Nicki Minaj Talks Sophomore Jinx, New Collaborations, & Mixing Genres
Nicki Minaj returned home to New York to kick off her album release week. On Monday, she taped her episode of “106 & Park” with 2 Chainz and Cam’ron, received a plaque from Birdman, and stopped by DJ Clue’s show on Power 105.1, where she spoke about the sophomore jinx, mixing pop with hip-hop on her sophomore album, collaborating with Nas, her Pepsi deal, upcoming features for Cam’ron and Waka Flocka Flame, and more.
On M.I.A. and the Super Bowl incident: “I love M.I.A. She’s cuckoo sometimes, but I love her.”
On whether she believes in the sophomore jinx: “Hell no! This album is gonna sell so much more than Pink Friday. Ask me this question two years from today, Clue. With me, I’m never about first week and all that. I like to look at it for the long haul. I’ma travel, I’ma meet my beautiful babies, my Barbz everywhere, and this is my first time I’m gonna get to do a world tour, so the album is gonna do its thang.”
On mixing pop, R&B, and hip-hop on Roman Reloaded: “When I first got in the studio, it was just gonna be all rap, that’s why I named it Roman Reloaded. Things just don’t keep my attention long enough to only do one thing. By the time the album was done, it was just a versatile album. But I have to say, I feel like people love saying the pop word first. The album is more hip-hop than pop.”
On working with Nas on “Champion”: “I didn’t think I could get Nas, just to be honest. He’s always been so exclusive. He doesn’t work with everybody and I respect people that are like that. They take pride in their craft.”
On her Pepsi deal: “I can’t comment on any Pepsi-related stuff. I do have a new relationship with Pepsi and they will tell everyone more at the right time.”
On her upcoming collaborations: “I may have a little something something coming out with [Cam’ron]. I may have a little something something coming with Waka Flocka, my little brother. I do have a few more verses to hand in and then we got to hit the world a couple times.”
On her favorite songs to record: “I had a blast recording a lot of my dance songs, ‘Pound the Alarm’ and ‘Starships.’ Those were a lot of fun. I had fun recording ‘Come on a Cone.’ I was busting out laughing in the booth. When I said, ‘Dick in your face,’ that was in one take. And I also had fun doing ‘Beez in the Trap’ ’cause I made that hook up trying to be funny.”
Listen to the full interview below.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
