Today (Dec. 8), Nicki Minaj unveiled her new album, Pink Friday 2, the sequel to 2010’s Pink Friday. The Young Money artist’s latest drop comes with 22 songs and assists from Drake, Lil Wayne, J. Cole, Lil Uzi Vert, Future, Skillibeng and more.
Included on Pink Friday 2 are past releases like “Red Ruby Da Sleeze,” “Last Time I Saw You” and “Super Freaky Girl,” the last of which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and earned a double platinum certification.
“This entire album will be the biggest gift I’ve ever given humanity thus far,” Minaj said in a past livestream. “I can stand by that. I will bet any amount of money that Pink Friday 2, the album, is going to make people fall in love immediately.”
The new release arrived five years after Queen, which was complete with collaborations alongside the likes of Eminem, Ariana Grande, The Weeknd, Swae Lee and Foxy Brown. The commercially successful offering peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and crossed the platinum mark.
In an interview with Vogue, Minaj spoke on why she’s so protective over her music and recording process.
“There’s a freeness that you have around you when you’re at your best, when you’re doing your thing at your peak. There’s like this lightness in the air. You’re happy even if you’re writing a sad song,” she explained. “But once you start knowing that you’re being judged, there’s no longer that free spirit. People who excel at something make it look easy, but they also deal with a lot of fear of letting people down and of letting themselves down.”
Minaj continued, “Once you make it, it’s like anything you say can be used against you. It’s like when you get arrested — that’s literally what being famous feels like. You go from having this fun, curious nature, laughing and joking, to realizing not everyone gets your sense of humor, not everyone likes you. And they will figure out how to put a negative spin on anything you do. It hurts.”
Press play on Pink Friday 2 below.