[Robbyyy]

I never took SH serious, but she shouldn't have released that track to promote an album.

Like what on earth was she promoting with that.

[Kim Kardashian]

Yeah.
Like I totally understand that PF and RR were smart moves for her overall career (RR especially, it was huge for her brand) but she has yet to deliver her masterpiece.

I just don't want the next album to be TPP 2.0 in terms of it being sonically and thematically a bit of a mess with loads of features, even if the music was good.

[Willy.]

Originally posted by Nasty Nas

You know what KK makes a point...

The bitch is QUICK to promote **** like Stupid Hoe, Anaconda, & Starships, but gives little to no promo to songs that actually showcase her talent & skills.

I disagree with this.

Those are the songs that happened to BLOW UP without any promotion, and because of their success, they were given promotion. Anaconda opened with 145K copies off the strength of its single cover alone. Starships opened to high numbers as well, before any true promotion occurred.

She promoted Freedom (a song that showcases her talent) and it didn't end up prospering. She promoted HS (an objectively good song all things considered, and it's Hip-Hop) and it didn't end up prospering. I'm aware that nothing she released during this time was successful, but she still tried to promote them as much as possible (Freedom had a damn Ellen performance).

I really want to let this be known, because it's been bugging me for awhile. Two things, actually.

One, songs like Want Some More and Shanghai (the two songs that arguably showcase her talent the most on her last studio album) could become singles, but they'd never receive heavy promotion outside of a music video because they're too explicit/heavy for TV. At best they'd be regulated to late-night slots. This also applies to tracks like Anaconda, which is also an explicit song that was regulated to late-night slots.

Two, what happens if the public happens to only like a certain sound from Nicki? Like what if they only prefer the "bops" and not the lyrical stuff? I'm going to use Drake as an example. His last few 100% Hip-Hop tracks that were straight bars didn't do anything in comparison to his more singing stuff, and that's fine. The public just likes that from him at the moment.

But really this entire thing is about timing and the musical landscape. Some of you guys really insisted something like Want Some More would've been a perfect lead single choice, when you KNOW damn well the **** would've been DOA/performed similarly to PnP. Nicki's overall commercial viability was revived in one single week & a half (the week Flawless/Anaconda/Bang Bang), and Anaconda was responsible for that, even though it's not lyrical at all.

At the end of the day, this is a business. I'm 100% here for Nicki releasing straight lyrical singles only from NM4, but if they flop I don't want anyone in here to be like "wow, maybe the public isn't here for Nicki anymore) when 2016 was Nicki's best feature year on the Hot 100 since 2014 (and maybe even 2012, if you do the mathemacatueisbsjs), and the wasn't because of the main artists on the track.

[Robbyyy]

Originally posted by Kim Kardashian

I just don't want the next album to be TPP 2.0 in terms of it being sonically and thematically a bit of a mess with loads of features, even if the music was good.

!!!

This is my biggest fear. I refuse to believe TPP is the best she has to offer.

[Nasty Nas]

Originally posted by Robbyyy

I never took SH serious, but she shouldn't have released that track to promote an album.

Like what on earth was she promoting with that.

SPEAK!

She tends to rely on being "viral" with her wack songs.
Bitch be viral with the songs that represent your SKILL.
i.e. Lookin Ass

[A$APRoman]

Originally posted by Nasty Nas

It's trash.

I do like the "Cause I pull up & I'm stuntin, but I ain't a stuntman" part.
The beat >>>

[Willy.]

I like this topic

Everyone always brings up great points.

[RideOfYourLife]

If she can make something with meaning and that shows skill which also goes viral that would be perfect

[Nasty Nas]

Originally posted by Willy.

Some of you guys really insisted something like Want Some More would've been a perfect lead single choice, when you KNOW damn well the **** would've been DOA/performed similarly to PnP.

I don't know why you keep saying this.
The girl SET UP a WSM-type lead single with Lookin Ass + Soundcloud releases.
People were READY for that type of single from her at the time.
Pills was a let down on first listen & i'm not the only person who feels this way.

It was a troll move tbh.

[Willy.]

Originally posted by Nasty Nas

SPEAK!

She tends to rely on being "viral" with her wack songs.
Bitch be viral with the songs that represent your SKILL.
i.e. Lookin Ass

And what happened with LAN? It was a moment, then it went to iTunes and it was DOA. I talked the most **** about Anaconda upon release, but it definitely was a smart move to make when every other single wasn't sticking on iTunes.

Look, I'm not a success stan at ALL, but Nicki has stated verbatim while doing promotion for THE PINKPRINT that she wanted to start a family after her fourth album.

Which means that the fourth album has to be a critical success and a commercial success or a commercial success with a tepid reaction from critics. It cannot be a commercial flop with strong critical acclaim. Like, at all (because we'd never hear the end of it). Especially when my sis is starting a whole ass FAMILY after this upcoming era/tour.

[Willy.]

Originally posted by Nasty Nas

I don't know why you keep saying this.
The girl SET UP a WSM-type lead single with Lookin Ass + Soundcloud releases.
People were READY for that type of single from her at the time.
Pills was a let down on first listen & i'm not the only person who feels this way.

It was a troll move tbh.

Are you ignoring the fact that Want Some More still probably would've bombed regardless?

Iggy HAD her that summer right up until before Anaconda dropped. Nothing would've stuck unless it was viral/shocking like Anaconda. Do you get what I mean? You cannot tell me with a straight face that Want Some More would've performed like Anaconda did. If you take away the personal problems Nicki had in 2014 that stopped her from completing the album when she wanted to, I guarantee you the album would've been delayed until there was commercially successful single.

I'm just observant as a stan/person who is going to purse a career in the business. I could explain most of the decisions that were made in Nicki's career (unless I can't). That's not me being delusional, that's just me explaining why they were done, not if I agree with them or not.

[Nasty Nas]

Originally posted by Willy.

And what happened with LAN? It was a moment, then it went to iTunes and it was DOA. I talked the most **** about Anaconda upon release, but it definitely was a smart move to make when every other single wasn't sticking on iTunes.

Look, I'm not a success stan at ALL, but Nicki has stated verbatim while doing promotion for THE PINKPRINT that she wanted to start a family after her fourth album.

Which means that the fourth album has to be a critical success and a commercial success or a commercial success with a tepid reaction from critics. It cannot be a commercial flop with strong critical acclaim. Like, at all (because we'd never hear the end of it). Especially when my sis is starting a whole ass FAMILY after this upcoming era/tour.

It didn't go straight to iTunes tho.
It was months later for that damn Rich Gang album.
People still acknowledge Lookin Ass, from what i've seen.
Plus Nicki didn't really promote it like she did Anaconda.
It had a little controversy and a video.
That's it.

[Robbyyy]

I get it's a business & this is marketing 101, but songs like Freedom, were never going to pop no matter who rapped them. It's a song about how successful she is & honestly no one related or gave a ****. Now if the hook was catchier or the substance was relatable maybe, just maybe people would have tuned in.

Nicki has streaming on her side, with a release like LAN (on vevo this time), she really could have a strong lyrical single. It's all about how calculated you want to be with getting people to HEAR your message. With streaming Nicki can pull a lyrical single off in a heartbeat, if released right.

[Nasty Nas]

Originally posted by Willy.

Are you ignoring the fact that Want Some More still probably would've bombed regardless?

Iggy HAD her that summer right up until before Anaconda dropped. Nothing would've stuck unless it was viral/shocking like Anaconda. Do you get what I mean? You cannot tell me with a straight face that Want Some More would've performed like Anaconda did. If you take away the personal problems Nicki had in 2014 that stopped her from completing the album when she wanted to, I guarantee you the album would've been delayed until there was commercially successful single.

I'm just observant as a stan/person who is going to purse a career in the business. I could explain most of the decisions that were made in Nicki's career (unless I can't). That's not me being delusional, that's just me explaining why they were done, not if I agree with them or not.

I don't think it would've bombed.
I honestly don't.

[Lambo.]

bitch she said

I see these silly *****'s flexin', it's a no zone
You gon' be floatin' in dem rivers like you know Joan
Island girl, Donald Trump want me go home
Still pull up with my wrist lookin' like a snowcone


ooooooh she really did that! woooooo!
bitch make me stan! yas gawd!

[Robbyyy]

WSM would have done better than PNP. It could have gone viral with a good video & been successful with the BET awards slot.

[ririfan21]

Originally posted by Nasty Nas

I don't think it would've bombed.
I honestly don't.

It would have been better than PNP and BOL.

[Nasty Nas]

Originally posted by Robbyyy

WSM would have done better than PNP. It could have gone viral with a good video & been successful with the BET awards slot.

This!

[ririfan21]

I was shocked that Onika released PNP. She should pick the singles that is going to take off this era.

She can get a #1 if she play her cards right. She has a massive streaming power.

[Willy.]

Originally posted by Nasty Nas

It didn't go straight to iTunes tho.
It was months later for that damn Rich Gang album.
People still acknowledge Lookin Ass, from what i've seen.
Plus Nicki didn't really promote it like she did Anaconda.
It had a little controversy and a video.
That's it.

LAN went to iTunes about a month after it was released yes, but what I'm trying to say I guess is that nothing she would've released before that fateful week at the end of July 2014 would've been as successful as Anaconda, regardless of promotion.

I'm not even referring to LAN, because it wouldn't have been a success period because it's not really... a song that would find success. It's literally the perfect album track, but it would be a horrible single choice because it doesn't fit on the radio at all.

But yeah, I feel like you guys overstate LAN's impact in the long-term. It wasn't THAT viral (and I'm being hypocritical because EYE EYE EYE was the one who made 2828282 threads about the praise that song received) in retrospect.