Reviews

Nicki Minaj “Queen Radio: Volume 1” Album Review

Queen Radio: Volume 1

Nicki Minaj

    • Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap
    • Date: 28 Aug, 2022
    • Content: explicit
    • Region: USA
    • Track(s): 29
  • Young Money; ℗ 2022 Republic Records, a division of UMG Recordings, Inc.

Nicki has returned with Queen Radio: Volume 1, her first greatest hits collection. The 28-song collection serves as a vivid reminder of Nicki’s consistency throughout the past ten years, from “Itty Bitty Piggy,” her breakthrough hit, to her most recent Lil Baby collaborations, “Bussin” and “Do We Have A Problem.” Nicki Minaj’s “Queen Radio: Volume 1” is an energetic, nostalgic, fun compilation album. Off the back of a history-making #1 Week, the album’s unscheduled release had Fans surprised.

The album is packed full with some of Nicki’s greatest hits and collaborative fire songs like “Bed” with Ariana Grande, “Fly” with Rihanna, and other amazing collabs with powerhouse artists like Drake, Lil Wayne, Eminem, Lil Baby, 2Chainz. All a delight to listen to, having most which transmit just the perfect amount of nostalgia amongst day 1 fans. It also includes two new songs -Her first solo number 1 hit song “Super Freaky Girl” and a Skeng feature “Likkle Miss (Remix).”

Album Cover Art

Nicki Minaj &Quot;Queen Radio: Volume 1&Quot; Album Review, Yours Truly, Reviews, December 1, 2023

A pink-colored wig, with matching pink headphones placed over it, has a customized pink microphone facing them, held up by a black microphone stand that also matches her black, leather hand gloves. Anyone can easily tell Nicki was in her element in all of the songs handpicked for this collection and she intends to do that while podcasting on her own.

Tracks and Features

The album quite rightly opens with her latest #1 hit that samples a Rick James classic “Super Freak,” as she goes off in a playful, hyper-sexualized new package, complete with a few braggadocious bars. Jamaican Dancehall artist, Skeng, teams up with Nicki on the next track; a remix of the carnival-esque, vibey tune “Likkle Miss” that was originally his, and Nicki’s verse adds to the sleek dancehall vibe of the song.

“Roman’s Revenge” features Nicki and Eminem alter egos exchanging bars over a Swizz Beatz-produced “Spastic Beat.” Nicki’s lyrics are said to be angry, inciting and intense and Eminem’s has hints of misogyny and homophobia. The track is believed to be a diss track, though. “Beez in the Trap” featuring 2 Chainz is another track that has nostalgia written all over it, while also appropriating the mock-sugary smack-talk of a drug-dealer.

“Chun li,” “Anaconda,” “Starships,”  “Super bass,” “Your Love” all show Nicki’s Pop varieties with themes of love, relationships, broken trusts, self-awareness and confidence and tries to push the narrative that she’s been unstoppable so far, and may as well be of influence to younger generations. Highly rated, chart-worthy features with Lil Wayne on “High School,” “Moment for Life” featuring Drake, “Fly” featuring Rihanna, “Bed” featuring Arianna Grande, and “Do we have a problem” featuring Lil Baby, all show Nicki’s dynamisms and unique hard-rapping styles.

The album closes off with “Girls Fall Like Dominoes,” with the chorus sampling The Big Pink’s “Dominos” and produced by J.R. Rotem and the song also containing interpolations of “Trailer Loada Girls.” Lyrically, Nicki discusses her love for women, raps about how she is hot enough to steal the fans of male rappers. Not a bad closer for a compilation this terrific.

Tracklist

NOTITLEARTISTTIME
1Super Freaky GirlNicki Minaj2:50
2Likkle MissNicki Minaj & Skeng2:18
3Roman’s Revenge (feat. Eminem)Nicki Minaj4:36
4Did It On’emNicki Minaj3:32
5Beez In The Trap (feat. 2 Chainz)Nicki Minaj4:28
6Chun-LiNicki Minaj3:11
7Do We Have A Problem?Nicki Minaj & Lil Baby3:27
8We Go Up (feat. Fivio Foreign)Nicki Minaj4:15
9High School (feat. Lil Wayne)Nicki Minaj3:38
10Moment 4 Life (feat. Drake)Nicki Minaj4:39
11Truffle Butter (feat. Drake & Lil Wayne)Nicki Minaj3:40
12Itty Bitty PiggyNicki Minaj4:06
13Barbie DreamsNicki Minaj4:39
14AnacondaNicki Minaj4:20
15Super BassNicki Minaj3:20
16StarshipsNicki Minaj3:30
17Pound The AlarmNicki Minaj3:25
18Your LoveNicki Minaj4:05
19Right Thru MeNicki Minaj3:55
20Bed (feat. Ariana Grande)Nicki Minaj3:09
21Favorite (feat. Jeremih)Nicki Minaj4:02
22Save MeNicki Minaj3:05
23Fly (feat. Rihanna)Nicki Minaj3:32
24Seeing GreenNicki Minaj, Drake & Lil Wayne5:39
25Hard WhiteNicki Minaj3:13
26BussinNicki Minaj & Lil Baby2:16
27Lookin Ass (feat. Nicki Minaj)Young Money2:40
28Catch MeNicki Minaj3:57
29Girls Fall Like DominoesNicki Minaj3:45

Album Theme

Showcasing her musical prowess and incomparable swag whilst charting a course for herself as one of the best to ever do it and giving herself her flowers.

Production Credits

Producers that worked on the album include: Aaron Joseph, AnonXmous, Bangladesh, Ben Billions, Boi-1da, Boonn, Brett “Beats” Bailey, Carl Falk, Choppa Boi, David “Messy” Mescon, Detail, DiTruth Records, DJ Camper, DJ Tizz, Drew Money, Dr. Luke, Droptop Records, GOVI, Da Internz, JMIKE, J. Reid (Chevi Music), J.R. Rotem, Kane Beatz, Kenoe, Kid Masterpiece, !llmind, Malibu Babie, Maya Jane Coles, Mel & Mus, Nicki Minaj, Nikhil and many more.

Stream

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