粉红星期五 (2010)

Pink Friday is the debut studio album by the Trinidadian rapper and singer Nicki Minaj. It was released on November 22, 2010, by Cash Money Records, Young Money Entertainment and Universal Motown Records. Minaj began recording the album after signing a recording contract with Young Money Entertainment in 2009. Musically, it is primarily a hip-hop, pop and R&B album that incorporates elements of electronic music. The album features guest vocals from Eminem, Rihanna, Drake, will.i.am, Kanye West, and Natasha Bedingfield.

Pink Friday was promoted with three singles before its release: "Your Love", "Check It Out", and "Right Thru Me". "Moment 4 Life", "Did It On'em", and "Fly" followed. Five singles peaked within the top 40 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and the deluxe album's "Super Bass" peaked at number three on the chart. Pink Friday debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200, selling 375,000 copies in its first week, which marked the second highest sales debut ever for a female rapper after Lauryn Hill. It later peaked at number one, becoming Minaj's first number one album. Internationally, it charted within the top 20 in Australia, Canada, and the UK. In 2016, the album was certified 3× platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Pink Friday received generally positive reviews, with some critics ambivalent on Minaj's exploration of R&B and pop. It was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 54th Grammy Awards in 2012, alongside Minaj's other nominations for Best New Artist and Best Rap Performance for the single "Moment 4 Life". Over a decade since its release, the album has received praise from music journalists and has developed a cult following. In 2022, Rolling Stone included Pink Friday in their list of "200 Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of All Time" at number 31, stating that the album "proved you could own the charts without dialing back your confrontational individuality, and it set the table for a generation of artists." Minaj released a sequel to the album, Pink Friday 2, in 2023.

Recording and production

After a major record label bidding war, Young Money Entertainment announced on August 31, 2009, that Nicki Minaj had signed to the label. Recording sessions for the album took place at several recording locations, including 25 Sound Studios in Detroit, Chalice Recording Studios in Los Angeles, and Glenwood Place Studios in Burbank, California. American record producer Swizz Beatz confirmed that his collaboration with Minaj for the album, with Minaj discussing a song, "Catch Me", describing it as "moody" and "mellow futuristic", would later became a bonus track on the album. Minaj also confirmed to Entertainment Weekly that the Black Eyed Peas member and record producer will.i.am contributed production to the album. Fellow rapper and record producer Kanye West was also confirmed for the album. Fellow record producer Bangladesh also contributed to the album. In 2011, there was a track, titled "We Miss You", from the album being leaked online. Minaj responded by saying that the song "was sent to Mariah Carey and Keyshia Cole over a year ago", but did not "make it on Pink Friday, due to clearance issues".