Thirteen years after her first album, the American MC offers the sequel, which appeared without announcement last Friday. Unnecessarily long (22 songs, 70 minutes), as was Queen (2018), too catchy in its references (Rick James, Blondie and Cyndie Lauper are sampled in the last portion of the album like throwing bait in the water), but Minaj achieves here a desired balance between catchy pop and authentic rap, where it shines with all its talents, as evidenced in particular by the impeccable Red Ruby Da Sleeze And Let Me Calm Down, collaboration with J. Cole, who never disappoints. The album opens with the deep Are you Gone Alreadyletter to his late recycling father when the party’s over by Billie Eilish, and sets the tone of this album, more melancholic and mature than festive and sassy. His guests sometimes allow him to celebrate his Caribbean roots (Forward from Triniwith the sulphurous Jamaican DJs Skillibeng and Skeng), sometimes humming with detachment, on Needlewith Drake, who makes the bluette his own.
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