The Crying Game (Nicki Minaj song)

"The Crying Game" is a song by American rapper Nicki Minaj featuring English singer-songwriter Jessie Ware. "The Crying Game" is an emotional hip-hop ballad, and during the song, Minaj alternates between "devastating verses and pensive crooning" whilst Ware adds "haunting" and "soulful" vocals to the chorus.

Commercial performance

The track peaked at #13 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart.^[1]

Critical reception

Critics praised Minaj's verses on the track, Ware's vocals, and the autobiographical lyrics. Niki McGloster of Billboard praised the song, stating "Driven by somber guitar loops, Minaj shines alongside UK singer-songwriter Jessie Ware on one of the best songs of the album. "Ain't no smiling faces here, we slamming doors and dishes," she recalls about an abusive relationship. "Another slap to the face, another uppercut.""^[2] While reviewing Minaj's album The Pinkprint, Brennan Carley of Spin praised the track, writing "The Crying Game blurs the line between rap-Nicki and pop-Nicki nicely, though there's never really been quite such an easy divide between the rapper's leanings. The song's hollow bells and muffled strings — plus a gorgeous chorus sung by Jessie Ware — complement vulnerable lyrics like, "Another slap to the face / Another uppercut / I'm just abusive by nature / Not 'cause I hate ya." Remarkably frank confessions like this one explode all over The Pinkprint, surprising for an artist more known for gleefully bragging, "Boobs boobs boobs boobs boobs / Lotta boobs / Man I make the baddest bitches send me nudes."^[3] Caitlin Carter from MusicTimes gave the song a positive review, saying "I Lied and "The Crying Game" are what I think Minaj was talking about when she said that women would really connect with the album. It all seemed very honest and got to the root of how all relationships are complicated and how we act isn't always how we feel."^[4]

References