Nicki Minaj Recruits Eminem, Kanye, Drake, Rihanna

The tracklist for Pink Friday, Nicki Minaj"s hotly anticipated debut LP, hit iTunes over the weekend. The guests are A-list: Eminem, Drake, Rihanna, Will.I.Am, Kanye West and even Natasha Bedingfield appear on the LP, which is slated for release on November 22.

The Lil Wayne protege has collaborated with dozens of artists — from Trey Songz to Christina Aguilera — over the past few months, and several of them turn up here. West appears on 'Blazin" (Minaj raps with Jay-Z and Rick Ross on 'Monster," a track from West"s ju st-completed My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy) and Rihanna appears on 'Fly" (Minaj teamed up with her on 'Raining Men," from Rihanna"s Loud LP). But the Eminem song, 'Roman"s Revenge," came as a surprise when Minaj spoke about it last week. She described the Swizz Beatz-produced track to MTV News as 'The most fun song on Pink Friday — it gave me life."

Drake guests on 'Moment 4 Life," Will.I.Am appears on the Buggles-sampling 'Check It Out" and Bedingfield is featured on 'Last Chance."

Photos: Nicki Minaj's Best Looks

Minaj also told MTV News that the album will feature three of her alter-egos: the tough Roman Zolanski, the lighter-voiced Barbie, and a new character: Roman"s mother, who Minaj is currently calling "Martha."

Pink Friday Tracklisting

1. I'm The Best
2. Roman's Revenge (featuring Eminem)
3. Did It On 'Em
4. Right Thru Me
5. Fly (featuring Rihanna)
6. Save Me
7. Moment 4 Life (featuring Drake)
8. Check It Out (featuring Will.I.Am)
9. Blazin (featuring Kanye West)
10. Here I Am
11. Dear Old Nicki
12. Your Love
13. Last Chance (featuring Natasha Bedingfield)
14. Super Bass
15. Blow Ya Mind
16. Muny
17. Girls Fall Like Dominoes [Bonus Track]

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Song Stories

“1999”

Prince | 1982

“I don’t consider myself a great poet,” Prince told Rolling Stone. “I just know I’m here to say what’s on my mind.” In the case of the apocalyptic party anthem “1999,” he was worried about then-president Ronald Reagan’s foreign policies. The song’s melody is based on a riff borrowed from the Mamas and Papas’ “Monday, Monday,” and Prince originally envisioned the first verse with three-part harmony but later split the vocals between himself and members of the Revolution. Because Warner Bros., with whom Prince was locked in a contractual battle, owned the original’s masters, Prince rerecorded the song and appropriately released that version in 1999.

More Song Stories entries »

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