The Pinkprint
The Pinkprint is the third studio album by rapper Nicki Minaj. It was released on December 15, 2014, by Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records and Republic Records. Departing from the dance-pop elements of her previous album, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, The Pinkprint is driven by Minaj's traditional hip hop roots. Minaj executive produced the album alongside Birdman, Lil Wayne, and Ronald Williams.
The Pinkprint received generally positive reviews from music critics, with many complimenting its production and personal lyrics. It was included in several publications' year-end and decade-end lists. In 2016, it received a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Album. The album peaked at number two on the US Billboard 200 with 244,000 album-equivalent units in its first week, of which 198,000 were pure sales. It also charted within the top ten in Canada, Norway, and Sweden, and the top twenty in Australia, Croatia, Finland, and Greece. As of December 2015, it has sold 682,000 pure copies in the US, and has since been certified 2× Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.
The Pinkprint spawned six singles: "Pills n Potions", "Anaconda", "Only", "Bed of Lies", "The Night Is Still Young", and the initially iTunes-exclusive track "Truffle Butter". "Anaconda" peaked at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming Minaj's highest-charting single at the time, while four other singles peaked within the top 40. To promote the album, Minaj embarked on her third concert tour, titled The Pinkprint Tour, from March to August 2015, spanning more than fifty shows over the five months.
Background and production
In 2013, Minaj stated that she would begin writing material for her third album later that year, after production was completed for her supporting role in her first feature film, The Other Woman. She noted that there were currently no featured artists on the record, and commented that she was "just enjoying creative process". Recording sessions for the album took place at Jungle City Studios New York, NY; Evdon Studios, Toronto, Canada; Glenwood Recording Studios, Burbank, CA; Luke's In The Boo, Malibu, CA; Record Plant, Hollywood, CA; Conway Recording Studios, Los Angeles, CA; and Eightysevenfourteen Studios, Los Angeles, CA. In November 2013, Minaj described the project as "next level", "very different from anything I've done", adding that she had explored pop music but never had the intention to continue with the genre.During the recording process Minaj recorded two songs that were inspired by Irish Celtic singer-songwriter Enya; Minaj stated that the songs contain "airiness and the whimsicalness" that reminded her of Enya. In 2014, singer-songwriter Skylar Grey wrote and recorded a demo version of a song entitled "Bed of Lies" and the song was later sent to Minaj, who wrote and recorded verses of her own to the song. In August 2014, Minaj's manager informed her that Beyoncé wanted to make a remix of "Flawless" with her, and in return she would feature on The Pinkprint. Minaj said that she wrote her verse in New York and Beyoncé visited her in the studio and encouraged her. During the album's production, Minaj worked with a variety of people including Dr. Luke, Ester Dean, Boi-1da and Detail. Minaj also hoped to have guest features from Rihanna and Drake. While Rihanna did not appear on the album, Drake was featured on two songs from the album, along with fellow Young Money labelmate Lil Wayne, on "Only" and "Truffle Butter", with the latter appearing exclusively on the deluxe edition of the album.
In September, Minaj stated that "it was her best album to date", saying she had grown as a writer and was able to speak about topics that she had felt uncomfortable sharing two years ago. Later that month, Minaj characterized the album as consisting of "raw talent, emotion, hard spitting and everything that people have come to love about Nicki Minaj". In November 2014, Minaj revealed she had recorded 25 songs for the album, stating she would find a song that "sits" with her and then mold that track for a while until she was satisfied; she said her biggest problem during the recording process was cutting songs from the final track listing as each track was "special" to her. In November 2014, Minaj described the record as "personal" and an "emotional rollercoaster" to MTV News.
The album's title was inspired by The Blueprint by Jay-Z, with Minaj stating that "He did such a great job of creating this Blueprint brand for male rappers and I wanted to do that female rappers to be able to pattern themselves with what I've done one day". In an interview, Minaj was asked what similarities there were with Jay Z's album, to which she replied:
Music and lyrics
The Pinkprint is primarily a hip hop album. Speaking on the album's musical style, Minaj stated that the album would "focus on rap" and "feed the core rap fan", whereas Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded explored more prominent elements of dance music. In April 2014, Minaj told MTV News "the tracks on are back to my hip-hop roots. And I don't think it's something that I'm necessarily trying to do as soon as I started working on my new album, that's just the songs that I've been writing". Minaj stated the album's lyrics touch upon themes of her family, loss, death and her struggle with guilt. The Pinkprint opens with the autobiographical song, "All Things Go", which was described as a sequel to Minaj's song "Autobiography" off her Sucka Free mixtape in 2008. A mid-tempo ballad, which slowly unfolds and contains "heavy beats and heavy bass" along with "subtle synths". The lyrics discuss a wide range of personal issues Minaj has faced, from reflecting on fame and the speed in which her life has moved, to strained relationships with her family including the murder of her cousin Nicholas Telemaque, to her relationship with her mother and her own child which references an abortion. "I Lied" is a ballad that contains a torpid production that does not change tempo. Lyrically, the song revolves around a "complicated regret" in which Minaj admits she denied her love for a man in order to stop him from breaking her heart. "The Crying Game" features initially uncredited vocals from British musician Jessie Ware, before being officially credited at a later date. The song mixes "sombre balladry with downbeat guitar loops" and is described as one of the album's most emotional songs. During the song, Minaj alternates between "devastating verses and pensive crooning" whilst Ware adds "haunting" and "soulful" vocals to the chorus. During an interview for Malcolm Music, Ware revealed how the collaboration came about, saying that she wrote the song with Pop Wansel for her own album Tough Love but ultimately felt that it didn't fit the album. Wansel subsequently sent the song to Minaj, who recorded her own vocals to turn the song into a collaboration between Ware and Minaj. Initial pressings of the album did not list Ware as being featured, something Ware added was a mistake and later corrected."Get on Your Knees" features vocals from American singer Ariana Grande. Minaj raps in a "trance-like" style as she demands things from her male partner, which hints at oral sex, and is described as a "fetish obsession with seeing their man on all fours". "Feeling Myself" features singer-songwriter Beyoncé, and is built over a West Coast synth, driving bass and drums along with bells and whistles incorporated into the production. "Only" is a hip-hop song that features guest appearances from Drake, Lil Wayne, and Chris Brown, who sings the chorus of the song. The song contains an "icy" production that sits "ominously" underneath dirty lyrical metaphors. "Want Some More" features lyrics that see Minaj stroking her own ego and check anyone who dares to doubt her worth. During the song, Minaj makes references to Eminem, Kanye West and Lil Wayne and states she is her "only competition". "Four Door Aventador" has humming and low-key production with lyrics revolving around mafia imagery. The song is compared to the work of the Notorious B.I.G.
"Favorite" features American R&B singer Jeremih and is a return to a "romantic narrative" following the four previous songs, which features Minaj bragging. The song is lyrically sexually explicit and sees Jeremih singing about wanting to be Nicki's favorite. Minaj raps about wanting to be the "primary role in a man's life". "Buy a Heart" features rapper Meek Mill, who sings the hook of the song. "Trini Dem Girls" is a dancehall track that features a guest appearance from rapper LunchMoney Lewis. The song contains echoing handclaps and a "Diwali Riddim" with a "blaring" chorus. "Anaconda" is a hip-hop and pop rap song that heavily samples "Baby Got Back" by Sir Mix-a-Lot. The song's lyrical content is described as "raunchy" and noted for containing a "heavy dose of 2014 sex lingo". "The Night Is Still Young" is a pop song with verses revolving around a routine night out at a club.
The lead single, "Pills n Potions" is a slow-burning piano ballad that contains prominent elements of hip hop, R&B and pop. The song opens with a sparse, haunting drum beat, while Minaj sings the pre-chorus in a feather-like near-whisper. As the song's pre-chorus repeats, an echo effect is added to her vocals, and "blooming" chants are sung to create the song's chorus. The song's lyrics revolve around someone who has wronged her but she still loves. "Bed of Lies" features guest vocals from singer-songwriter Skylar Grey and is a slow-tempo song built over triumphant production, pianos, rolling drums and booming bass. The song opens with Grey's chorus and a restrained keyboard set before Minaj begins to rap about an ex-lover. "Grand Piano" is the final song on the album's standard version and is the only song on the album that is not a hip hop song; it features no rapping from Minaj nor drums. The song is a ballad that contains pianos and violins, with lyrics revolving around Minaj "feeling stupid" and feeling "played" by a former lover.