Since Nicki Minaj's video for "Feeling Myself" premiered on TIDAL on May 18th, I've watched it probably...I don't have a figure--numerous times, I've watched it numerous times, haha. Maybe I've replayed it because it's fresh Beyoncé crack (she's on the song, in case you live under a rock and didn't know that). Maybe I have because it's fresh Pink Print crack (Minaj's most recent album; again, in case you live under a rock and didn't know that); she did a lot of promotion around the initial release and then kind of left things for dead. Either way, the video gave me so much life that I could make this list and had a really nice dream about Onika (Minaj's given name; I'm being considerate of those who live under rocks) that was sadly cut short by consciousness. So, in no particular order, here are my top 10 favorite things about the "Feeling Myself" video:

1. It Wasn't What You'd Expect
Giving the "Feeling Myself" title, the song's sexual references and it's harder-than-softer style, one might have expected a dark and tough video with plenty of skin and scenes to be blurred or edited out. In a pleasantly surprising twist, Minaj and King Bey went for bright, colorful, fun, silly, and hilarious BFF-ery that we mortals can merely fantasize about. If only we could look that cool being that corny. I loved the candid and unrehearsed feel; though it would've been nice to have a little more going on in some shots besides them playing in their hair and caressing their curves.

2. "It's Dope, Nicki!"
At the beginning of the video, we get set footage of them doing the song's opening lines outside of the Coachella road sign. What cracks me up is that the director yells "It's dope, Nicki!" even though she's just cutely posing while Beyoncé is the one working the camera. I'm sure it was a status update, but it was still a funny irony.

3. Is That Bubblicious Gum??!
I can't get over how freakin' cute OBeyKa's (I could call them NickOncé, but that's too obvious) candy exchange was. It was like a scene straight off the playground. Nicki hungrily chomps into a sweet treat that Beyoncé's eyes glimmer with hope is either Bubblicious gum or Now and Later candy. In child-like tones, Nicki confirms it's the latter and asks Bey if she wants some, to which she instantly replies "Yeah." Adorbs. I need a gif.

Album Review.
Favorites: All Things Go, The Crying Game, Feeling Myself, Bed of Lies, Truffle Butter
Dislikes: Big Daddy
Overall:  Her best work; incredibly revealing and aggressive, appeals to all her fan types

When I heard that Nicki Minaj would be naming her new LP The Pink Print, after the heavily-worshipped 2001 The Blueprint by the heavily-worshipped Jay-Z, I worried that it was a little premature. She accomplished much in a short time, but still was only on her 3rd album. Plus, after the very novel “Anaconda,” that glamorized sleeping around with drug dealers for their money instead of seeking independent success (which contradicts what she represents and touts), I anxiously crossed my fingers that the album would live up to its namesake. If it did, it would be symbolically monumental for female rap. Not only does The Pink Print meet its tall order, it’s Minaj’s best…and maybe 1 of 2014’s best. The most beloved records are those that force listeners to drop their facades and unmask their inner Boogie Man; after all, the primary reason we listen to music and invest so much into an artist is because they carry our stories. It’s nearly impossible to not, as the kids say, “get in your feelings,” as Minaj grants us access to the most shielded parts of her heart and life. On the opening track alone (“All Things Go”) she raps about avoiding inauthentic vipers, an engagement that never progressed to a marriage, the murder of her cousin, feeling that she’s neglected her family in working and an abortion or miscarriage at age 16. This amount of disclosure is astonishing from a notoriously private woman whose image has been systematically built on being an everlasting enigma. To give just a hint of this, Minaj told Marie Claire in August 2013 “I don't have a man,” but in discussing the relationship that inspired some of her breakup material with New York’s 105.1’s Angie Martinez, she says she hadn’t been in single in 15 years (2 consecutive relationships; the latter a 10 year courtship).

Riddle no more; behind the playful eccentricities is a woman unsettled and interrupted. Her romantic profile here is a toss of dark, longing, wounded and fearful. She expresses desiring and fearing love all at the same time, pretending to be detached for self-preservation (ex. “I Lied,” “Buy a Heart” ), grieving a love untangling (ex. “Put You in Room”) and the lethal combination of hurt and rage after betrayal, usage and abuses (ex. “Mona Lisa,” “Bed of Lies”). To me, “The Crying Game” (starring the smoldering vocals of Jessie Ware) was the most striking and startling of the heartbreak hotel set, citing an environment of intravenous drugs and flying tempers turned physical that left me wondering how literal the metaphors actually were. References to substances are thickly applied throughout the album, from sexual analogies, to depictions of recreational and coping mechanism use. This prompts concern about Minaj’s health, especially when she confessed to “contemplating overdosing” on “Lies.” “Crying” also carried another common thread: guilt. Minaj seems to blame herself and her career pursuits for the failures of and shortcomings in her interpersonal relationships, as heard on “Go,” “Lied,” and “Heart.” Shifts in her bonds are burdening on her spirit, as she frequently harps on loyalty, or the lack thereof (ex. “Pills N Potions,” “Shanghai”).

While on the daytime talk-show “The Real” (December 19), Minaj encouraged listeners not to skip through tracks so they won’t miss the story she was trying to tell. I understand her point, as certain songs have a completely different feel outside of their track listing. For instance, “Get on Your Knees” with Ariana Grande is simply a cunnilingus carol (a little holiday humor) by itself, but within context, she is trying to regain some sort of control and escape reality by entering ecstasy. It’s almost uncomfortable seeing Minaj in such a vulnerable setting, given her usual bold presence. Don’t mistake it though; Wonder Woman may have feels, but she’s still a superhero. Minaj transitions in and out of sentimentality throwing bows. As Jay-Z was on The Blueprint 3, Minaj is a tad pissed that she’s regarded as if she’s achieved nothing and that no one’s presented formidable competition (ex. “Want Some More,” “Win Again.”) She goes on to accuse her opponents of mimicking her and doing the same things they criticize her for, trying to come up. She defends her position that, contrary to constant assertion, she is indeed skilled in flow and at penning rhymes. There’s been respectable and promising growth in this area. It seems words aren’t in place just for the sake of rhyming as much and the punch-lines are less silly, more relevant and connected, versus coming out of nowhere. I chuckle every time I hear “I don’t duck nobody, but tape. That was a setup for a punch-line on duct tape” on “Only” because she appears to be poking fun at randomness (it’s rumored the line is a jab at Iggy Azalea’s alleged sex-tape). Her schemes and patterns aren’t as predictable either and are sometimes heterodox, although she repeats some analogies (namely elements of winter to her jeweled duds). She also has a couple of enjoyable Twista-like, speeding moments (ex. “Feeling Myself” featuring Beyonce`). With her singing, she shocks (in a good way) on “Grand Piano” with lucidity, control and a bit of muscle. Normally, there’s mousiness and too much vibrato. Minaj tweeted that the song is 1 of the record’s most emotional. Knowing it’s so close to her makes me feel like a prick for typing the following, but the “so beautiful you could cry” music is far more afflictive than the words that read straight from the “You Played Me like an Instrument” lyric manual. “Piano” is also 1 of the few songs with any overt non-drum instrumentation. The Pink Print isn’t half as melodic as Minaj’s freshman Pink Friday; there are throbbing and stomping beats everywhere and lots of trap hip-hop. The slickest (and sexiest) furrow is “Favorite” with Jeremih. Musicality is definitely missed, but the production fits Print’s overcast, violent and aggressive personality.

Rock & Rant-When I need to quickly rant about music.

I’m annoyed, confused and concerned. In case you hadn’t heard, actress Angela Bassett is directing a Whitney Houston biopic for Lifetime centralized on Houston’s marriage to Bobby Brown (I guess she wasn’t more than Bobby’s wife, but ok). I find this totally exploitive and violating. Bassett is supposed to have been a friend of Houston’s, and what does she do just 27 months after Houston’s tragic, sudden death? Make a movie bringing further attention to the most intrusively publicized area of Whitney’s personal life. Good job. How nice of you. For a moment I thought, “Well, maybe Angela wants to show the side of Whitney and Bobby she knew to counter the general negative perception,” but there’s honestly no need for that because Whitney very candidly gave the good, bad and ugly details in her last Oprah interview in 2009. Bassett said in a statement: “I feel a responsibility in the telling of their story.” Why? The story already came from the horse’s mouth. The fat lady has already sung, and it’s not like Brown is involved with the project to tell his side. “I’m beyond excited to have this opportunity to go behind the camera and into their world,” Bassett continued. I bet you are, Angie. What better way to make a splashy directorial debut (I could be wrong in my questioning, but we’ll see)? Who cares what this will unearth for Houston and Brown’s families, especially their young daughter, Bobbi Kristina. I’m sure the families would expect an outsider to do such a sensationalist thing, but a “friend?” “I told 'em it's no friends in the game, you ain't learned that yet?”- (Nicki Minaj, “Pills N’ Potions”)

Speaking of Ms. Minaj, entertainment blogs went ablaze when she released the cover art for her new single “Anaconda” (inset), in which she dons a string-thong and her entire buttocks is exposed. Minaj noted the fickle standards of when photos like hers are deemed “unacceptable,” posting pictures of Sports Illustrated covers that haven’t been condemned on her Instagram to address critics. That in itself is a valid discussion, but my primary concern with the artwork is that it feeds some of the very things that frustrate Minaj about being a woman in a male-dominated genre. In the world of rap, women are often reduced to be nothing more than sexual outlets. On multiple occasions, Minaj has expressed that it’s been an uphill battle to receive respect and be treated as an equal. The obvious focal point of the “Anaconda” cover is her butt—not her face, not the music; her butt is the star of the show. With an image similar to that of a hip-hop mixtape or party flyer featuring the “video girl” archetype, Minaj is objectifying herself and playing into the sexualized role they would prefer her to be in. I don’t know what the lesser of the two evils is: the “Anaconda” photo or her twerking and grinding in a video for a song called “Ass.” There might be a method to this particular madness of Nicki’s, but I’m thinking it was just an agent to continue the hype for her upcoming album, The Pink Print. I believe that Nicki’s direction, musically and branding-wise, is still in development and a work in progress. Until it’s settled, we’re going to continue to see confounding and illogical moves. From every angle, I don’t get it. Minaj seems bothered by the reaction, but I’m sure a reaction was the primary motivation for the photo being chosen. She gets aggravated when people ask her about her bum, but her bum is all out. *Throws hands in confusion*

It’s show time! After all the heart-breaking back-stories, quirkiness and “I can’t believe they didn’t get through” moments that usually come with the audition and preliminary periods of “American Idol” (how annoying are back-stories at this point?), we have finally arrived at the live shows in which 10 hopefuls battle it out for the crown previously donned by Kelly Clarkson, Fantasia & Carrie Underwood (the American Idol winners they slay my life the most). Let’s get into it.

The Top 10 Thing: 1st of all, let’s talk about the fact that there isn’t a top 12. How long have they been doing that? Did I miss something? Even though it makes the grueling and sometimes daunting to watch competition shorter, I don’t like the fact that there aren’t 12 and no wild-card picks this year. For those who have watched Idol over the years, we all know what a savior wild-card picks can be (see Jennifer Hudson), even though most end up getting voted out again anyway (see Jennifer Hudson). I hated it when they stopped taking 12 on tour in Season 3, so I’m a little glad that on tonight’s results episode, 2 booted contestants will get a chance to compete for a spot in a sing-off. Can’t they get a spot on the show too? Dang.

Nicki Minaj & The Judges: Minaj has proven everyone, even me, wrong when it comes to her judging abilities. Many questioned what insight she could offer since she’s a newcomer (her debut album dropped in 2010)who isn’t primarily a singer, but in an ironic twist, she’s given some of the most useful and constructive critiques. In a very motherly fashion, Minaj gives it to contestant’s straight, but reminds them of their strengths and encourages them to be creative and flexible (as opposed to the usual pushing them into one particular sound or genre). She even had the guts to strongly oppose comments made by label head Jimmy Iovine ( whose company contracts the winning contestant), who judges typically don’t challenge out of “respect.” Keith Urban irritates me often; he seems to always insist the contestant stick to doing one thing. Mariah Carey isn’t doing what Idol hired her to in my opinion. Obviously they wanted someone as established as she not only for ratings attention, but because her skill and experience, and yet she playing it Paula Abdul (a former judge) and super sweet. No, I didn’t expect her to be cut-throat like Simon Cowell, but I expected firmness and concrete assessments. Carey seems to beat around the bush and sugar-coat, but I guess someone had to be the “nice one.”

Predictions: I have to say, I’m pretty disappointed in this season’s crop of contestants. No one is flat-out terrible, but there’s too much “decent” and not enough stellar. My following predictions are not based on who I think is the most talented, but previous voting patterns over the last 11 seasons. Let’s face it, when it comes to voting, it isn’t just about raw talent. Personality, looks, genre, week-to-week song choice and yes, race, are all factors in voting outcomes. Candice and Curtis have the strongest voices in my opinion, but I don’t think either have a chance at winning. I thought Curtis would go far until last night, when he chose to perform “I Believe” by Fantasia. The category for the week was songs by other Idol winners; contestants could choose to sing an original song by an Idol or a song an Idol performed while on the show (many defeated the purpose by doing prior performance songs). The problem with “I Believe” was that the song is so unique to Fantasia, he’d either get compared if he sung it like her, or criticized for changing it. He chose to change it by downplaying it vocally and it was a miss. Candice should win the whole darn thing, but again, let’s face it: if you aren’t adorable and don’t do pop, country or acoustic rock, you won’t win. That being said, among the female contestants, Angie & Janelle have the strongest shot. Angie needs to watch her song choices though. With the guys, I can’t put my finger on it. Maybe Devin (whose voice is so smooth and sensual) and Paul have the best chances. Lazaro is darling, but I don’t think knows what songs best suit him and will pull in votes, therefore his picks will likely send him packing early on. Burnell may surprise everyone and pop up in the top 5 or 6 (there’s always that middle ground person who gets better with time and becomes a favorite). Cree and Amber may go home early as well. Cree’s issue is that she has too much blues and soul in her style. She has that country element, but if Janelle stays on pitch and makes the right selections, there’s no need for Cree. Amber has Candice to contend with, so likely lose that war. However, based on what I said about genre, Amber might knock Candice out because she has a more pop-friendly tone.

Those are my predictions. What do you guys think?
Fox’s “American Idol” airs Wednesdays and Thursdays at 8/7c.

Album Review.
Likes: Hov Lane, Champion, Fire Burns, Marilyn Monroe, Beautiful Sinner
Dislikes: Beez in the Trap, Starships, Stupid Hoe
Overall: Instead of an innovative, well-written, hard-hitting rap album, it’s a meaningless dance party

Did the ‘sophomore jinx’ get Nicki Minaj? It’s somewhat hard to say. Whether you love or hate “Roman Reloaded” depends on what you’re listening for. There was a lot of curiosity about what direction Minaj would take with this release as her fans have seen a rather quick progression from her rougher, explicit mixtape material to the pop of her latest single “Starships.” With the album’s concept being centered on her unfiltered and angry male alter-ego Roman, some assumed it would be edgy core-rap with songs like the previous “Roman’s Revenge.” Not the case at all. “Reloaded” is arguably more of a dance album than it is rap. Roman is heard clearly on the first 6 tracks and afterward gets lost in the shuffle as Nicki puts on her best techno-dance suit, making you wonder if you’re listening to Britney Spears’ “Femme Fatale” instead of an album from rap’s latest star.

The rap-dominated tracks begin with the dramatic “Roman’s Holiday,” which lacks a strong enough lyrical narrative that introduces the alter-ego and the album concept. The subsequent 5 are moderately catchy and have some lyrical gems, but they’re topically the same (mainly boasting) and have some annoying repetition. “Champion” is this album’s “Moment for Life,” with a smooth, airy track, a Drake verse and a ‘yeah, we made it’ theme. The cross into radio-friendly dance and pop comes with “Right by My Side” featuring Chris Brown. It was hard to keep attention after “Side.” Several of the songs were too similar musically and the lyrics were thin. Additionally, the production was painfully mechanical, with the most simplistic and standard of techno patterns. Should the tracks become singles or get played in the clubs, they’ll perform well because it’s befitting of current trends, but it won’t satisfy those desiring a little more depth. The lack of such depth is especially agitating when the record is 19 TRACKS LONG. I didn’t have a problem with Minaj singing (even though her singing ability is minimal); I just wish it was more balanced between the singing and rapping. I did enjoy the reflective “Marilyn Monroe” and “Fire Burns.” I appreciated how she unapologetically spits ill-will towards her ex on “Fire,” as many breakup songs shy away from that to keep the karma clean.

“Roman Reloaded’s” biggest offense is distracting from its own main character and theme. I wouldn’t be surprised if the album was more Roman-focused in its early development and due to the commercial success of songs like “Super Bass,” Nicki and/or record label execs decided to take a different route (yes, Minaj is with Young Money Entertainment, which has its origins in hip-hop, but Young Money is a subsidiary of a label under Universal Republic. Universal Republic has say in YME’s activity). I’m not against an artist trying on another genre, but there’s a way to do these things. Going for basic AND super mainstream isn’t the answer. It tampers with your chances for longevity and only offers short-term hype. If she wanted to do more pop, they should have scrapped the album title, strengthened the content and have more sophisticated and creative production.

“…so I laugh at hopefuls, ‘Nicki pop’, only thing that's pop is my endorsement op.”- (Roman Reloaded) 
Did Nicki listen to her own album?