Upon hearing “Pink Friday,” most people’s minds immediately jump to the Queen of Rap herself, Nicki Minaj. The Trinidadian femcee released her debut album on Nov. 22, 2010, via Cash Money Records, Universal Motown Records and Young Money Entertainment. Even as a newcomer, she nabbed impressive collaborations from names like Eminem, Drake, Rihanna and Kanye West, ultimately selling 375K copies in her first week out. This placed Minaj behind Lauryn Hill with the second-highest sales debut ever for a female rapper, and the mother of one has only continued to prove her power since.
Over a decade later, she returned with “Pink Friday 2,” this time recruiting J. Cole, Lil Wayne, Future, Monica, 50 Cent and other icons to join her on the tracklist. Minaj’s 2023 LP debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, making her the first female rapper with three albums to top the chart; she moved 228K album-equivalent albums at the time, 92,000 of which were pure sales. These statistics are all undeniably impressive, but they’re not more important than the Pink Friday trend that began during the COVID-19 pandemic to support small businesses.
Pink Friday Is Also an Opportunity To Support Small Businesses
Per Max Retail, minds at The Boutique Hub came together in 2020 to plan Pink Friday and #SupportSmallFirst. At the time, consumers worldwide were stuck at home due to lockdowns and travel restrictions, prohibiting local vendors from marketing in usual ways, such as at community events and weekend festivals.
Large corporations with well-established online platforms initially thrived, but people quickly realized the importance of spending their money with intention – particularly watching whose hands their hard-earned dollars are landing in and at what cost. Pink Friday always takes place one week before Black Friday, meaning those participating in 2024 were likely advertising their best deals for Nov. 22. This is largely to help retailers who might be hearing feedback from shoppers like, “Oh, I’d love to support you on small business Saturday, but I already spent all my money on Black Friday.”
Other Ways To Show Love To Independent Retailers
Just because Pink Friday has already passed us by this year doesn’t mean there’s not still the opportunity to support small. Seeing as Nicki Minaj is known for collaborating with up-and-coming rap divas like Sexyy Red and Ice Spice to empower the next generation, it only makes sense her fans would strive to take a similar approach with their holiday shopping strategy.
Even if you don’t have the money to purchase from a small business right now, telling someone in your social circle about your experience with them can bring potential new customers their way. Alternatively, social media is an amazing marketing tool, but algorithms often stand in the way of small businesses getting the reach they deserve. Show your favorite local shops love by liking, commenting and sharing their posts to increase visibility!
Anyone feeling particularly generous of spirit might consider buying gift cards from small businesses to hand out as random acts of kindness. Even if the shop in question offers pricey products, knowing they have a $5-$10 discount could be all the incentive a person needs to make a life-changing purchase.
