walking upstream…
Nicki Minaj
sourcesWikipedia
Onika Maraj, better known as Nicki Minaj, is a Trinidad-born, Queens-raised rapper whose late-2000s mixtape run and 2010 debut Pink Friday made her the defining female voice in mainstream hip-hop. Famous for cartoonish alter egos, rapid register-switching, and a maximalist pop-rap sensibility, she reopened commercial space for women at the top of the rap charts.
the sound in question
2011
Super BassNicki Minaj
walk the tributaries ↓
Foxy Brown1990s · East Coast hip hop / Hardcore hip hop
Foxy Brown's cool, controlled Brooklyn delivery and glossy mafiosa persona anticipate Minaj's own hyper-confident, fashion-obsessed bars; Minaj has said she “may have never even started rapping” without Foxy.
listen: upstream & heresource: HipHopDX ↗
1996
I'll BeFoxy Brown
2010
Roman's RevengeNicki Minaj
listen forLine up Foxy's 'I'll Be' against Minaj's 'Roman's Revenge' — listen for the same unshaken, husky-cool delivery riding on top of a hard beat without ever raising its temperature.
Lauryn Hill1990s · Hip hop soul / Neo soul / R&B / Reggae
Hill's fluid move between rapped verses and full-voiced singing on the same song is a direct model for Minaj's own rap-sing hybrid tracks; Minaj has called Hill her “idol.”
listen: upstream & heresource: Vibe ↗
1998
Doo Wop (That Thing)Lauryn Hill
2010
Moment 4 LifeNicki Minaj
listen forSet Hill's 'Doo Wop (That Thing)' against Minaj's 'Moment 4 Life' — listen for the same pivot from crisp rapping into a soaring, melodic hook.
Lil' Kim1990s · East Coast hip hop / Hardcore hip hop
Lil' Kim's explicit, take-no-prisoners sexuality and constant character-changing wardrobe set a template Minaj expanded into full alter-ego mythology.
listen: upstream & here
1997
Crush on YouLil' Kim
2012
Stupid HoeNicki Minaj
listen forPlay Kim's 'Crush on You' next to Minaj's 'Stupid Hoe' — listen for the same brash, sing-song boasting and the sense that the rapper is also performing a larger-than-life character.