Pink Friday 2
Pink Friday 2 is the fifth studio album by rapper Nicki Minaj. It was released on December 8, 2023, by Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records and Republic Records. A sequel to Minaj's debut album Pink Friday (2010), it is her first studio album in five years following the release of Queen (2018). The album is a hip-hop and pop-rap record that borrows influences from other genres as well. Collaborations on the album include J. Cole, Drake, Lil Wayne, Future, Lil Uzi Vert, 50 Cent, Monica, Keyshia Cole, and various other collaborators.
Pink Friday 2
December 8, 2023
2019–2023
Harbor Studios (Malibu)
70:14
- Finneas
- Tate Kobang
- Hollywood Cole
- YG! Beats
- ATL Jacob
- Murda Beatz
- OJ Finessey
- DB!
- Hendrix Smoke
- Kuji
- Boi-1da
- Fierce
- Apollo Parker
- 116
- YogiTheProducer
- DJ Smallz 732
- FnZ
- Keanu Beats
- BoogzDaBeast
- Slade Da Monster
- Go Grizzly
- Cheeze Beatz
- Basbeats
- Melio Sounds
- J Reid
- Dr. Luke
- Malibu Babie
- Vaughn Oliver
- Aaron Joseph
- Jess Carp
- Don Cannon
- Sean Momberger
- B Ham
- Vincent "Life" Shaw
- Bnyx
- SadPony
- Beau Nox
- TooDope!
- Frankie Bash
- Bone Collector
- Habib Defoundoux
Upon its release, Pink Friday 2 debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, making Minaj the first female rapper in history to have three number-one albums. It earned over 228,000 album-equivalent units in its first week, with 92,000 coming from pure album sales, and achieved the largest vinyl sales week by a female rapper in history. Internationally, the album peaked in the top ten in Australia, Canada, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The album received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised Minaj's consistency and innovation, but felt it was too long. Pink Friday 2 samples tracks by Billie Eilish, Blondie, Cyndi Lauper, Travis Scott, Rick James, among others.
Pink Friday 2 was supported by five singles, "Super Freaky Girl", "Red Ruby da Sleeze", "Last Time I Saw You", "Everybody" featuring Lil Uzi Vert, and "FTCU". The platinum-certified lead single "Super Freaky Girl" marked Minaj's first solo number-one on the US Billboard Hot 100, while all singles peaked within the top 25. To promote the album, Minaj has embarked on the Pink Friday 2 World Tour since March 2024.
Release[edit]
On June 5, 2023, Minaj initially announced the release date of the album would be October 20, 2023.[13] On June 29, she officially announced that the album would be titled Pink Friday 2, and that the release date would ve pushed back to November 17.[14][15][16] On October 25, Minaj announced that the album's release date was postponed to her birthday on December 8, 2023.[17]
Pink Friday 2 was released on December 8, 2023 and made available for digital download and streaming as a 22-track album.[18] The album was also available in several physical versions, which consisted of four vinyl editions (three retailer-exclusive versions each with different covers) and two CD variants (standard and signed).[18] The physical versions only included 10 tracks, which was theorized to be because the remainder were not finished in time for pressing and release.[18] On December 14, 2023 deluxe edition titled "Gag City Deluxe" edition was released through Minaj's webstore and made available to streaming platforms a day later.[19][20] On January 13, 2024, another deluxe version, labelled the "Gag City Pluto Edition", was also released.[21]
Title and artwork[edit]
The album's title was described as a callback to Minaj's Pink Friday (2010) with Minaj also confirming it as a sequel.[22] Minaj first shared one of two official cover arts for the album in September 2023, depicting the rapper in an all-white Vetements ensemble traveling on a roofless metropolitan subway floating above pink clouds.[23][24] On October 6, she shared the second album cover, which depicted her in an all-pink gown revealing her midriff and surrounded by a billowing pink satin sheet in front of a black background.[25] In the remaining weeks leading up to the release, Minaj shared four additional album cover variations for vinyl and digital release, all of which were shot by British photographer Charlotte Rutherford.[26]
Commercial performance[edit]
Pink Friday 2 debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, earning 228,000 album-equivalent units in its first week of which 92,000 came from pure album sales, and became the largest week in overall units as well as in pure sales for a female rap album in the 2020s and a female R&B/hip-hop album in 2023.[19]
Upon the album's release, Minaj broke several records. The album became Minaj's third number-one album in the country after Pink Friday (2010) and Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded (2012), and broke her tie with Foxy Brown for the female rap artist with the most number-one albums in the country.[19] Additionally, she also became the first female rap artist with number one albums in two decades (2010s and 2020s), and achieved her seventh top-ten album overall.[19] It also sold 25,000 copies on vinyl, earning the largest vinyl sales week for a female rap album in history.[19] The album dropped one place to number two in its second week, earning an additional 100,000 album-equivalent units but being beaten by Taylor Swift's 1989 (Taylor's Version).[64] As of January 14, 2024, Pink Friday 2 has reportedly sold over one million units in the US.[65]
The album's songs achieved 90.8 million streams in its first three days.[66] Upon its release, 14 songs from the album debuted on the Billboard Hot 100, of which two entered the top 40: "Everybody" and "Needle" featuring Lil Uzi Vert and Drake respectively.[51]
Notes
Sample credits