Who's On Top? - Nicki Minaj Covers Billboard Magazine

Here's the self branded Barbie of hip-hop on yet ANOTHER cover! Whilst we love the gradual takeover of Miss Minaj, (We can barely go 5 minutes without hearing/reading about/seeing her) we've seen this shot so many times before...we expected more Nicki. Tut.

Nicki Minaj - Pink Friday Promo Vid

Nicki Minaj's debut LP 'Pink Friday' is on the verge of release and we have here the promotional video designed to crank up the hype. Just watching it reminds us of what she's achieved already and we can't wait to see what else her album has to offer!

Music Video Première - will.i.am & Nicki Minaj ft. Cheryl Cole - Check It Out

The video has just been released for the UK version of will.i.am and Nicki Minaj's hook up 'Check It Out,' which will now feature British lovely Cheryl Cole! Whilst the video remains very much the same as the previous version, Cheryl has been edited in and we think it's all the better for it. She is looking HOT!

Click here to watch the video on Cheryl Cole's official site...

Nicki Minaj - Official Album Preview

Who's On Top? - Nicki Minaj On BlackMen SSX Tribute Magazine

Here we have Nicki Minaj cranking up the sex factor in her latest shoot, and whilst we love the crazy hip-hop princess, we feel that there's just too much boob going on?!

 

 

Who's On Top? - Nicki Minaj On YRB Magazine

Nicki Minaj does it again! This time for 'YRB' magazine, Minaj looks stunning in this elements photoshoot, conveying a sheer sense of power and beauty and we must say the result is stunning. We're starting to believe only Nicki can pull this kind of epic photoshoot off nowadays...

 

 

Uk Midweek Charts Roundup - Tuesday 2nd Oct

Looks like our predictions were right people, after her crazy performance on Sunday night’s X Factor Results Show, Rihanna has swept to the top of the midweeks with her single ‘Only Girl (In The World)!’

Cheryl Cole isn’t even following her, as newcomer Alexis Jordan settles in at #2 with her debut ‘Happiness,’ which we love her at The Ice, Spice and Vice Files. This means that Queen Cole (Well...she more or less is anyway) takes the #3 spot at the moment. But don’t fear Cheryl, you’re looking at a #1 album instead so it’s all good.

Completing the top five at the moment are Bruno Mars and Katy Perry who’s most likely still in demand due to her single ‘Firework’ appearing so close to the Firework Night on 5^th November.

Elsewhere we see Shakespears Sister return to the top ten with their 1992 #1 hit ‘Stay,’ after Cher Lloyd’s performance of the track on The X Factor on Saturday, whilst The Saturday’s collaboration with Flo Rida, ‘Higher,’ comes in at #10, but with only 400 more sales than will.i.am and Nicki Minaj who, for now, stick to the #11 spot.

Unfortunately for Girls Aloud star Nadine Coyle, her debut solo single ‘Insatiable’ has stalled at #35 so far this week although we may see sales pick up as the physicals are released...let’s hope so for her sake...

See you tomorrow chart freaks, oh, and say a prayer for Miss Coyle before bedtime tonight ;)

Uk Midweek Charts Roundup - Tuesday 19th Oct

It looks as though we may see an end to Cee-Lo Green’s reign at the top this week, as Bruno Mars moves back up to the #1 spot after selling 50,000 copies of his single ‘Just The Way You Are,’ most probably after Matt Cardle’s X Factor performance of the track on Saturday.

The Wanted’s follow up to their chart topper ‘All Time Low,’ ‘Heart Vacancy’ has fired up to second place, with sales of 20,000 copies so far. Duck Sauce is still selling strong, occupying the #3 position, with Cee-Lo Green and Mike Posner rounding off the rest of the top 5.

Elsewhere, we see several other new entries crack the top 10, such as N-Dubz’s latest offering at #6, and, with thanks to her X Factor performance, we see Katy Perry’s Firework debuting at #9. Jay Sean and Nicki Minaj’s ‘2012 (It Ain't The End)’ completes the bottom of the top 10.

Further down the chart we see Diana Vickers at #12 with ‘My Wicked Heart,’ which has stalled after her promising live X Factor performance. Unfortunately for Joe McElderry, after debuting at #6 with his sophomore track ‘Ambitions,’ he’s now looking at a #17 placing in this week’s chart, whilst Pixie Lott also tumbles down to #21.

Make sure you’re back tomorrow for the latest instalment!

Nicki Minaj - Official Album Cover

Nicki Minaj has just released the album artwork for her upcoming debut 'Pink Friday'. The cover is typical Nicki; quirky, colourful and very Barbie...basically, we like it a lot! The hotly anticipated album is due for release on the 22nd November in the US and The Ice, Spice & Vice Files cannot wait to hear what Miss Minaj has to offer :-)   

Who's On Top? - Best Cover - 21st Sept - 5th Oct

So, the fortnight is over and time is up for our 'Who's On Top?' magazine cover celebs! We've featured 13 stars this fortnight, from Lil' Kim, to The Wanted to President Obama.

BUT...there can only be one Best Cover...

So, in 3rd place we have selected...Ebony's 65th anniversary edition cover, which looks slick and fashionable and, of course, features 4 massive stars.

In 2nd place, we have selected Taylor Swift's 'Glamour' shoot, which was a total surprise and shows a different side to the typically reserved star...

And finally...taking our top spot this week is.........

NICKI MINAJ IN 'OUT' MAGAZINE!

 

Looking playful and surrounded by crazy costumes and vibrant colours, Nicki Minaj is a clear winner. 

So, that's our first 'Who's On Top? Best Cover' - who'll be next?

Who's On Top? - Nicki Minaj Covers 'Out' Magazine

Nicki Minaj has been a busy bee...as well a gracing the cover of 'Complex' magazine, she has also taken the cover of 'Out' magazine, the US' leading gay publication. Nicki divulges that “I think there have been many gay rappers, they just haven’t come out of the closet...Yup, lots of them. They’re lurking around the industry now. Obviously, the majority of the men in hip-hop don’t want you to think they’re gay. That’s just the reality of it. I’m a woman, so I have a lot more flexibility. And I don’t lose credibility in any way if I say I think girls are dope and sexy.” 

I think this spread instantly has the 'Minaj' feel, playing up to her kookiness and love of vibrant colours. Whilst her 'Complex' spread was a nice change due to its simplicity, the edginess of this shoot just, well, has the edge. 

Who's On Top? - Nicki Minaj Covers 'Complex' Magazine

A new feature we'll be having here on The Ice, Spice and Vice Files is a 'Who's On Top?' section, showing the latest celebrities gracing various well known publications. We'll post as many as we can find that are released that week and then select our favourite cover of the week! First up is Nicki Minaj... 

Looking amazing in greyscale, Minaj covers Marc Ecko's 'Complex' magazine, stripping back her usual 'hip-hop princess' look for a simple but striking effect.

Nicki Minaj - Your Love

Nicki Minaj is back, not with a feature spot, but with her own full length single, 'Your Love,' which provides an interesting and satisfying change of pace for the up and coming Hip-Hop princess. Sampling Annie Lennox's 'No More I Love You's' and opening to a plethora of chimes, Minaj looks set to prove her versatility after her ballsy performances on other tracks such as Christina's 'Woohoo.'


Although Nicki slows down her now infamously fast and quirky vocals, she manages to keep the spice (Something that we here at icespicevice have a bit of a soft spot for...) with lines such as "You got spunk, you got something all the girls want." It's clear that even in a love song, Minaj is able to show a cheeky side to her lyrics which is somewhat refreshing, creating a more relatable side to her than we've seen before.


The chorus begins well, mellow but engaging, however as it goes on and enters into a repeat of "...your love..." it does feel a little dull after the first few listens. However, this should not distract from the fact that this is a pleasant change of direction for Nicki and shouldn't take too much from the overall enjoyment of the song.


Although this is a change of tempo for the self-styled Barbie, I do feel like I expected more from her in this effort. This is not to say that this is not a good, well crafted release but it does feel as thought it's lacking that usual Minaj spark a little. She does, on the other hand, show extremely good rap/singing versatility and conjures the sense of vulnerability, a side of the performer which has not been so obvious before now. Overall, a good track, but I feel that Minaj has more which she could have, and inevitably will, offer.


7/10 - Spice

Jay Sean ft. Nicki Minaj - 2012 (It Ain't The End)

I'm not going to pull any punches, to me this song holds no appeal. From its dire introduction of 2-0-1-2, (catchy...) to it's lacklustre chorus, this song brings nothing new to the table.


The verses by Jay Sean are nothing new or special in any way, filling every criteria for the word "cliché" it can, including talk of being "survivors" until the end...


 The chorus does little to make up for its dated lyrics as set up in the verses, showing little to none of the  drive and excitement expected of a song that deals with the celebration of the end of the world and would be more acceptable as a forgotten 90s boyband track.


As Nicki Minaj delivers the second verse the song finally steps up some level of enthusiasm, with the new first lady of hip-hop treating us to more spirit than Jay Sean does in the entire build up. Minaj creates the feeling of a need to get on the dance floor...just as Jay Sean lumbers back into the track and wipes any such excitement away, coming across as a featuring artist on his own track.


All I can take from the chorus is that to be in attendance of Jay Sean's end of the world party would be sensationally dull, re-enforced by his introduction of some generic "ooohs" and "ahhhhs." Furthermore the idea of the track is not immediately clear from the beginning, and represents a desperate attempt to recapture the magic of Prince's '1999.' In conclusion, the concept is terrible and very dated, although I wouldn't be surprised if this does manage to scrape a reasonable chart position.


5/10 - Ice :-(