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Roman Shower: What Inspired Nicki Minaj’s Insane ‘Roman Reloaded’ Cover?

Nicki Minaj Roman Reloaded

This week, Nicki Minaj dropped the cover to her long-awaited sophomore album Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, a neon splatter of paint and make-up like Flock of Seagulls got in a knife fight in a Toys R Us. SPIN editors wracked our brains trying to figure out what inspired this Technicolor massacre.

  • Duran Duran’s Rio cover?: It’s got the same love of sharp angles, steely glares and heavy make-up. Plus it was born the same year as Nicki!
  • Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome?: And speaking of sharp make-up, there’s a bit of a post apocalyptic vibe to this, maybe if the four horsemen rode unicorns.
  • Barbie’s Dream House?: The word “Pink” is most definitely in the Barbie font. Nicki’s recently been made a real barbie. And couldn’t you imagine this room sitting next door to this?
  • Jem and the Holograms?: Nicki is the right age to have watched the living shit out of this in the 1980s. Plus, you know if they were around today, they would definitely recruit her for some guest raps.
  • Lisa Frank?: For real, though
  • The art of Ryan Trecartin?: Colors! Paint! Junk culture! Ahhh!
  • Sigue Sigue Sputnik?: These British new wavers (also born the same year as Nicki!) traded in loud colors, wild hair, Road Warrior make-up and… ah, hell just watch this.
  • The Spin Doctors’ “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong video?: Lots of paint being splattered in that one! Probably about a decade too late to be a real reference point, but we when RedOne sample “Two Princes,” don’t say we didn’t warn you.
  • Pandering to the Bronies?: They roll deep.