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Is Nicki Minaj the Most Talented Artist of the 21st Century?

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HeatBoost

Member
By that logic, wouldn't the artists who've been sampled the most be the most talented ones of the 20th century?
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Not

Banned
Yea I don't think this has much to do with skin color. Trash music is trash music.

For example, one could actually make the argument that MJ was the most talented artist of the 21st century given the number of songs almost universal appeal all over the world. And he remained black for the most part. Hell even kanye had better music and good lyrics up until few years ago. So many countless examples.

EVERYTHING has to do with skin color. The opportunities you're given, the way you're categorized and perceived, the fans you get, the statements you make.

The person who made that image could've put some Gaye or Hendrix lyrics up there if they wanted to make a point about modern music. Consciously or not, there's a different statement they're now making: "Rock, a now-predominantly white genre, breeds more artistically valid content than rap, a predominantly black genre."
 
EVERYTHING has to do with skin color. The opportunities you're given, the way you're categorized and perceived, the fans you get, the statements you make.

The person who made that image could've put some Gaye or Hendrix lyrics up there if they wanted to make a point about modern music. Consciously or not, there's a different statement they're now making: "Rock, a now-predominantly white genre, breeds more artistically valid content than rap, a predominantly black genre."

they should have posted some hendrix lyrics for sure

No reason to get excited
The thief he kindly spoke
There are many here among us
Who feel that life is but a joke
But, uh, but you and I, we've been through that
And this is not our fate
So let us stop talkin' falsely now
The hour's getting late, hey
 
EVERYTHING has to do with skin color. The opportunities you're given, the way you're categorized and perceived, the fans you get, the statements you make.

The person who made that image could've put some Gaye or Hendrix lyrics up there if they wanted to make a point about modern music. Consciously or not, there's a different statement they're now making: "Rock, a now-predominantly white genre, breeds more artistically valid content than rap, a predominantly black genre."

I don't think the person who made that image was trying to make it a race thing. I've seen those same comparisons with Michael Jackson and (insert random white pop star) around too.

I'm a music nerd, I don't care about who is making the music, black, white, brown, gay, straight. Although I do prefer my gays when it comes to indie/pop/rock, some excellent artists out there that are out and proud.
 

Trance

Member
I don't think the person who made that image was trying to make it a race thing. I've seen those same comparisons with Michael Jackson and (insert random white pop star) around too.

I'm a music nerd, I don't care about who is making the music, black, white, brown, gay, straight. Although I do prefer my gays when it comes to indie/pop/rock, some excellent artists out there that are out and proud.

It's not about what they were "trying" to do, it's about what they did do. Cultural baggage and context is inseparable from a rock vs rap comparison like that.
 

Not

Banned
You gotta admit white people have made some great stuff. Mozart's gotta be up there in terms of smartest and most artistic.

No, Mozart's great. But we do know that Mozart was great because he was an Austrian musician from the 16th century, a period we know a ton about thanks to European colonization and globalization.
 

NinjaBoiX

Member
My god, that list you posted of people she's worked with is basically a who's who of what's wrong with pop music.

You realise that all she contributes production wise is lyrics that were invariably ghostwritten anyway right?
 

LionPride

Banned
Her verse on "Monster" is excellent. Beyond that, I've never really been impressed by any of her work.
You wanna talk about the most overrated rap verse in history? That's it. It was a decent verse at best. Not some world beater verse showing off her talent. But people prop thay shit up as if it was great, and this isn't against you, but it's fucking always people who don't listen to rap who acts like that verse is the greatest thing ever. Fuck that verse. Fuck that song period.
 

Not

Banned
Ugh, I feel like was a bait thread and I was so eager to get in here and hate on Zeppelin I didn't stop to sit back and observe the fish fighting over the hook like more mature people might.
 

Dishwalla

Banned
I like Nicki Minaj and don't agree with any of the hate she gets but I don't honestly think anyone can say she's the best at anything she does.

also Led Zeppelin rules.
 

shoelacer

Banned
You realise that all she contributes production wise is lyrics that were invariably ghostwritten anyway right?

"All she contributes is the most important thing!"

Also while I don't doubt she's had writers (as have her labelmates, not that it matters at all) she can def write her own shit. See her 'a warning' freestyle from her pre-popstar era
 
I hope you're being sarcastic.

And images of lyric comparisons are dumb. Both of those are two completely different genres. You want to put up some Led Zeppelin lyrics against something from an Aphex Twin song? Come to Daddy has less lyrics than Stupid Hoe, and it's literally just repeating the main chorus, but I would take that over Led Zeppelin and Nikki any day.

Of course I'm being sarcastic the image posted has been shared on the internet by angsty teens that think their taste in music make them intellectually superior to others
 

Drencrom

Member
I hate this image. It's basically trying to insinuate on some dog whistle shit that white people are more intelligent and thus make more complicated music. FOH

Pretty sure this doesn't have any racial implications, just a stupid comparison between "good ol' classic music" and "vapid modern pop", the whole "i was born in the wrong generation" shtick.
 
Ok, since a serious response is expected in this super serious thread about the most super serious topic in the super serious world, I'll answer.

She isn't. She might have been, but one good verse does not a legend make. She can spit when she wants to but the point is she doesn't anymore. She's a popstar now, not a rapper. Even the last song where people agree she "spit" was "Four Door Aventador" iirc, and even then the punchlines in that are corny as shit; "I'm in the V like a widow's peak", "I'm getting acting money / You niggas is Kevin Hart, y'all be acting funny", her entire first verse basically consisting of the same A-A-A rhyme scheme. Arguably, the most clever set of bars on the track are these:
Meet me at the Rucker, take the Bruckner
It's just me and Young Yucka, taking suckers
For they money and they whips, putting kitten on lips
Dividing them dividends, get the money and dip
They use internal rhymes, but they all rhyme of that same "ih" sound. Comparatively, look at Yachty's verse on "Mase in '97". The damn thing is filled with internal rhymes, external rhymes, and just continually shifting the way he emphasizes rhyming sounds.
I'm all 'bout my fetti, like Migos, we ready
She suck like spaghetti, Armani, Gianni stuff it all in Stefani
Bitch, I'm so original just like Fani
I might catch a body, I'm lyin', I'm too rich for that
I need two bricks for that, I hit two licks with that
What you call your life savings, bought two whips with that

Even beyond that, Nicki doesn't have an artistic vision with her projects. Sure they might be based on some visual idea or message she has at the time, but there's no effort made to make her projects feel cohesive or clever or groundbreaking. Yes, she is popular and yes, she makes a shit-ton of money and yes, she regularly tops the Billboard charts, but she hasn't made an album that's had a lasting influence. It's been 5 years since "Roman's Revenge", and I don't see anyone in the rap game taking any sort of inspiration from that album. Compare that to "808s & Heartbreak" or "Flockaveli" or "The Money Store", which have had musicians acknowledge they've derived some influence from that work, and I think the answer is clear.

Nicki Minaj has talent, otherwise she wouldn't have made it this far. But, she isn't the most talented artist of the last 17 years nor is she the best female rapper of the last 17 years. She's a good pop-star, but that's really about it. She knows how to use her sexuality to appeal to men and simultaneously empowering women by owning her sexuality & acting dominant in the relationships she raps about. All in all, this is just a really longwinded way of saying "no."

Please feel free to correct me, if I'm wrong.
 

Not

Banned
Pretty sure this doesn't have any racial implications, just a stupid comparison between "good ol' classic music" and "vapid modern pop", the whole "i was born in the wrong generation" shtick.

Which when you get down to it, probably stems from "why aren't predominately white male musical genres like rock popular anymore"
 

Servbot24

Banned
OP i love mainstream pop music

But you are insane and need to get help

Nicki is among the least talented people in the industry relative to her success
 
Pretty sure this doesn't have any racial implications, just a stupid comparison between "good ol' classic music" and "vapid modern pop", the whole "i was born in the wrong generation" shtick.

Images like these never call out Taylor Swift or Katy Perry poppy mindless lyrics despite them ranking higher than Nicki Minaj on top artist billboards but in the end I see more as some an image some insecure white guy put together to say "Hah look at this great example of what I think is real music not what you think is music. Stop liking things I dislike."
 
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