Nicki Minaj - "Monster" (forgotten song)

"You could be the King but watch the Queen conquer"

Ok, technically "Monster" is a single by Kanye West, featuring Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj, and Justin Vernon of Bon Iver.  And no disrespect to Kanye and the others, but Nicki's verse is what Danette loves and is thus the reason why I'm choosing it for her tenth (!) installment of birthday songs.

While neither of us are necessarily fans of Kanye, and he's recently lost his way, we do respect him and I can build a pretty good argument that he's a hip-hop version of Brian Eno.  From his fifth (2010) LP,  "Monster" is one of many tracks where he conjures intriguing soundscapes that push the boundaries of the genre.    

Danette likes Nicki because she's fabulous, larger-than-life, and feminist AF (even if she hedges a bit, she's the embodiment of it).  Danette's the same, and as her career has hit new heights she's ran afoul of all kinds of misogynistic haters: her group's work "isn't that impressive", there are people that "wouldn't work for her for a million dollars", and one even accusing her and her colleague of plagiarism.   Only one of those things are true, and her detractors have since all been "driven before her".

I've already established that these birthday songs are ones that make me think of Danette and not necessarily songs that she likes, but in this case it is both.   Nicki is fierce in a male-dominated space, and so is Danette.  NASA doesn't really support using walk-up music for meetings and presentations, but if they did, she'd alternate between "Bad Reputation" and Nicki's verse in "Monster".

"I think big, get cash, make 'em blink fast
Now look at what you just saw, this is what you live for
Aaahhh, I'm a motherfucking monster!"

"Monster" - Nicki Minaj's verse only (live 2015)
"Monster" - full song
Bonus link: "Monster" - Adele's version in Carpool Karaoke

Happy birthday Danette!

Previous birthday songs:

2018: Bear Hands - "Giants"
2017: Alvvays - "Archie, Marry Me"
2016: Molly Hatchet - "Flirtin' With Disaster"
2015: Avett Brothers - "Kick Drum Heart"
2014: Ani DiFranco - "32 Flavors"
2013: The Green Pajamas - "Kim the Waitress"
2012: The Cure - "High"
2011: Blink 182 - "Josie"
2010:  Dead Milkmen - "Punk Rock Girl"

Ice-T - "99 Problems" (the song remains the same)

Twice was interesting, but upon hearing the third "version" of this song convinced me there was something afoot: three completely different songs, sharing only the memorable chorus and nothing else.

"99 Problems" was made famous in 2004 by Jay-Z as a single of his LP "The Black Album" but it was originally a (different) song by Ice-T. Ice-T never released it as a single, but instead was a B-side from the "That's How I'm Livin'" single (from his 1993 LP "Home Invasion"). Guesting on the Ice-T version is Brother Marquis from 2 Live Crew, and the song is typical of both their styles at that time: juvenile sex rhymes. The "bitches and hos" misogyny is so over the top, I tell myself it is like the cartoon violence in Kill Bill -- you shouldn't be offended because it isn't meant to be taken seriously. Regardless, the song gave us a memorable chorus with a great hook.

Jay-Z must have agreed since he lifted the chorus for his 2004 single. He replaced the sex stories with autobiographical stories about police, music critics, the street, etc. Rick Rubin is the producer of this song, and while Jay-Z obviously raps, Rick's influence turns this into what has to be one of the heaviest metal songs ever (see also: Rick Rubin and Johnny Cash in "God's Gonna Cut You Down"). As Jay-Z says at the end "You're crazy for this one, Rick".

Ok, so Jay-Z reworking an Ice-T song isn't that much of a stretch... But this summer, Danette's sister, Julie, played a bluegrass version of "99 Problems" by Hugo. Julie was unaware of the prior versions and that is what convinced me that the song (or at least the chorus) was on its way to becoming a traditional song (or at least a musical version of "The Aristocrats"). I don't know that much about Hugo, but there is a connection since he is signed to Jay-Z's label Roc Nation.

What will be the next installment in the series? Where do you go from rap, to rap/metal, to bluegrass?

Ice-T: "99 Problems"

Jay-Z: "99 Problems"

Hugo: "99 Problems"

Bonus links:

Danger Mouse: "99 Problems" (A mashup of Jay-Z's version with "Helter Skelter" from the semi-official LP "The Grey Album".)

Trick Daddy: "99 Problems" (From his 2001 LP "Thugs Are Us"; this version is basically part 2 of the Ice-T version. Not really a cover, but neither is it a new version like the others listed above.)

Jay-Z and Phish: "99 Problems" (Not all combinations work well...)

Ice-T: "That's How I'm Livin'" (The original A-side of the single.)