Nicki Minaj - Chi-Raq: New Music

http://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2014/apr/08/nicki-minaj-chi-raq-new-music

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It's been a little bit quiet in the world of pop lately: the Beyoncé secret album hype has settled, Lady Gaga’s art-flop has disappeared into relative obscurity, and Rihanna’s new record still hasn’t arrived. What’s that snarling, rumbling sound then? Ah yes, a new Nicki Minaj track has hit the web - and she’s still confounding expectations at every turn.

The rapper’s musical output still seems entirely polarised between generic synth-pop bangers and hard-edged trap beats. Chi-Raq (feat. Lil Herb) falls firmly in the latter camp - a menacing anti-single that’s unlikely to top the charts, but should restore faith in those who had written Minaj off as another rapper seduced by the alluring sales figures of mainstream dance-pop. That said, the pop game has changed since Nicki’s punctation-heavy last album Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded - The Re-Up was released - maybe post-Yeezus and BEYONCÉ, trap beats and shuddering monolithic bass represent a new form of pop music?

One thing is clear - we’re about to be hearing a lot more from Nicki Minaj soon. With a third album in the works, the closing verse of Chi-Raq suggests more internet uploads are to come: “I always got a trick up my sleeve… I might give you a new trick every week ‘til this album drops… I don’t know, I figured they wanted more.”

In the meantime, what do you make of Nicki’s new track? A brave return to form, or a dull half-baked teaser?