Two of hip-hop’s biggest female heavy hitters return with new music as Nicki Minaj and Doja Cat soundtrack the weekend with brand new singles. Plus, young music act Griff as a pleasant new music discovery.  

Starting with Nicki Minaj, who steps a bit out of her comfort zone on the tuneful new song “Last Time I Saw You.” Leaning more pop with synth flavors than her usual bangers, Nicki Minaj turns sentimental on this mid-tempo pop song that reminds more of The Weeknd than “Starships.” Nevertheless, Minaj quickly finds footing as she sings, “I wish I’d hugged you tighter the last time that I saw you / I wish I didn’t waste precious time the night when I called you,” in the track’s honed hook melodies.

Admittedly, I’m no big Nicki Minaj fan, and while I don’t mind hearing her songs, she’s more of this big rap act with a man-eater image than a musical force. Minaj’s rapping voice I’d know anywhere, but would not think that this was Minaj throughout. I’d have thought it was some featured dulcet-voiced hook singer singing the track’s main verses. Which goes to show how great musical acts of the day pass us by when we’re not paying attention.

Released Friday, September 1st, “Last Time I Saw You” is a preview of an upcoming full album set for a November release. Titled “Pink Friday 2,” Nicki Minaj announced that it will be the sequel to her 2010 debut album.

Meanwhile, Doja Cat stays true to form on her latest single, “Demons.” Reverberating beats open Doja Cat’s latest banger as she raps, “I’m a puppet, I’m a sheep, I’m a cash cow / I’m the fastest-growing bitch on your apps now / “You are tired of me ‘cause I’m on your ass now / you are mad at me ‘cause I am all they slap now.” Another rap tune about how it’s all about getting big and famous on social media? I’d have lost attention immediately if the track wasn’t so infectious.

But that’s just one side of it. Check out the music video for “Demons” where Doja plays a ceiling-crawling demon terrorizing a suburban mom (played by the one and only Christina Ricci) and her kids out of their home. Uhm, question, is it wrong that we find Doja Cat as red-eyed, coal black, diamond-wearing, cat-demon hot? “Demons” is the third single off Doja Cat’s upcoming new album, "Scarlett.”

This week’s hot find is English singer-songwriter Griff. Real name, Sarah Faith Griffiths, Griff is 22 years old and debuted in 2019. Her  profile describes her as “5’3, plays piano and guitar, half-Jamaican, half-Chinese, grew up in a small town just outside London.”

Her latest single is the catchy, mid-tempo, pop-R&B song “Vertigo” wherein she sounds like a modern iteration of Leona Lewis (but of course, she’s not, but as a reference). Griff sings, plays, writes, and produces her songs.  Her 2022 release “Head On Fire” sounds equally good, and we can see how Griff aced the Rising Star plum at the 2021 Brit Awards. Check out her self-produced debut ‘mix tape’ titled “One Foot In Front Of The Other,” specifically the album track. It's worth watching and listening out for.

See? I do pay attention most of the time. Happy grooving!