I don’t think it’s awful, but Pink Friday is definitely a disappointment. What makes Nicki great are her utterly kick-ass rhymes and delivery, so I don’t know who decided that her first album should mostly consist of singing (obviously not her strong suit) over a lot of 90’s easy listening samples. There are a few songs that show the promise of what might have been, but there are at least two of her mixtapes that make much better listens overall. After purchasing Pink Friday, I still feel the need to go back to Beam Me Up, Scotty and various songs by other artists for my Nicki fix. I also have no idea who thought it’d be a good idea to drop the album the same day as Kanye’s. Even if it had been terrible, MBDTF would have totally overshadowed Pink Friday. As it is, it’s like another British pop band releasing an album the day Sgt. Pepper came out. It just sucks for you no matter what.
“Monster” might be my second favorite single of the year specifically because of her verse (it doesn’t quite dethrone “Shutterbugg” for me).
I will say that I think Snowboarder Bo’s criticisms kind of miss the point of Kanye’s music. Criticizing him for sampling other artist’s tracks is like criticizing Louis Armstrong for playing the trumpet. Sampling is an artform in itself; I suspect that people who think otherwise would be reluctant to turn over their King Crimson LPs in exchange for the beat Kanye spun from it, yet contend that West (or the Beastie Boys, or whoever) sampling those records makes him a “hack.” Funny.
While I don’t think his rapping is up to the quality of, say, Lil Wayne, he’s certainly clever, and the sheer honesty of his rhymes makes his verses more compelling than most. And that’s the thing - Kanye seems to know that he’s not the best rapper alive. It isn’t infrequent that a collaborator totally kills him on a track (Nicki Minaj on “Monster,” Jay-Z on various songs), but, again, that isn’t really the point. It’s the whole package.
In regard to Lobot’s comment, my understanding of the OP’s statement was that Kanye’s music is unmatched right now. Obviously there’s not a lot of utility in comparing him to Mozart or whatever. I will say that he’s the artist of the past ten years, and I’d put his catalog up against any pop greats of the 20th and 21st centuries.
There isn’t a single song on that album that can stand up to even her worst track on a mix tape. “Roman’s Revenge” comes close but. . .eh- they both seem like they’re phoning it in. (Though I wont lie: I’ve been saying “ruh-ruh like a dungeon dragon” for a few weeks now :D).
I think a huge part of her issue here is that she’s trying to be a role model all of a sudden- it’s all she talks about. She is intentionally desexualizing her raps when, honestly, my favorite rhymes of hers were the sex ones-- she killed it in a way that I think no other female MC has. To me, her sex raps seemed far less. . . try hard? than Lil Kim’s ever were.
Sorry to derail this thread with all the Nicki talk
I haven’t got round to listening to the new album yet so forgive me if the great man covers this question but… what is up with that cover art? So many questions. Like, did he paint that himself? Where’s the bird woman’s other leg? Why does she have a dalmation’s tail? And is that the worst cover of all time or (and this is my vote) the best?
The cover (as the original has been deemed too shocking for Walmart, I’ve linked to a censored version because presumably the orginal is also potentially NSFW)
There are several album covers, including a few others that aren’t shown there. I saw one in the store that actually had Taylor Swift on it. Odd that’s not getting more talk in the news.
Anywho, the main cover was painted by George Condo. And here is a slideshow where Condo explains each of the main covers.
Specifically, to the one you’re asking about, Condo says:
Kanye explaining the art choice:
If you Google Condo, he does. . . different pieces, to put it politely.
Interesting and thanks, DiosaBellissima. I’m disappointed he didn’t paint it himself because I thought it was extremely strong work - the colours, the pose and the framing all add up to what I think is shocking but somhow compelling. I hated it at first but then it kind of grew on me. That painting would have scared the hell out of me if I’d seen it as a child, I know that much and thus I approve. That said, it’s good for me to know who did paint it so I’m not mentally miscrediting someone else’s work.
I have to agree with whoever upthread said that Kanye is just the best at marketing. While he does some very successful music that appeals to a wide audience, his music is merely good examples of what hip hop is.
I much prefer Swizz Beatz, who is also a commercially successful producer, but one who has been bucking trends and trying new things his entire career, which has been going on for close to 15 years now.
And if we’re talking about releases from the same day, I much prefer Ke$ha’s Cannibal EP…
‘Monster’ is my favourite song on the album and Nicki’s verse is just fucking ridiculous. She is amazing. I think Pink Friday is a great album but I’m in that phase with her where I’m thinking everything she does is genius - ask me about it again in a year and we’ll see if I’m still listening.
There are some absolutely brilliant songs on it though, ‘Roman’s Revenge’, ‘I’m The Best’, ‘Right Thru Me’, ‘Girls Fall Like Dominoes’. It’s infuriating, however, that they left her best song ever - ‘Massive Attack’ - off the album. Would have made the whole thing at least 10% better.
As for releasing on the same day as Sgt. Pepper, I mean, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, I guess she had to or else the Pink Friday title pun wouldn’t work as well.
“Roman’s Revenge” is such a tease. I think it’s a good track, and it’s placement on the album gets you prepped up for an hour of stuff at least as good as that, then the album drops off almost immediately afterward.
A’ight, I can respect that. I’mma let you finish, but I agree with shy guy that (in our opinion), you miss the point of sampling and that sampling can be creative and art in and of itself. Though that’s just obviously going to be a difference of opinion between us.
So, sorry I lumped you in with the group of people I was referring to in my previous post. I’ll stand firm and say that the group (and those attitudes) really do exist. You are not one of them, however. We cool? :: fist bump ::
We’re cool, but let me explain: I don’t dislike sampling. I have lots of rap CDs in my collection. I was listening to Kurtis Blow back in the late '70s, was down with RUN-DMC from the day that King of Rock was released, saw Public Enemy play FAMU’s homecoming in 1991, etc. Steven Reich’s Come Out is one of my favorite songs. Sampling has it’s place, and when done well it can be both fun (Beastie Boys, De La Soul, Deee-Lite, etc.) and dramatic (White Zombie, Buzzoven, etc.). Sometimes people are even smart enough to actually alter the sample, so that it no longer resembles the original track (Soul Coughing, Psychic TV, etc.). Hell, there’s at least 3 genres of music all based on the 6 second drum sample known as the “Amen Break”.
It’s just that saying of someone who primarily uses samples “no one can make music as fascinating as he does” is clearly false, since the sampling artist really isn’t making music at all, he’s simply re-arranging the music that someone else wrote.
And since I’m a huge Beastie Boys fan, lemme explain what makes them different: they can all play their own instruments, and the depth and layering and alterations of samples shows some creativity and expertise in the songs where they aren’t playing their own instruments. Paul’s Boutique was a landmark for rap/hip-hop, in that it brought an unprecedented number of samples, many edited until the original was obscured completely, into play in each song, and for the most part the group has continued using that template. Also, I just think they are better rappers than Kanye is.
But yeah, we’re cool. Like I said, if you enjoy his albums, great for you. I find him lacking in several areas, is all.
Out of curiosity I listened to that “Runaway” song. What a piece of trash.
There’s another thread about Kayne (what’s up with those fucking names among blacks in the States by the way?) where severals think that he is 5 years away from being a barely remembered loser.
One thing for sure, nobody will listen to Kanye West ten years from now when the marketing machine wont subdue people with total lack of artistic tastes into buying his stuff anymore, it sure cant stand on its own legs by sheer artistic force.
Well, I’ll let the supporters of Justin Bieber’s Number One Fan (as if this wasnt a clue to Kanye’s talent) have a riot over this one.
Is that the only song of his you’ve ever heard? I’m not in the massive Kanye fan camp, but I have about 20 songs of his in my iTunes, and I LOVE them. I will certainly be listening to them in 10 years. (I’m listening to “Love Lockdown” nice and loud as I’m typing this.)
Kanye is a city in Botswana. It’s also a Hawaiian word that means “free.” Kanye’s mother was an English professor and chair of an English department, so she’s an educated woman who it appears didn’t just make up her son’s name.
Fucking. Love. That. Song. Seriously- it’s a sub par song that is entirely saved by her bad ass verses.
And I love you, but did you write a serious response about musical validity to the person who spewed ignorance about what “blacks” name their children in America?
He also spewed that bit about nobody listening to Kanye in ten years… despite his first breakthrough productions on Jay-Z’s The Blueprint, released nine years ago, still being hailed as modern classics.
but I agree with shy guy that (in our opinion), you miss the point of sampling and that sampling can be creative and art in and of itself. Though that’s just obviously going to be a difference of opinion between us.