Nicki Minaj’s friends and frequent producing partners Pop & Oak—comprised of Andrew “Pop” Wansel and Warren “Oak” Felder—helped her score a No. 1 hit with her debut single “Your Love.” Now the hitmakers, who have worked with Big Sean (“Marvin & Chardonnay”) and Trey Songz (“Unusual”), are reuniting with rap’s reigning diva for her sophomore album Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded. While careful not to reveal too much, the dynamic duo did offer Rap-Up TV a hint of what to expect come April 3.

“There’s more surprises this time,” said Pop. “I think she’s proven, like, ‘Yo, I can rap. I’m probably the best girl to really do this shit ever.’ Now she’s more comfortable and she’s having a little more fun.”

Whether you prefer the more grimy Nicki who rhymes on “Stupid Hoe” or the vulnerable Nicki who sings on “Save Me,” the album will have something for everyone. “She’s smart enough and she’s gonna figure out how to give a balance,” added Pop. “She’s so diverse and that’s a gift and a curse for her. This time she focused more on giving every side.”

Pop also assured her Barbz that they wouldn’t be disappointed. “There’s a lot of surprises for them on this album. They’ll be really happy.”

In addition to Pop & Oak, Nicki has been in the studio with Hit-Boy, Dr. Luke, and Ester Dean (“Super Bass”), crafting the follow-up to her 2010 debut Pink Friday.

Madonna was recently on ABC News Nightline, talking about various things, including kissing Nicki for her birthday! Skip to the 3:29 mark.

“I did [kiss her], but it was her birthday! I just gave her a birthday kiss. No tongue, who said tongue?” Madonna said. “She has lovely lips.”

Fans might not know Pop and Oak by name, but they damn sure know their beats. Trey Songz’s “Unusual,” Big Sean and Kanye West’s “Marvin & Chardonnay” and, of course, Nicki Minaj’s 2010 single “Your Love” are just a few of the duo’s hits.

Now they’re up for a Grammy thanks to their work on Nicki’s Pink Friday, which is nominated in the Best Rap Album category.

Pop, a Philadelphia native, and his production partner, Oak, who hails from Istanbul, Turkey, have been working as a duo since 2008, back when they first produced “Your Love” for a then-emerging Minaj. ” ‘Your Love’ was a song that didn’t make Beam Me Up Scotty, the mixtape,” Pop told Mixtape Daily.

Nicki was super-critical of her performance on the song, but after it eventually leaked at the top of 2010, there was no stopping it — well, there was one little obstacle to clear. The original leaked version featured a sample of Annie Lennox’s 1995 version of “No More I Love You’s,” but after the U.K. singer wouldn’t clear the sample, Pop and Oak had to come up with an alternative.

“They didn’t let us clear the sample, so the version that leaked wasn’t the version that got on the radio. We ended up re-creating it,” Oak said.

The duo redid the sample a little too well, it seemed. Even after the switch-up, Lennox’s lawyers continued to reach out, thinking Nicki’s new version of “Your Love” still incorporated the sample. “They thought what they were hearing on the radio was still the master,” Oak said.

“Annie Lennox thought she was hearing herself, which was fly as hell,” Pop added.

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Check out Nicki performing Super Bass, Turn Me On, and (for the first time ever) Roman in Moscow!

Events > 2011 > December 31 – Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve

Here’s the official lyric video for David Guetta and Nicki’s new single, Turn Me On! I can’t wait to see this song climb up the charts. It’d be a great way to start off 2012!