Black Friday (Lil' Kim mixtape) explained

Black Friday
Type:mixtape
Artist:Lil' Kim
Cover:Black Friday Lil' Kim album cover.png
Recorded:2009–2011
Genre:Hip hop
Length:75:06
Label:I.R.S.
Prev Title:Ms. G.O.A.T.
Prev Year:2008
Next Title:Hard Core
Next Year:2014

Black Friday is the second mixtape by American rapper Lil' Kim, released on February 14, 2011 through PayPal.[1] The title track is a response to Nicki Minaj's song "Roman's Revenge".[2] The mixtape also contains the track "Grindin' Makin' Money", a collaboration which features rappers Birdman and Nicki Minaj, which Kim claims ignited the feud between her and Minaj, as well as another diss song towards Minaj titled "Pissin' on 'Em".[3]

Background

The creation of this mixtape was inspired by Kim's feud with Nicki Minaj. The cover of the mixtape, featuring a decapitated Nicki Minaj, was a fan's idea.[4] The mixtape's title is a play on Minaj's debut album Pink Friday. The music video for the title track was released on November 26, 2010.[5]

Critical reception

Black Friday was heavily panned by music critics. Kid Fury of Vibe described its content as "tragic shit" and commented that the mixtape "lacks consistency, edge, and originality".[6] Slant Magazines Huw Jones gave it one-and-a-half out of five stars and felt that its production lacks "originality". Jones also panned Lil Kim's lyrics and disses towards Minaj as "inane", writing that "there are some pert jabs dotted among the tactless insults, but for the most part, it's a senseless rant".[7] Kazeem Famuyide of The Source wrote that "I know it's a dated name ... but I don't think it's that crazy as far as appealing to her hardcore fan base". Jozen Cummings of XXL wrote facetiously, "It's not that we refuse to pay for music, we'd just much rather have an option to not do it. If you force any price tag on us without giving us a decent amount of free music to sample from, we're scoffing at that $9.99".[8]

Track listing

The track listing for the mixtape was revealed by Rap-Up.[9]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Hip Hop Experts React To Lil Kim's 'Black Friday'. https://web.archive.org/web/20110218202412/http://rapfix.mtv.com/2011/02/15/hip-hop-experts-react-to-lil-kims-black-friday/. dead. February 18, 2011. MTV.com. Alvin Blanco. February 16, 2011. February 16, 2011.
  2. Lil'Kim's Upcoming Mixtape Takes Another Shot at Nicki Minaj. New York Magazine. January 27, 2011. February 16, 2011.
  3. Web site: New Music: Lil' Kim – 'Pissin' on 'Em' . . 2011-02-14 . 2012-01-16.
  4. Web site: Exclusive Q&A: Lil' Kim Talks 'Black Friday,' Nicki Minaj, & Foxy Brown . Rap-Up.com . 2011-02-18 . 2012-07-14.
  5. Web site: Lil' Kim's 'Black Friday' Dis Aims For Nicki Minaj. https://web.archive.org/web/20101128064347/http://rapfix.mtv.com/2010/11/26/nicki-minaj-lil-kim-black-friday-pink-friday/. dead. November 28, 2010. MTV. Hillary Crosley. November 26, 2010. February 16, 2011.
  6. Fury, Kid (March 10, 2011). Kid Fury's Blog: Lil Kim 'Black Friday' Review | VIBE. Vibe. Retrieved on 2011-03-24.
  7. Jones, Huw (March 22, 2011). Lil' Kim: Black Friday | Music Review | Slant Magazine. Slant Magazine. Retrieved on 2011-03-24.
  8. Web site: Hip-Hop Experts React To Lil Kim's 'Black Friday' . https://web.archive.org/web/20110218202412/http://rapfix.mtv.com/2011/02/15/hip-hop-experts-react-to-lil-kims-black-friday/ . dead . February 18, 2011 . Rapfix.mtv.com . 2011-02-15 . 2012-01-16.
  9. Web site: Tracklisting: Lil' Kim – 'Black Friday' . Rap-Up.com . 2012-01-16.