I Am Your Leader

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"I Am Your Leader"
Song by Nicki Minaj featuring Rick Ross and Cam'ron
from the album Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded
ReleasedApril 3, 2012
Recorded2011
Genre
Length3:33
Label
Songwriter(s)
YouTube

"I Am Your Leader" is a song recorded by American rapper and singer

electro hop song that contains sparse beats, minimal instrumentation, repetitive, high-pitched, off-pitch synth hooks, and a booming, static bass. Lyrically, Minaj "dishes boast-heavy verses about how she’s better than all these other bitches", according to Adam Fleischer of XXL Magazine
.

"I Am Your Leader" garnered praise from

The Today Show
's summer concert series.

Background

Rick Ross (pictured) and Minaj are long time collaborators.

Following the success of Minaj's debut album,

Birdman" Williams announced to Billboard that Minaj was aiming to release her second album within the first quarter of 2012.[1] In November 2011, Minaj announced on Twitter that the album would be released on February 14, 2012, though it was later delayed to April 3, 2012. The album focuses on Roman Zolanski, one of Minaj's alter egos that was first featured on Pink Friday.[2] On May 24, 2012, a poll was posted on Minaj's official website asking fans to choose the next single(s). The poll was divided into three categories: The second category asked fans to choose between "Champion", "HOV Lane", and "I Am Your Leader".[3] "Champion" had the most votes and won the poll; "HOV Lane" came in second, and "I Am Your Leader" came in third.[3] On June 6, 2012, Minaj announced through her official Twitter that "Champion" would be the next urban single.[4]

Composition

"I Am Your Leader" is a

Diplo and Bangladesh might have to watch their back after the up-and-comers contributions to this album."[6] Adam Fleischer of XXL said "Nicki dishes boast-heavy verses about how she’s better than all these other bitches."[8]

Critical reception

"I Am Your Leader" received positive reviews from critics. Andrew Unterberger of Popdust gave it a 4-star rating, complimenting Minaj's rapping as well as the guest verses of

Paste Magazine said that "On the nursery rhyming “I Am Your Leader,” [Minaj] spits yet another dick joke like a playground jeer, slyly undermining hip-hop's traditionally male-centric braggadocio. She's not only participating in phallocentric boasting; she's also inflating the convention with a Swedish penis pump until it's just shy of bursting".[10]

David Jeffries of

Pitchfork called "Come On A Cone" and "I Am Your Leader" "two brilliantly off-kilter songs".[13] Tom Ewing of The Guardian said that "On "I Am Your Leader", [Minaj] drops a couple of octaves to gleefully pompous effect".[14] Kevin Ritchie of NOW Magazine named it the top track of the album.[15] Kyle Anderson of Entertainment Weekly named it one of the best tracks on the album along with "Champion".[16]

Promotion

Music video

The video begins with a pink mailbox with the song's title on the front written in different fonts. It is set in an esque brightly coloured playhouse. Minaj raps her first verse in a spacious room filled with antler heads and wacky windows and is seen standing on a zebra print carpet. Minaj is then seen in a bathtub, partially clothed, wearing only Alexander McQueen “Armadillo” jewel encrusted 12-inch stiletto shoes. She wears a green, Marilyn Monroe inspired wig. This is followed by a scene with all three rappers. After the hook, Rick Ross is seen sitting on a gold banquet table reciting his rap, shirtless, while gold mannequins ascend behind him. For Cam'ron's verse the scene is located on a staircase of moving photos of the three rappers. Nicki's Young Money labelmate, Tyga also makes a brief cameo appearance in the clip.[17]

The video garnered positive reviews from critics, noting its high energy, fun and "wackiness". MTV's Rob Markman gave the video a positive review saying, "Only in a Nicki Minaj video can you find two of rap's hardest street figures performing in such a wacky setting, but it's the juxtaposition that 'I Am Your Leader' offers which makes it so fun."[17]

Live performances

Minaj performed the song for the first time on

The Today Show's summer concert series on August 14, 2012.[18]

Credits and personnel

Recording
Personnel

Credits adapted from Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded liner notes.[19]

Charts

Chart (2012) Peak
position
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[20] 71

References

  1. ^ "New Nicki Minaj Album Out in Early 2012, Says Birdman". Billboard. November 21, 2011. Retrieved December 11, 2011.
  2. Rovi Corporation
    . Retrieved March 4, 2012.
  3. ^ a b "Pick Nicki's Next Single!". MyPinkFriday. Nicki Minaj, Young Money Entertainment. Archived from the original on September 11, 2012. Retrieved April 1, 2013.
  4. Complex
    . Retrieved June 26, 2013.
  5. Viacom
    . Retrieved June 26, 2013.
  6. ^ a b c d Unterberger, Andrew (March 29, 2012). "Nicki Minaj's "Roman Reloaded" Reviewed: "I Am Your Leader" (Feat. Cam'Ron & Rick Ross)". Archived from the original on 9 November 2014. Retrieved 28 August 2012.
  7. ^ a b Rivers, Joe (April 16, 2012). "Nicki Minaj Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded". No Ripcord. Drupal. Retrieved August 28, 2012.
  8. ^ a b Fleischer, Adam (April 3, 2012). "Nicki Minaj, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded". XXL. Retrieved August 28, 2012.
  9. ^ Hampp, Andrew (March 29, 2012). "Nicki Minaj, 'Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded': Track-By-Track Review". Billboard. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
  10. Wolfgang's Vault
    . Retrieved June 26, 2013.
  11. Rovi Corporation
    . Retrieved August 28, 2012.
  12. ^ Cole, Matthew (April 2, 2012). "Nicki Minaj Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded". Slant Magazine. Retrieved August 8, 2012.
  13. Pitchfork Media
    . Retrieved 28 August 2012.
  14. ^ Ewing, Tom (April 5, 2012). "Nicki Minaj: Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded – review". The Guardian. Retrieved August 28, 2012.
  15. ^ Ritchie, Kevin (April 5, 2012). "Nicki Minaj - Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded". Now. Retrieved August 28, 2012.
  16. ^ Anderson, Kyle (April 13, 2012). "Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded (2012) Nicki Minaj". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved August 28, 2012.
  17. ^ a b Markman, Rob (August 24, 2012). "Welcome To Nicki Minaj's Playhouse: 'I Am Your Leader' Video". MTV News. Viacom. Retrieved August 28, 2012.
  18. Buzz Media
    . August 14, 2012. Retrieved August 28, 2012.
  19. ^ Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded (liner notes). Nicki Minaj. The Island Def Jam Music Group. 2012. 2796668.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  20. ^ "Nicki Minaj Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 15, 2012.
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