It’s been a long time since 2014, and Nicki Minaj’s infamous The Pinkprint is officially a decade old. As one of the first female rappers to gain mainstream prominence in the modern day, Minaj heralded a resurgence of female rappers and helped popularize them in a male-dominated industry.

Minaj emerged in the late 2000s, releasing her first album Pink Friday after signing to Lil Wayne’s record label, Young Money. In 2014, Minaj released her third studio album, The Pinkprint, producing hits like “Only”, “Truffle Butter”, “Feeling Myself” and “Anaconda”. Upon release, The Pinkprint garnered critical acclaim, receiving a Grammy nomination for best rap album and peaking at number two on the Billboard Hot 100. Additionally, it was nominated for Album of the Year at the BET Awards and won Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Album at the American Music Awards. The album was praised for its emotional, raw lyrics and shockingly vulnerable portrayal of the notoriously private artist. Many called it a reinvention, as Minaj switched from pop to a more traditionally hip-hop sound. Now, 10 years later, Minaj has released an anniversary version of the album to commemorate.

This new version features a pink background on the album art, which had previously been black for the original release and white for the deluxe edition. Minaj added four tracks onto the new edition, containing features from Swae Lee, Juice WRLD, David Guetta and more. The new tracks all followed the original trajectory of The Pinkprint; a lot of singing by Minaj, as well as emotional themes. The four tracks fit into the original concept of the album, focusing heavily on emotional themes with similar pop elements. 

The Pinkprint undeniably shaped the culture of the 2010s and beyond, and it’s clear that it’s influence on Minaj’s own career and that of other female artists endures even today.