about issues girls face, or saying how you're doing for the girls. You rapping is not simply "doing it for the girls".

"Roman's Revenge"| Nicki Minaj does her best to take shots at her arch nemesis Lil' Kim, who fired back with Black Friday. Minaj sets out to make punchline after punchline about the Lil' Kim and does a good job putting a dent in Kim's ego in some sense. The only issue she brings along Eminem who totally negates her rhymes and energy. His rhymes/voice/ energy trumpall things Nicki Minaj unfortunately. Let me add that the majority of this track is trash. The production is awful and there is no real hook.

"Did It On Em"| "Did It On Em" The best thing about the song is the tv disses going on in the background. Nicki Minaj may have gotten Bangladesh's worst beat and didn't do anything with it anyway. #failed You DID NOT "do it on em" Nicki Minaj. I feel the swag of this song coming back to it to listen later though. It has potential. This might be a song that can grow on you.

"Right Thru Me"| This track is actually not half bad. I'd even go as far as to say I like it. This was one of the singles from the album that had an accompanying video, and I really appreciated the video because it showed another side of Nicki that I grew to love. This side of Nicki was the more feminine Nicki, rather than the one often toying with the sexual innuendo of being lesbian.

See what I mean:

"Fly" (ft @Rihanna)| Nicki Minaj excels when she lets other people do the singing. This is a good song. In"Fly" (ft @Rihanna) Nicki Minaj excels when she lets other people do the singing. This is a good song.

"Save Me"| Not a bad record actually. Still not convinced @nickiminaj is a singer though. I don't understand why she brought on actual singers to help her with this album. Thinking about this album from a performance standpoint, it will be intriguing to the least to see how Nicki chooses to perform the tracks from her record. I could see this track being used in a movie though. Preferably one of my films actually.

Moment for Life (feat Drake)| For me the execution of this track didn't work. The message of the song is cool, but it doesn't sound like an inspirational song, it sounds like a ballad. If you "feel so alive" you'd think it would sound a little more energetic than the way Nicki sings it. I can't believe the message of the song with the bad singing. And Drake's verse brings nothing to this track either. Drake's verse is mediocre, Nicki's singing is okay, but they are bopping on Young Money too much in this song. It feels like a sad song. This "Moment For Life" track goes on too long with bad singing. Nicki Minaj you are not a singer, remember? Other than that, the production is good.

Check It Out" (ft Will.I.Am)| This song embodies POP music. Nicki is assisted by Will.I.Am to crossover."Check It Out" is good for Nicki Minaj because it can relate to her younger fans too. But it is OVERLY pop. Like SUPER pop. Annoying POP.

Blazin' (feat Kanye West)| This song serves as a problem for me because I cannot take her seriously with her flaunting all these punch lines. Kanye West doesn't deliver here either in "Blazin". He rambles on a lot about nothing. He is out of his element obviously. Nicki Minaj doesn't have a message in this song, "Blazin'", she is just out to prove that she can make punch lines. I feel like this song has pop elements to it and Nicki Minaj is trying to bottle them up in hip hop and that is making it excruciating to listen to at some points.

"Here I Am"| Probably the best cut that's NOT a radio single. Solid track. An unexpected side of Nicki. Sounds like this beat was made for Cassidy. I would have been interested to see what he could have done with it.

"Dear Old Nicki"| Nicki has a conversation with her old self and I can dig it. Not bad inflection.

"Your Love"| This is the single. It definitely is a good precursor to what is to come from the rest of the album. Not really rap as much it is a pop record. Again, Nicki singing. This too has an accompanying video that unlike "Right Thru Me" doesn't do much for the song.

See what I mean:

"Last Chance ft Natasha Bedingfield"| First of all, you gotta love Natasha Bedingfield, she owns this track."Last Chance" is NOT hip hop at all. I feel like Nicki Minaj delivers very little. But the Natasha Bedingfield Nicki Minaj collab isn't bad. To fairly critique, "Last Chance" you have to look at it as a pop/crossover record than a hip hop record. From a pop standpoint it works.

"Super Bass" (feat Esther Dean)| A lot of onomatopoeias here and the idea behind this song is Nicki Minaj trying to sway a guy and her heart is beating like a bass system... hmmm.. Interesting. However, the song is again, a bit on the pop side. It is made for the black girl that enjoys pop (as much of this album is). Not a fan, but I get the idea.

"Blow Your Mind"| This track was a total waste of time. Listening to and making. Thanks for nothing Nicki. I can find nothing good about this record and believe me I'm trying. Maybe and I say may BE a good club record.... if you're like really drunk. Or on ecstasy.

"Muny"| Annoying. NEXT! If you can survive this hook, I give you a lot of credit. I was one step away from pulling the trigger, and the gun was in mouth. The skits are manageable.

"Girls Fall Like Dominoes"| Cool. Nicki likes girls. We can get along then. I like this song to an extent. I don't know exactly who is on the hook, but it works on this track. This song is a bonus song, but should have definitely been replaced by "Muny" or "Blow Your Mind" on this album.

In essence, nothing wow'ed me about Nicki Minaj music and the tracks didn't have staying power, but it wasn't too bad a listen. Yes, Nicki Minaj still needs work, but overall, the music wasn't too bad. I went into it expecting far worse than I heard. Overall, Nicki Minaj's "Pink Friday" was NOT as bad as some of the reviews stated it was. It was actually better than expected. I think Nicki Minaj is here to stay. She showed that she is more than she puts on in her shows and mix tapes. Though Nicki Minaj is a emcee, it is evident that she is very much a fan of pop and that is her major influence.

"DEVIL"

M.Night Shamalan does it again with another epic horror thriller. The same guy that brought you "The Last Airbender", "Signs" and "The Sixth Sense" doesn't fail to deliver on his latest work "Devil".

This gripping horror tells the story of five people trapped in an elevator (I know, that alone is scary enough right there). Not only is the elevator stuck, technical and mechanical malfunctions begin to happen with the elevator that force the audience and the members trapped in the elevator to be concerned for their well being.

The film begins slow. The lights cut off and when they rise, one of the women is bitten and pushed to the floor violently. This is when things get interesting. No one knows who is guilty of doing the heinous crime, but they all point fingers at one another in a guessing game of "whodoneit". Ultimately, this happens time and time again, with each time becoming more and more graphic. Finally, there is one person left who finally comes to the realization of why all this has happened. Because he comes clean of his guilt, his life is spared by the "Devil".

I thought this movie was good, but the plot line was fairly simplistic and the story line was basic. There is a twist toward the end of the movie that viewers might not see, but it is so brief that it doesn't hold a lot of weight with the viewer. I was not surprised going into the theatre. I knew what I was getting myself into. Shamalan does a great job using the things at his disposal-the lighting and sound effects. Shamalan turns the lights off to keep the audience in a state of uncertainty and paranoia, only to bring the lights up to a horrific scene. This too becomes somewhat predictable, but the audience never knows who is going to be killed next. The only clues the audience have are sound effects that lurk in the darkness of someone getting killed by the devil.

The thing I hate about this film is that it is so simplistic, yet so intriguing. I feel like I could have come up with this film and shot it. (but I don't have the brilliant mind of M.Night Shamalan)

I do like the religious undertones of the piece however, that give it more significance than just a horror film. It is also a social commentary on spirituality and coming to terms with your wrong doings.

I would recommend you rent this movie on DVD. It is okay in theatres, but not necessarily something that takes advantage of the theatre components (surround sound/big screen).

Does Christ play a role in your life?

That's a good question Josh. I'd say very little at this point. I steer away from religion simply because it serves a divisive tool for many, and I have many questions about faith and different religious practices and even biblical stories that I tend to disagree with.

It really is a struggle with me in my life right now because I'm not sure I believe in "the word" or the story of Jesus Christ, BUT the beauty of life and nature have convinced me that there is a God that cares for us and looks out for our best interests and creates our destiny for a reason.

I don't believe in hell, because I don't believe God died for us and would send us to a pool of fire if we did not please him. I don't believe in an angry, vengeful God looking down on us, judging us for our every mistake. I believe simply that God is love whether you pray to Buddah, Muhammad, or any other God. I don't believe any one religion is "right" or greater than the other.

Great question though Josh. I'd love to talk to you about it sometime and flush some things out and see why you believe the things you do. I know Christ is a big part of your life.

Ask me anything

Jay-Z's The Blueprint III

Okay, okay, okay.....

I am gonna settle the score once and for all about my criticism of Jay-Z.

People always ask me what I have against Jay and before I approach "The Blueprint III" I guess I will take a brief second to address my angst against one of the greatest emcees of all time and quite possibly the "best rapper alive".

Let me begin by saying that Jay-Z is one of the most influential characters in hip hop. The majority of us (hip hop fans today) grew up listening to Jigga's anthems and I am not exempt. I enjoyed "Big Pimpin'" and "Hard Knock Life" just as much as any other kid growing up in suburban Atlanta.

However, the "new" Jay-Z has perturbed me.

I think Jay-Z lost me with "Kingdom Come" when I could see the signs of an

imminent downfall. The production was not nearly as good as his prior albums, the compilation of the songs themselves weren't well down in my opinion and the project itself felt rushed and lacked that Jay-Z factor we all have come to love.

Honestly I was upset by the project overall, because I STILL believe "The Black Album" should have been Jay's curtain call and bridge to his new life as CEO of DefJam and owner and operator of RocNation. He did his BEST work period on that album, got the greatest producers in the game to give him their best work, and the album was brilliant in all aspects. I felt misled when news came out that Jay would be giving us a new album and when I heard the first single,"Show Me What You Got" I knew that the project would flop. His music sounded like it was aimed toward an older demographic and this is when the Age Conversation stemmed over Jay-Z's relevance in the game. We all remember Dipset taking shots at Jay for wearing a "coofie" and I believe "Kingdom Come" had a lot to do with that.

I will give Jay credit however for signing J Cole to RocNation as well as Wale. These two artists have great potential and look to have longevity in the hip hop game. I honestly think if J Cole continues on the path he is now, he will top Jay's illustrious career as an artist. He's really just that good. I have a hard time understanding why Jay-Z pushes his new project the Blueprint III rather than helping his artists excel.

The Blueprint 3 has been a long awaited project, with many people often raising questions about if it would be done and if it would actually exist. My dislike for the overall project comes for a number of reasons.

One-he has other artists he should be promoting and working on getting national acclaim and spotlight

Two-he has no need to put out another album. At this point I question his motivation or need to bombard us with more reasons of why he is the greatest rapper alive or of all time or how much money he has in the bank

Three-He's lost touch with his fan base. The hip hop audience can no longer relate to Jay in my opinion as seen in his "millionaire lifestyle", and unsettling videos such as "Onto The Next One".

But I digress. This blog is less about Jay-Z's career and more about my interpretation of what I think of his latest project "Blueprint III" and by no means think that my latest gripe about Jay-Z the PERSON, has anything to do with my approach to Jay-Z's music as an ARTIST. He is still very talented.

Track One-What We Talkin' About

This track is more so about Jay-Z dismissing the bs, that likely critics like me mention about him all the time. The instrumental, as Jay-Z often does to instrumentals, plays second fiddle to his lyrics. His splendor as an artist is far superior than the instrumental that becomes for less of a better word, background noise.

Track Two-Thank You

Jay-Z takes the modest approach in this song. Even in his attempt to be "modest", Jigga still reminds me of how great he is and how much he's done. Jay-Z mentions emcees whose taking shots at him and dismisses them in this record. The production of the track is average, but again, used to emphasize Jay's voice as oppose to the record itself. A lot of flashiness here and you can sense that the humility Jay expresses here is not genuine. He is a legend in hip hop and uses a fake sense of humility to portray the fact that he's done a lot of great things and subliminally addresses emcees that have lashed out against him.

Track Three- Empire State of Mind (featuring Alicia Keys)

Probably the best song on the entirety of the record, Alicia Keys is the perfect vocalist to pull off this song. The song is an anthem and is a catchy tune for anyone listening. There is crossover potential across many genres and appeals to a number of audiences. However, with everything that is good about this track, Jay does make a few controversial statements in this song that have you scratching your head a little.

"Hail Mary to the city you're a virgin/ Jesus can't save you/ Life begins when the church ends"

Now I'm not one to be uber religious but even I am considered about the nature of this lyric sorely because of the need for this song and how popular it has become. It has become overlooked and many people try to disgard the lyric but clearly this has implications that clearly dismiss many people's religious beliefs. I just don't understand why this was necessary for the concept of the song, why Jay didn't make the artistic decision to go with something different upon realizing how the lyric would be perceived, and why would Jay-Z discredit Jesus for having the ability to save anyone? Again, I think Jay-Z has somewhat gained a sense of invincibility and has decided that he can say anything and his audience is numb to it that they will rock along anyway. I personally disagree with Jay. I think Jesus CAN save you, and life doesn't begin when the church ends.

Track Four- Real As It Gets (featuring Young Jeezy)

Again, Jay has compiled the project of the great feature. Jeezy shines in this track, but growing up in Atlanta, a part of me wants the "Can't Ban the Snowman" Jeezy versus the commercialized studio album Jeezy that we get packaged and sent to us to sound similar in just about every song we here him on. Jeezy still thrives and the two make a great tandem on this track but the track is lukewarm at best. A little better than average production, but nothing really jumps out at you.

Track Five- On To the Next One (featuring Swizz Beats)

This is probably the best production on the CD. Swizz Beats puts together an absolutely crazy track and it in fact carries the song. The hook is just enough to keep you interested and Jay gives you more floss rap and this is the first song you pay more attention to the track than the actual rapping of the song.

However, again a dope song is overshadowed by a disturbing music video. The video has come up in many conversations with images of freemasonry and other concepts that have people again, scratching their heads wondering if Jay is part of some higher, elitist secret society and sending subliminal messages. Here: see for yourself....

Do your research and look into it for yourself.

I'm not promoting any ideas or beliefs, I am unsure on the subject myself, but I'd like to know what people think. Again, I wonder if I find this video entertaining, artistic or just plain disturbing....

Track Six- Off That (featuring Drake)

Timbaland on the track and Drake on the hook brings this Jay song to the next level. This song has crazy energy and Jay shows his versatility. I like to think of this song as Jay-Z's approach to the "futuristic movement" that is taking place in the South. In the South, people are futuristic, and Jay well, he's off that. He's already ahead of the game. Many people wanted a Drake verse on this track, but Drake is only along for the ride on the hook.

Track Seven- A Star Is Born (featuring J Cole)

This song is my favorite on the record solely because of the verse J Cole spits. If I could I'd post all the lyrics here to J Cole's verse but I want you to experience it for yourself. The track has crazy energy as well and I especially like that Jay shows his appreciation for the other emcees in the game. He even honors Nas and "Illmatic", which we all know Nas was not a big fan of Jay during the Illmatic days. Jay-Z impresses me by addressing every major figure in the hip hop game, however, it is quite puzzling to think that he thinks so highly of Drake in this song, when his OWN artist J Cole is on the track!

"Drake is up next/Watch what he do with it"

Track Eight- Venus vs Mars

Jay-Z uses another Timbaland masterpiece to paint this analogy about how he and his girl are opposite. I have a hard time trying to diagnose this song because it is unclear whether the two of them are together or if they are apart or just different but Jay uses Venus vs Mars to show how men and women are different particularly in his life. The song is more so a great track more than great lyrics aside from the mentioning of products in his rhymes. I wonder do they pay him for the free publicity?

Track Nine- Already Home (featuring Kid Cudi)

I love Kid Cudi and he seems to never disappoint me in any capacity. The same is true for this song. I think Jay-Z probably does his best work in this track. This song embodies where he is in the game right now. Jay-Z is in his own lane and he is an icon in his own right. He even addresses the fact that he's often picked on for resembling a camel. Jay-Z is "already home". He's done everything there is to do in hip hop. Therefore, he is already home. The question just raises the question,"What's next for Jay? You're already home!"

Track Ten- Hate (featuring Kanye West)

This is a PSA to all artists featuring Kanye West; don't DO it! West is a monster on the track, both from a lyrical standpoint and from a production standpoint. Jay-Z again comes strong in this track lyrically and as you're listening to it you get the sense Jay is warming up thru the record. He gets better and stronger with each track. Jay addresses the haters in this track and even seems to embrace them. Clearly he is motivated by the hate- it seems to be a driving force.

Track Eleven- Brooklyn Go Hard (featuring Santigold)

The second New York anthem of the album, this time featuring Jay's borrough, Brooklyn. This song was the first single off the record and the record is heavy. It has a feeling of the old Jay we love. The Santigold feature helps liven the Brooklyn theme and mantra, but you either love her or hate her verse when she begins to rhyme. It is different to say the least, and not what you'd expect from a song about Brooklyn, NY. Again, Jay-Z goes in on the track better than the majority of the songs on the record, but it seems as if Jay steps it up for the songs based around New York and his hometown. Jay-Z is the single force responsible for keeping New York hip hop relevant in hip hop and this song is one of the many reasons why. Without the presence of Jay, there is no one really ready to take the torch.

Track Twelve- Reminder

A friend of mine sent me this song to prepare me for the Blueprint 3 before it dropped. Jay-Z spends a lot of time on this album addressing the critics and the haters and this song is the epitome of that. He attacks the people that talk/write about him and mentions all his greatness and accomplishments. It is evident that Jay-Z was in a creative space where he was irritated by the media attention around his age and about what many people think is his decline in the music game as an emcee. So for those who are doubting him or are starting to forget the impact he's had on hip hop this last decade, here's your reminder. Thanks Jay. As if we really needed one. Is this the best content he could come up with?

Track Thirteen- So Ambitious (featuring Pharrell Williams)

Pharrell's track is crazy and his hook is just as good if not better. The record jumps out at you with the horns and drums going everywhere throughout the track. Jay-Z delivers as well as he often does about his struggles and being ambitious to accomplish his goals.

"I can't base what I'm going to be/Off of what everyone isn't"

I think the Jay-Z/Pharrell Williams collaboration is just as good as any on the record.

The only difference is that I find the two equally contributing on this track whereas on the others I feel the feature either tops Jay's contribution or Jay didn't need the feature or the feature brought very little to the table. But on this track, Jay-Z and Pharrell have an unparalleled chemistry that makes this track one of the best on the record.

Track Fourteen- Young Forever (featuring Mr Hudson)

Like Santigold, Mr Hudson is another artist you wouldn't expect Jay-Z to work with. And just like with Santigold, Mr Hudson brings that needed aspect to this song. Jay-Z's lyricism is average at best, but the hook and track carry this song to great heights. When I first I heard this song and read the title of the song, I wondered if this track was a reaction to the criticism he'd been receiving about being one of the older emcees in the game, but quite honestly it has nothing to do with that at all. Jay-Z is talking about how his music and career is forever young. It's true. His music will live on forever and be forever young.

DEAR JOHN

"Dear John" is a heart wrenching film about a long distance romance that fails. Yea, I know pretty straightforward and somewhat anti-climatic, but don't be so easily discouraged. It seems as if it would be a great story and I personally haven't read the book, but I think the book gives a lot more than the movie did. The movie runs about two hours where you are taken on a journey of a budding romance and the struggle of being in a long distance relationship; a struggle of which I personally can relate to.

Let me take you on this journey. First thing I have to mention though before I delve into the plot of the film is the response to this film itself here in Tuscaloosa, AL. I remember the first thought that went through my mind was, "Holy smokes! This place is packed!" My girlfriend and I were a few minutes late to the showing and we could barely find two seats to sit in. I still cannot understand the appeal of this film and by so many different audiences. There were different groups of people there-packs of girls, couples, children, etc all to see this sob story about a love lost in a war. My theory is that either Channing Tatum has that type of star power that attracts droves of people out to the theaters, a lot people have actually read the book (by the way it is a New York Times best seller), or the Hollywood company has done a great job promoting the film. I think it is the latter. Apparently there has been a large influx of trailers promoting this film otherwise I don't think the film would have been as crowded as it was. I digress, but this film has clearly taken off like a rocket and there is a following that could potentially make this a blockbuster box office hit soon.

However, back to the journey. John Tyree and Savannah Curtis meet, become interested in one another after two weeks, become romantically involved, and are faced with life changing dilemmas. John has obligations to the military and Savannah to college. John goes to finish up his tour when 9/11 happens and shakes things up even more. John's fraternal brotherhood of the army all elect to sign up for another tour where John is stuck wanting to go home to Savannah, but also wanting to fight in the war along side his men. John comes home to visit Savannah for a weekend where he stumbles upon the fact that he had made the decision to return for another tour. Savannah becomes hurt by the decision unaware of John's decisions and the fact that her input was not considered. However, they work things out, have sex of course, and vow to make things work for the two more years they were apart.

I mention, the sex scene, merely because it is so cliche and dramatic. Cue the cheesy dramatic music, the dramatic scene transitions that bridges on the verges of soft core porn, and the train that is the sex scene. You can hear and see it coming a mile away.

Well, as you might have imagined it doesn't work that way. Savannah ends up breaking things off with John and marrying her childhood sweetheart. John becomes immersed in the military life even after nearly losing his life, only to come home to see the waning days of his father's life. The relationship between John and his father is cold up to this point where you finally see the two of them become emotional toward one another. As an audience member, you are saddened it took his father dying for the two of them to appreciate one another.

He meets up with Savannah again for the first time in years only to see that her husband is dying and she is running out of money to care for him. John steps in, sells his father's coin collection to buy Savannah's husband more time to live and breaks things off with Savannah who obviously wants to rekindle the lost relationship.



Channing Tatum, who plays John Tyree in the film shows a lot of versatility. After his role in "Step it Up" and as a fighter in "Fighting" (great movie title there, right?) I was fearful that Tatum would be type casted into roles where he would be forced to show his physical prowess, take his shirt off and get sweaty, which I'm sure the ladies love. Though Tatum does a pretty good job in the role his love interest Amanda Seyfried, who plays Savannah, falls short to me. Her on screen presence is not captivating which led me to become disinterested and the entire time you wonder if she will ever gain any color. Seyfriend is rather pale throughout the entire film. Other than a lack of real star power or glam, Seyfriend fits the role as your everyday "girl next door" who falls for G.I. Joe. Seyfriend is in fact however, a capable actress. She delivers in the role of Savannah, a heartfelt role and you do leave the theatre feeling bad for her after seeing this film. In her previous role in "Mean Girls" Seyfriend is seen as weak and easily manipulative; again a role I thought she would be molded into for Hollywood scripts for a time to come. However Seyfriend solidified herself as able to carry a romantic part.

The Tatum and Seyfriend romance is somewhat unbelievable in my estimation to the on camera aesthetics of things. Tatum's real occupation is a model and he outshines Seyfriend on many different levels throughout the film, acting and visually. As a guy it is very rare to see a film where you think to yourself that the male part is extremely more attractive than than female part. However, this is the case in this film. Tatum's character seems to be a way out of Seyfriend's league but the film wants you to believe that Seyfriend's character, Savannah, has an enchanting charm and personality that swoons John. The beginning romance is somewhat cliche' and almost unbearable as you feel as if you are being drawn into another chapter of "The Notebook" part Two. However after the commonplace love scenes and romantic dates, the movie actually becomes a little more interesting.

To my surprise, author Nicholas Sparks stays particularly impartial about any political views on the war and makes John's character a desensitized soldier who feels that war is an obligation. He exhibits no real emotion to the cause of the war, doesn't have any particular views on whether or not he supports the war or not, but that maybe by design. 9/11 is a very controversial subject. There is a scene where the family weighs in on the fact that the war will last longer than expected, but other than that there are no apparent references to whether or not the war is a necessary battle. The war is only there to act as the main antagonist of the film and is the cause of the separation of John and Savannah.

In closing, the film made me want to read the book. The film takes some liberties that I feel hurts the story, or it may be that the story is not as good as advertised. I would give this film a C, and would not spend money going to see this film. Wait for the DVD.