Nicki Minaj’s glam transition to norm core continues with her new video for "Pills and Potions." Biggest shockers from the clip? Rabbits apparently like to smoke and sad girls can behead their boyfriends with computer graphics when they act up. How can I be down?
The Dr. Luke-produced "Pills" is another Minaj pop trap, set for teenagers ready to project their feelings onto Nicki’s words about ruined friendships and jealous enemies, as she hinted at with Power 105's The Breakfast Club last month.
"I was just reflecting on people; people in my life who have come and gone," Minaj said. "Just thinking like, what does it all mean? You know? What the hell does it all mean?"
"I'm talking about lots of people," she added. "It's not anybody in particular. I have come across a lot of people who I've given amazing opportunities to who continue to bite the hand that fed them."
The web has had a field day guessing who the MC is pin-pointing in her lyrics, noting everyone from her hype man-rumored long-time boyfriend — secret husband?! — Safaree Samuels to Drake, thanks to the rappers' public un-friending recently. Don't worry, the two seem to have made up with a performance together in New York.
As for the actual music, "Pills" is light and air-y but still not enough for some like Idolator who described the song as Miley Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball”-lite.” Shade. Rapper The Game stars as Minaj's love interest and the guy who gets beheaded, in a sort of Missy "Get Ur Freak On" way. When Minaj cries, presumably about Game's head, there are metallic sludge tears that echo Janet Jackson and Busta Rhymes' "What's It Gonna Be" video without the S&M outfits. Nicki also prefers being despondent while topless.
Elsewhere, the Diane Martel-directed video seems like a commercial for Beats by Dre speakers, Minaj's perfume and rabbits with cigarettes, which are very fashionable these days. But after listening to Minaj tell MTV that she's going back to her roots as an MC, "Pills N Potions" doesn't really reflect that ethos and like that Lena Dunham x Sia performance, I'm just confused. But maybe I'm supposed to be.
"I'm just gonna do what my heart tells me to do," said Minaj.