Not since Missy Elliot implored us all to get our collective freaks on has rap music produced such a polarizing female figure as
Nicki Minaj, with a bunch of successful collaborations with mainstream hip-hop artists (particularly her Young Money colleage Drake). Are people still debating whether or not her verse for Kanye West's "Monster" was perhaps the sickest thing a female rapper has ever laid down? Yet, despite the commercial success of her solo debut,
Pink Friday, the critical consensus is that Nicki betrayed her hip-hop roots to try and be more of a crossover pop star like Rihanna.
A new Nicki Minaj track, "Marilyn Monroe," just leaked and if you were hoping to hear more of the Nicki that you saw on
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, prepare to be disappointed-- she is taking her sound into even poppier and more mainstream directions. It really is a shame because she could have been one of the best female MCs around.
