“They’re Comparing My Album To Kanye’s”

Young Money's Nicki Minaj has opened up over the buzz surrounding her Pink Friday debut album and why Kanye West is her biggest sales competitor.

According to Minaj, fans often lack acknowledgement of her relatively short amount of time in the public spotlight.

During her whirlwind promo tour in the U.K., Nicki Minaj sat down with BBC Radio 1Xtra’s Trevor Nelson for a chat at her swanky hotel. Once you get past her distracting outfit and the camera panning into her cotton candy-like hairdo, you’ll hear the head Barb speak about the pressure she felt while recording her debut album Pink Friday and how it’s a “blessing” being compared to established artists like Kanye West and Eminem. “They’re comparing me to people who’ve been out forever. They’re comparing my album to Kanye’s album,” she said. “The sales in the States, we’re neck and neck. And people don’t realize I am a brand new artist. This is my first album. These guys have been around for a long time.” (Rap-Up)

A few weeks ago, Minaj credited Ye’s ex-girlfriend Amber Rose for linking them together.

“Well I was great friends with Amber Rose when they were dating and she had recommended me to him for his album and finally I guess he relented [laughs],” Minaj said of meeting West. “One day I got a call from her and she said Kanye wanted me to come down to Hawaii and record for the album. He told me I could pick what I wanted to be on. I heard the beat for ‘Monster.’ I fell in love with it and that’s how the ‘Monster’ verse happened…When it came to me putting my album out, I was like ‘I can’t have an album without Kanye. He has to be a part of it.’ He’s become my mentor, he gives me advice, he hits me, takes random pictures off-line and says ‘Oh this is a good picture of you.’ He’s really into fashion so he’s a good person to have a well-rounded conversation with.” (RWD Mag)

Last August, West officially co-signed Minaj’s talent in an interview with New York City radio host Angie Martinez.

“This is gonna be such a big statement, and such a big thing to fill: The scariest artist right now is definitely Nicki Minaj. I think she has the most potential to be the number-two rapper of all time. Nobody’s gonna be bigger than Eminem.” (Hot 97)

Prior to her Pink Friday debut dropping last month, Ye publicly applauded the rapper’s first solo album.

“From what I’ve heard of @NickiMinaj ‘s album I know it’s gone be crazy! I’ve got a couple verses on it too!!! And she in my hometown 2nt!,” Ye tweeted November 15th. (Kanye West’s Twitter)

As of now, Nicki Minaj’s Pink Friday rests at 922,400 sold copies after two months while Kanye West’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy stands at 940,600 sold discs after the same amount of time in stores.

Check out Nicki Minaj’s interview below: