November 22 In Hip-Hop History: Nicki Minaj Drops Her Debut Album

Nicki Minaj solidified her place in the rap game by releasing her debut album on this day 13 years ago.

On November 22, 2010, the Harajuku Barbie dropped her first studio LP Pink Friday via Young Money/Cash Money Records. The 13-track album was led by a mixture of Hip-Hop/Pop hits like "Your Love," "Check It Out" featuring will.i.am and "Right Thru Me." However, following its release, Minaj focused on her harder rap records like "Did It On'em," "Moment 4 Life" featuring Drake and "Roman's Revenge" featuring Eminem and produced by Swizz Beatz. Pink Friday also contains collaborations with Rihanna, Kanye West and Natasha Bedingfield.

“When I started rapping, people were trying to make me like the typical New York rapper, but I’m not that,” Minaj told Billboard about her debut LP. “No disrespect to New York rappers, but I don’t want people to hear me and know exactly where I’m from. I wanted the album to be universal and versatile. It really feels like it speaks for every one of my personalities.”

It was the first time fans got to hear a culmination of her various personalities from the Queens-bred Onika to her now-deceased alter-ego Roman Zolanski. While there were several pop records on the LP like "Super Bass" (which appears on the deluxe), the album topped the Hip-Hop/R&B charts and eventually hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200. It became her first No. 1 album. "Super Bass" also went on to become her first record to reach Diamond status.

13 years later, Nicki Minaj is set to release the sequel to her debut LP, Pink Friday 2 on her birthday December 8. Until that project arrives, relive her first album below.

WARNING: EXPLICIT LANGUAGE