This week rapper Nicki Minaj finally released her long awaited (and much hyped) third album The Pinkprint, her most personal record to date. While the ‘Anaconda’ singer had previously said she was looking to return to her hip-hop roots, The Pinkprint is an ecliptic mix of sounds and influences which shows Minaj’s diversity as an artist. But how have the critics found this new, more vulnerable Nicki Minaj?

Nicki MinajNicki Minaj has finally dropped 'The Pinkprint'

While Nicki never appeared to be holding back lyrically before, The Pinkprint finds the rapper at her most open as she raps about everything from her cousin’s murder to a child that she lost sixteen years ago.

“Overall, there’s a real comfort on The Pinkprint, as Nicki completely lets go to be herself", writes MTV’s Rob Markman. "For once it isn’t about how you feel about Nicki Minaj, but rather how Nicki Minaj feels about Nicki Minaj. And despite all the pain and heartbreak, we’re guessing she feels pretty great about where she is musically,” he continues,

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The Guardian’s Ben Westhoff also praises Minaj’s versatile talents, writing that the album contains “genuinely moving, emotionally wrenching ballads” and adding that as it turns out, "Minaj can do a credible Elton John thing too.”

While the album may not be the instant classic Minaj touted it as, The Pinkprint still seems to mark a high point in the 32 year old’s already impressive career.

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The Pinkprint is both miles ahead in maturity while still acknowledging her gritty start. And she was right: like students studying for the bar, notes can be taken by her successors,” writes Billboard’s Niki McGloster, who also adds that on the album, "Minaj was finally able to out-rap herself and purge issues she's struggled with in private in her most exposed fashion yet.”

So now that Minaj’s colourful wigs seem to be a thing of the past, The Pinkprint shows that lyrically we may also be getting to finally meet the real Onika Maraj.

"Her rapping is so on-point that even in confessional mode, Minaj lets the public finally buy her heart”, say's Spin's Brennan Carley. Of course this is still the same woman who gave us that 'Anaconda' video earlier this year, proving that the old Nicki still isn't finished coming out to play yet.