Sample Justice? Nicki Minaj - Your Love vs Annie Lennox - No More I Love You's

Seems like everyone is buying in on the investment that is the new black barbie, Nicki Minaj. In the latest XXL Diddy pretty much confirms the rumor that he's going to start representing Nicki calling her "One of the great ones". Add to that the close proximity to Lil Wayne and Drake on Young Money and you've got a rising star that is ascending to the top of an already depleted female representation in Hip Hop.

On this track, Nicki tackles a relatively well known Annie Lennox track from 1995 off her Medusa album. You may recognize the well known "Do be do be do do do oh". Give it a listen, you'll recognize it

Annie Lennox - No More I Love You's


When sampling any oldie, there's always a risk that is involved because there really is nothing worse than messing up a cover or sample of a well known song. You just come off as trying too hard and seem desperate if you don't pull it off, so it's always a gamble. Luckily, for Nicki, she teamed up with Papa Justifi of the well-known production crew the Knightwritaz who didn't do too much when sampling the track. He borrowed the most distinct part of the track, looping the "Do be do be do do do oh" over a bouncy beat that Nicki manages (no pun intended) to pull off both singing and rapping over. The whole reggae dialect she brings is being widely embraced of late with artists like Sean Kingston and IYAZ bringing it back to the limelight of pop music. It fits in well with the laid back, soft feel of the sample on her version.

All in all, I'd say Nicki didn't screw it up, she took a well known piece of something old and molded it into something listen-able to a new generation. Hopefully Annie doesn't mind her borrowing the track and increasing her pop culture relevance. It'll never happen, but I think it would be pretty cool to see them both perform a mash up of this. Can never go wrong when artists from different generations embrace change and are willing to meet half way in a collaboration with a newer artist. I don't like Nicki's version better than Annie's classic version, but I respect her version because it wasn't too contrived.

Give it a listen and you be the judge...good lookin' out Ginesy...

Nicki Minaj - Your Love (prod by Papa Justifi of the Knightwritaz)
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