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Sucka Free

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For the MTV video block, see Sucker Free.

Sucka Free
Mixtape by
Nicki Minaj
ReleasedApril 12, 2008
Recorded2007–2008
GenreHip hop
Length56:25
Label
ProducerLil Wayne
Nicki Minaj chronology
Playtime Is Over
(2007) 		Sucka Free
(2008) 		Beam Me Up Scotty
(2009)

Sucka Free is the second mixtape by Trinidadian rapper Nicki Minaj. It was released on April 12, 2008 by Dirty Money Records. Sucka Free features guest appearances from fellow rappers Lil Wayne, Gucci Mane, Jadakiss, Lil' Kim and Ransom. Production derives from Daven "Prestige" Vanderpool, Diddy, James Todd Smith, among others. None of the tracks have original instrumentals, using other productions of popular hip hop records.

Background

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Just after Minaj's previous mixtape, Playtime Is Over, was released in 2007, Minaj released Sucka Free with label mate Lil Wayne after he discovered her on the Queens-made DVD series called The Come Up.[1]

Artwork

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The cover of Sucka Free shows Minaj and Lil Wayne at a podium in front of a red curtain being interviewed by XXL and MTV. Minaj is wearing a gold-colored necklace and earrings, a halfway buttoned down red shirt, and striped pants similar to the ones she is wearing on the Playtime Is Over mixtape. Wayne is wearing a red garment with a silver watch and silver chains, and a black hat that reads "Young Money".

Lil' Kim controversy

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In a promotional photo for the mixtape, Minaj paid homage to that of rapper Lil' Kim's debut album photoshoot, Hard Core, causing Kim to express anger on Twitter.[2] Despite Minaj calling Kim an "influence" early in her career, tensions rose between the two females with Kim calling Minaj "catty" and accused her of copying her image saying, "If you are going to steal my swag, you gonna have to pay. Something gotta give. You help me, I help you. That's how it goes to me."[3]

Minaj responded to the situation in an interview on The Angie Martinez Show saying "She picked a fight with Foxy, then she picked a fight with Eve, then she picked a fight with Remy, then it was Mrs. Wallace, then it was Nicki Minaj", said Minaj. "Every time you in the news, it's 'cause you gettin' at somebody! Where's your music? Put your music out, and when I see your name on Billboard, that's when I'll respond to you. Other than that, goodbye. It's Barbie, bitch."[3] Minaj also went on to respond to Kim on "Roman's Revenge," a song from her debut album, in 2010 with Eminem.[4]

Critical reception

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Minaj's work on the mixtape has been compared to the likes of rappers Eminem (left) and Lil Wayne (right); Minaj went on to collaborate with both numerous times in her career.

In a 2014 article, NME described the mixtape as Minaj's bang "on the door of hip-hop’s boys club" and was described as "explosive".[5] Although Minaj jumped on a "load of popular hip hop instrumentals", she successfully made every track feel like her own.[6]

Minaj's remix of Eminem and The Notorious B.I.G.'s "Dead Wrong" was seen as a standout track from the mixtape which called in "comparisons to NYC rap legends like Notorious" and eventually continued by Minaj in her third studio album, The Pinkprint, on songs such as "Four Door Aventador".[6] The song was also called a "triumph and an omen" in a Paper Magazine article, but that it was hardly comparable to Minaj's fourth studio album, Queen.[7] With high praise response from critics, Minaj won an award for Female Artist of the Year at the 2008 Underground Music Awards.[8]

Accolades

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Year Nominee / work Award Result
2008 Nicki Minaj Female Artist of the Year Won[8]

Commercial performance

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The mixtape debuted at number 95 on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, making it Minaj's first mixtape to chart.[9]

Track listing

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No.TitleSample(s)Length
1."President Carter Speaks" 1:09
2."Sunshine" (featuring Lil Wayne)"(Always Be My) Sunshine" by Jay-Z featuring Foxy Brown and Babyface3:18
3."Set It Off""Set It Off" by N.O.R.E. featuring Swizz Beatz and J. Ru$$2:15
4."Brraaattt" (featuring Ransom)"Buck Buck" by Red Café and DJ Envy featuring Sheek Louch2:43
5."Higher Than a Kite" (featuring Lil Wayne)"My Swag" by T.I. featuring Wyclef Jean2:35
6."Grindin""Grindin'" by Clipse2:20
7."Curious George""730" by Foxy Brown2:02
8."Sucka Free ‘08" 0:07
9."Baddest Bitch""Single Again" by Trina2:19
10."Wanna Minaj?" (featuring Gucci Mane and Lil’ Kim)"Freaky Gurl" (Remix) by Gucci Mane featuring Lil' Kim & Ludacris3:39
11."Doin It Well" (featuring Jadakiss)"Doin' It" by LL Cool J2:23
12."Cuchi Shop""Coffee Shop" by Yung Joc featuring Gorilla Zoe3:11
13."Hundred Million Dollaz" 0:19
14."Young Money Ballaz" (featuring Lil Wayne)"Roc-A-Fella Billionaires" by Freeway featuring Jay-Z2:38
15."Sweetest Girl""Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)" by Wyclef Jean featuring Akon and Lil Wayne3:04
16."Firm Biz '08" (featuring Jadakiss)"Firm Biz" by The Firm featuring Dawn Robinson1:37
17."Dead Wrong""Dead Wrong" by The Notorious B.I.G.2:46
18."Long Time Comin'" (featuring Ransom)"Suga Duga" by Dipset featuring Cam'ron3:16
19."Womp Womp""Pussy MVP" by Lil Wayne featuring Jay Bezel and Hot Rod2:34
20."Who’s Ya Best MC?" 2:27
21."Autobiography""Feel It In the Air" by Beanie Sigel featuring Melissa4:33
22."President Carter Signs Off" 0:16
23."Lollipop (Remix)""Lollipop" by Lil Wayne5:42

Charts

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Chart (2010) Peak
position
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums[9] 95

References

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  1. ^ Lipshutz, Jason. "Nicki Minaj Catches Eyes On Lil' Wayne's Young Money Tour". Billboard. Retrieved December 12, 2010.
  2. ^ Alexis, Diamonds (June 22, 2018). "Lil Kim Just Threw Major Shade At Nicki Minaj With One Sentence..." BET. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  3. ^ a b "Nicki Minaj tells Lil' Kim to get a life". MTV. Archived from the original on August 17, 2012. Retrieved August 21, 2012.
  4. ^ "Nicki Minaj Reveals The Real Reason Behind Her Lil' Kim Diss On 'Roman's Revenge'". Capital XTRA. August 16, 2018. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  5. ^ "Nicki Minaj – 'The Pinkprint' review". NME. December 15, 2014. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  6. ^ a b "An Introduction to Nicki Minaj's Mixtapes". Crack. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  7. ^ "Decade of the Barb: 10 Years of Nicki Minaj". Paper. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  8. ^ a b "Nicki Minaj - The Vogue". Vogue. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
  9. ^ a b "Sucka Free Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
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