Super Bass
Encyclopedia
"Super Bass" is a song by Trinidad
ian-American recording artist and songwriter Nicki Minaj
, from her debut album, Pink Friday
. The song impacted radio as the album's seventh single on April 5, 2011 and was released on May 13, 2011. Written by Minaj, along with Daniel Johnson and Ester Dean
, the song includes additional vocals from Dean. Production of the song was done by Kane. According to Minaj the song's lyrics tell the story of a boy that you have a crush on and are about wanting to get intimate but instead taking a playful approach. The song draws from the hip hop
, R&B
genres while infusing elements of pop
and Minaj's rap
.
"Super Bass" received mainly positive reviews from critics. The song was complimented for its memorable hook, lyrical context and for its chorus. It garnered attention by pop stars such as Taylor Swift
and Selena Gomez
. The song has peaked at number three on the United States Billboard Hot 100
.
A music video for the single was shot in March 2011, by director Sanaa Hamri
. It was initially expected to premiere on BET
's 106 & Park
on April 27, 2011, but the video's premiere was later pushed to May 5, 2011 for unknown reasons. The video received generally positive reviews from critics, most of whom complimented the "eye candy" and colorful visuals seen throughout the video.
During an interview with Nashville’s 107.5, The River, singer/songwriter Taylor Swift
requested the station to play Minaj's "Super Bass" during an interview. Swift described her love for the song stating, "I’ve been listening to it on repeat and I really freak my friends out because I can recite every single lyric to the rap". The DJ later convinced Swift to rap a verse from Minaj's song on the air. In an interview with American radio station 102.7 KIIS FM, Minaj said, "Taylor Swift did her little interview about 'Super Bass' and [it] took off in the States with the people sort of knowing it...It’s just really uncanny how all that stuff happens...We didn’t plan it like that".
, R&B
, and electronic
genres while also infusing elements of pop
combined with an upbeat hook. It uses a busy beat that is interspersed with digital rain drop sound effects and strong bass. Minaj's vocals in the song have been described as "breathy". "Super Bass" is written in the key of G♯ minor with a moderate tempo of 120 beats per minute
. Minaj's lyrics in the song are often dirty and suggestive with lines like "He just gotta give me that look, when he give me that look / Then the panties comin' off, off, uh' and a catchy onomatopoetic refrain: 'Boom, badoom, boom, boom, badoom, boom, bay, he got that super bass".
Brad Wete of Entertainment Weekly
stated that the song describes Minaj's type of man as "one who hits the gym often and has first-class money" as she states "He pops bottles and he’s got the right kind of build…. He’s always in the air/ But he never flies coach". Charley Rogulewski of AOL
's The Boombox says, "The uber-catchy 'boom, badoom, boom, boom' chorus makes 'Super Bass' the most pop-friendly Minaj song released to radio [sic
] yet". Described as a lighter side to Minaj by Jessica Sinclair of Long Island Press, the song gets more in-depth with a little more pop and an upbeat hook that "really sticks", however, Minaj still assists the song's pop edge with "crazy rapping skills".
gave the song a very positive review, stating that it was an "obvious hit". He compared the song to the rest of Pink Friday stating that it is much more potent. Case later added, "Pink Friday is short on memorable hooks, but 'Super Bass' is an exception". Rap-Up
described the tune as "infectious". Jessica Sinclair of Long Island Press
complimented Minaj for taking "center stage" on the song, due to her solo performance, and added that in doing so Minaj created a success. Sinclair additionally commented on the song as a lighter side to Minaj, and complimented the hook as upbeat and added that it "really sticks". Rosie Gray of BlackBook complimented the song as a "killer". Alex Pielak of Metro compared Minaj's "Super Bass" to Beyoncé Knowles
' "Move Your Body", stating that "Nicki wins for the sheer number of words she's managed to cram in – and therefore takes the face off".
Bill Lamb from About.com
was positive in his review on the song giving it four and a half stars out of five. Lamb praised the song's chorus for its ability to get stuck in your head writing, "it is when that chorus kicks in that 'Super Bass' is lifted to the status of outstanding pop song. The 'boom badoom boom, boom badoom boom' instantly sinks into the head urging you to sing along." Along with the chorus the song's rapped verses were highlighted in the review with Lamb praising Minaj for vocal "power" writing, "When the song returns to the rapped verse it is another lesson in the Nicki Minaj skill. She doesn't simply rap the words with rhythmic power. She manages to masterfully manipulate the mood and the meaning of the words through shifts in emphasis, intonation and phrasing." Lewis Corner from Digital Spy
gave the single four out of a possible five stars. Corner wrote that the song's chorus was "sharper than a Sherbet Dib Dab." Minaj's "eccentric rapping style" was praised in the review with Corner writing that the song was likely to become her first solo top ten hit in the United States or the United Kingdom.
at position ninety-eight. The following week it rose fifty spots to number forty-eight. On the week titled May 21, 2011, "Super Bass" debuted on the Rap Songs and Hot Digital Songs
charts at number twenty-five and thirty-one respectively. In its fourteenth week, the song has peaked at number three on the Hot 100. In Canada, "Super Bass" premiered on the Canadian Hot 100
at number ninety-two. As of October 2011, the song has sold over 3,000,000 digital downloads in the US alone, making it the first time that a female rapper in a solo or lead position has reached such sales. "Super Bass" entered the UK Singles Chart
at number 46 on May 21, 2011, and, after nine non-consecutive weeks of moving up the chart, reached a peak of number eight on the chart week ending August 13, 2011. The song has so far spent eleven weeks inside the top 20.
that she was shooting a video for "Super Bass" with director Sanaa Hamri
, she explained the video's concept, stating that she wanted the video to be full of eye candy and that she wanted it to be colorful. On April 26, 2011, Minaj revealed a sneak peek of the music video on BET
's 106 & Park
. The sneak peek showed Minaj in a pink wig with similarly-clad backup dancers gyrating to the song, wearing a uniform of white tank tops, denim shorts, and different colored work boots and the same laces.
Originally the video was set to premiere on the same show as where the preview was premiered on April 27, 2011, Minaj took to Twitter
to reveal that the music video has been pulled from the show and would not be premiering that date for unknown reasons, tweeting "Super Bass is no longer coming out tmrw". The music video instead premiered on Minaj's official Vevo
account on May 5, 2011.
The music video begins with a close-up of Minaj as she opens her eyes and begins to blink as the song begins. As Minaj raps verses of the song, Barbie
- approved props; a pink Ferrari, pink plane and a pink pool, are shown contemplating what Minaj is saying in the verse. Minaj then begins to playfully tease men as clips of ice-speakers and a motorcycle made of ice are interlaced into the scene. As the chorus begins, Minaj is seen performing choreography with pink-haired backup dancers. As the video continues, Minaj is seen in a green wig at a pool side with men, playing in a pool of pink water. Minaj then continues to ride the motorcycle made of ice while wearing a skintight pink bodysuit emblazoned with giraffe prints, a half-blond and pink wig, gold eye shadow and bright pink lipstick, and is additionally seen splashing in a pool of pink water. Minaj then begins to reprise her lap dances in the dark, with black lights setting the glowing tone of the dancers, as Minaj glows in the dark with glowing lips, hair and makeup. The video ends with Minaj lit in the black lighting, biting her finger.
D.L. Chandler from Rapfix complimented the video's visuals writing, "it is a dazzling visual affair if nothing else". AOL music's Contessa Gayles reviewed the video, writing, "The highlight of the Sanaa Hamri-directed video? The glow-in-the-dark lap-dance scene." On the day of its premiere, Rap-Up
complimented the video as "vibrant". Becky Bain of Idolator gave the song a positive review, comparing it to "Judas
" stating, "Super Bass had the better choreography in an anxiously-awaited music video featuring a pop star riding a motorcycle released today. (Sorry, 'Judas')". United Kingdom
's MTV
found Minaj's signature lap dance "saucy" and complimented the clip's use of "hunky men" and "outrageous flirting". Brad Wete of Entertainment Weekly
stated that there is plenty of "eye candy" for both men and women, stating that Minaj "ratchets up the sex appeal" in the clip. The Sun favored the fluorescent-lighting scene of the music video stating that "She'd be a good person to have with you at Glasto when you're trying to find your tent". Wesley Case of The Baltimore Sun
complimented the video as wildly stylized that "looks like a comic book come to life".
At the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards
, Minaj's video for "Super Bass" was nominated under the Best Female Video and Best Hip-Hop Video categories, winning the latter and gaining Minaj her first moonman.
at the American Music Awards of 2011
on November 20, 2011, and also performed her other song "Turn Me On
".
additionally took to her official YouTube
account to rap to Minaj's song. In the video, Gomez raps an entire verse of the song, fast-forwarding through the profane language of the song, due to her younger audience. Gomez recorded herself rapping to the song in her dressing room at the 2011 People's Choice Awards
..
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Pink Friday
, Young Money, Cash Money, Universal Motown.
|-
!scope="col"|Country
!scope="col"|Certification
|-
|Australia
|style="text-align:center;"|3× Platinum
|-
| United States
|style="text-align:center;"|3× Platinum
|-
| New Zealand
|style="text-align:center;"| Platinum
|-
!Country
!Date
!Format
|-
|United States
|April 5, 2011
|Rhythmic airplay
|-
|Australia
|rowspan="2"|May 13, 2011
|rowspan="2"|Digital download
|-
|New Zealand
|-
|United States
|May 17, 2011
|Mainstream airplay
|}
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
ian-American recording artist and songwriter Nicki Minaj
Nicki Minaj
Onika Tanya Maraj , better known by her stage name Nicki Minaj; ), is a Trinidadian-born American recording artist...
, from her debut album, Pink Friday
Pink Friday
Pink Friday is the debut studio album by hip hop recording artist Nicki Minaj. It was released on November 19, 2010 in both standard and deluxe editions through Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records, and Universal Motown. The intended lead single from the album, "Massive Attack", flopped...
. The song impacted radio as the album's seventh single on April 5, 2011 and was released on May 13, 2011. Written by Minaj, along with Daniel Johnson and Ester Dean
Ester Dean
Ester Renay Dean is an American singer and songwriter, and record producer signed to Zone 4 Records/Interscope Records. She is most notable for her dual appearance on Rio: Music From The Motion Picture and her 2009 US hit single "Drop It Low", which featured singer Chris Brown...
, the song includes additional vocals from Dean. Production of the song was done by Kane. According to Minaj the song's lyrics tell the story of a boy that you have a crush on and are about wanting to get intimate but instead taking a playful approach. The song draws from the hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
, R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
genres while infusing elements of pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
and Minaj's rap
Rap
Rap may refer to:*Rapping, performance in which rhyming lyrics are used, with or without musical accompaniment ; while an MC performs spoken verses in time to a beat/ melody**Hip hop subculture**Hip hop music...
.
"Super Bass" received mainly positive reviews from critics. The song was complimented for its memorable hook, lyrical context and for its chorus. It garnered attention by pop stars such as Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift
Taylor Alison Swift is an American country pop singer-songwriter, musician and actress.In 2006, she released her debut single "Tim McGraw", then her self-titled debut album, which was subsequently certified multi-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America...
and Selena Gomez
Selena Gomez
Selena Marie Gomez is an American actress and singer best known for portraying Alex Russo in the Emmy Award-winning Disney Channel television series Wizards of Waverly Place...
. The song has peaked at number three on the United States Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
.
A music video for the single was shot in March 2011, by director Sanaa Hamri
Sanaa Hamri
Sanaa Hamri is a Moroccan American music video and film director. She is one of the few prominent female film and music video directors of color.-Early life and breakthrough:...
. It was initially expected to premiere on BET
Bet
Bet or BET may refer to:* A wager in gambling* Basic Economics Test * Bet , the second letter in many Semitic alphabets, including Aramaic, Hebrew, Phoenician and Syriac* Brunauer-Emmett-Teller isotherm. See BET_theory...
's 106 & Park
106 & Park
106 & Park is a Top Ten Hip-Hop and R&B music video show, set up in a countdown format, that airs weekdays at 6:00 PM on BET . Since its inception, it was the network's #1 rated show...
on April 27, 2011, but the video's premiere was later pushed to May 5, 2011 for unknown reasons. The video received generally positive reviews from critics, most of whom complimented the "eye candy" and colorful visuals seen throughout the video.
Background
"Super Bass" was written by Minaj, along with Daniel Johnson and Ester Dean. Production of the song was done by Kane. While being interviewed by MTV while shooting the video for the single, Minaj explained the song's concept stating, "'Super Bass' is about the boy that you are crushing over, [...] And you kind of want to get your mack on, but you're taking the playful approach."During an interview with Nashville’s 107.5, The River, singer/songwriter Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift
Taylor Alison Swift is an American country pop singer-songwriter, musician and actress.In 2006, she released her debut single "Tim McGraw", then her self-titled debut album, which was subsequently certified multi-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America...
requested the station to play Minaj's "Super Bass" during an interview. Swift described her love for the song stating, "I’ve been listening to it on repeat and I really freak my friends out because I can recite every single lyric to the rap". The DJ later convinced Swift to rap a verse from Minaj's song on the air. In an interview with American radio station 102.7 KIIS FM, Minaj said, "Taylor Swift did her little interview about 'Super Bass' and [it] took off in the States with the people sort of knowing it...It’s just really uncanny how all that stuff happens...We didn’t plan it like that".
Composition
"Super Bass" draws from the hip hopHip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
, R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
, and electronic
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
genres while also infusing elements of pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
combined with an upbeat hook. It uses a busy beat that is interspersed with digital rain drop sound effects and strong bass. Minaj's vocals in the song have been described as "breathy". "Super Bass" is written in the key of G♯ minor with a moderate tempo of 120 beats per minute
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
. Minaj's lyrics in the song are often dirty and suggestive with lines like "He just gotta give me that look, when he give me that look / Then the panties comin' off, off, uh' and a catchy onomatopoetic refrain: 'Boom, badoom, boom, boom, badoom, boom, bay, he got that super bass".
Brad Wete of Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
stated that the song describes Minaj's type of man as "one who hits the gym often and has first-class money" as she states "He pops bottles and he’s got the right kind of build…. He’s always in the air/ But he never flies coach". Charley Rogulewski of AOL
AOL
AOL Inc. is an American global Internet services and media company. AOL is headquartered at 770 Broadway in New York. Founded in 1983 as Control Video Corporation, it has franchised its services to companies in several nations around the world or set up international versions of its services...
's The Boombox says, "The uber-catchy 'boom, badoom, boom, boom' chorus makes 'Super Bass' the most pop-friendly Minaj song released to radio [sic
Sic
Sic—generally inside square brackets, [sic], and occasionally parentheses, —when added just after a quote or reprinted text, indicates the passage appears exactly as in the original source...
] yet". Described as a lighter side to Minaj by Jessica Sinclair of Long Island Press, the song gets more in-depth with a little more pop and an upbeat hook that "really sticks", however, Minaj still assists the song's pop edge with "crazy rapping skills".
Critical reception
Wesley Case of The Baltimore SunThe Baltimore Sun
The Baltimore Sun is the U.S. state of Maryland’s largest general circulation daily newspaper and provides coverage of local and regional news, events, issues, people, and industries....
gave the song a very positive review, stating that it was an "obvious hit". He compared the song to the rest of Pink Friday stating that it is much more potent. Case later added, "Pink Friday is short on memorable hooks, but 'Super Bass' is an exception". Rap-Up
Rap-Up
Rap-Up is a magazine launched in 2001 by founder Devin Lazerine. The publication was originally a website devoted to hip hop, until Lazerine decided to pitch the possibility of a magazine to several publishers. The magazine is focused on the hip hop and R&B aspect of the music industry, and...
described the tune as "infectious". Jessica Sinclair of Long Island Press
Long Island Press
The Long Island Press is a free newsweekly serving Long Island with extensive coverage of arts and entertainment, sports, and alternative political viewpoints. The newspaper started in 2003 after its parent company, Morey Publishing, bought The Long Island Ear, which was a free bi-monthly...
complimented Minaj for taking "center stage" on the song, due to her solo performance, and added that in doing so Minaj created a success. Sinclair additionally commented on the song as a lighter side to Minaj, and complimented the hook as upbeat and added that it "really sticks". Rosie Gray of BlackBook complimented the song as a "killer". Alex Pielak of Metro compared Minaj's "Super Bass" to Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
' "Move Your Body", stating that "Nicki wins for the sheer number of words she's managed to cram in – and therefore takes the face off".
Bill Lamb from About.com
About.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
was positive in his review on the song giving it four and a half stars out of five. Lamb praised the song's chorus for its ability to get stuck in your head writing, "it is when that chorus kicks in that 'Super Bass' is lifted to the status of outstanding pop song. The 'boom badoom boom, boom badoom boom' instantly sinks into the head urging you to sing along." Along with the chorus the song's rapped verses were highlighted in the review with Lamb praising Minaj for vocal "power" writing, "When the song returns to the rapped verse it is another lesson in the Nicki Minaj skill. She doesn't simply rap the words with rhythmic power. She manages to masterfully manipulate the mood and the meaning of the words through shifts in emphasis, intonation and phrasing." Lewis Corner from Digital Spy
Digital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
gave the single four out of a possible five stars. Corner wrote that the song's chorus was "sharper than a Sherbet Dib Dab." Minaj's "eccentric rapping style" was praised in the review with Corner writing that the song was likely to become her first solo top ten hit in the United States or the United Kingdom.
Chart performance
On the week of May 14, 2011, "Super Bass" debuted on the US Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
at position ninety-eight. The following week it rose fifty spots to number forty-eight. On the week titled May 21, 2011, "Super Bass" debuted on the Rap Songs and Hot Digital Songs
Hot Digital Songs
The Hot Digital Songs chart ranks the best-selling digital singles in the United States, according to Billboard.Beginning in February 2005, digital sales have been incorporated into many of Billboards music single charts. It was decided to do so mainly because of the dramatic rise in popularity of...
charts at number twenty-five and thirty-one respectively. In its fourteenth week, the song has peaked at number three on the Hot 100. In Canada, "Super Bass" premiered on the Canadian Hot 100
Canadian Hot 100
The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007...
at number ninety-two. As of October 2011, the song has sold over 3,000,000 digital downloads in the US alone, making it the first time that a female rapper in a solo or lead position has reached such sales. "Super Bass" entered the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
at number 46 on May 21, 2011, and, after nine non-consecutive weeks of moving up the chart, reached a peak of number eight on the chart week ending August 13, 2011. The song has so far spent eleven weeks inside the top 20.
Music video
On March 10, 2011, Minaj revealed during an interview with MTV NewsMTV News
MTV News is the news division of MTV, one of the first and most popular music television network in the U.S., as well as some of MTV's related channels around the world. MTV News began in the late 1980s with the program The Week In Rock, hosted by Kurt Loder, the first official MTV News correspondent...
that she was shooting a video for "Super Bass" with director Sanaa Hamri
Sanaa Hamri
Sanaa Hamri is a Moroccan American music video and film director. She is one of the few prominent female film and music video directors of color.-Early life and breakthrough:...
, she explained the video's concept, stating that she wanted the video to be full of eye candy and that she wanted it to be colorful. On April 26, 2011, Minaj revealed a sneak peek of the music video on BET
Bet
Bet or BET may refer to:* A wager in gambling* Basic Economics Test * Bet , the second letter in many Semitic alphabets, including Aramaic, Hebrew, Phoenician and Syriac* Brunauer-Emmett-Teller isotherm. See BET_theory...
's 106 & Park
106 & Park
106 & Park is a Top Ten Hip-Hop and R&B music video show, set up in a countdown format, that airs weekdays at 6:00 PM on BET . Since its inception, it was the network's #1 rated show...
. The sneak peek showed Minaj in a pink wig with similarly-clad backup dancers gyrating to the song, wearing a uniform of white tank tops, denim shorts, and different colored work boots and the same laces.
Originally the video was set to premiere on the same show as where the preview was premiered on April 27, 2011, Minaj took to Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
to reveal that the music video has been pulled from the show and would not be premiering that date for unknown reasons, tweeting "Super Bass is no longer coming out tmrw". The music video instead premiered on Minaj's official Vevo
Vevo
Vevo is a music video website. It is a joint venture among Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group, and Abu Dhabi Media with EMI licensing its content to the group without taking an ownership stake. The service was launched officially on December 8, 2009...
account on May 5, 2011.
The music video begins with a close-up of Minaj as she opens her eyes and begins to blink as the song begins. As Minaj raps verses of the song, Barbie
Barbie
Barbie is a fashion doll manufactured by the American toy-company Mattel, Inc. and launched in March 1959. American businesswoman Ruth Handler is credited with the creation of the doll using a German doll called Bild Lilli as her inspiration....
- approved props; a pink Ferrari, pink plane and a pink pool, are shown contemplating what Minaj is saying in the verse. Minaj then begins to playfully tease men as clips of ice-speakers and a motorcycle made of ice are interlaced into the scene. As the chorus begins, Minaj is seen performing choreography with pink-haired backup dancers. As the video continues, Minaj is seen in a green wig at a pool side with men, playing in a pool of pink water. Minaj then continues to ride the motorcycle made of ice while wearing a skintight pink bodysuit emblazoned with giraffe prints, a half-blond and pink wig, gold eye shadow and bright pink lipstick, and is additionally seen splashing in a pool of pink water. Minaj then begins to reprise her lap dances in the dark, with black lights setting the glowing tone of the dancers, as Minaj glows in the dark with glowing lips, hair and makeup. The video ends with Minaj lit in the black lighting, biting her finger.
D.L. Chandler from Rapfix complimented the video's visuals writing, "it is a dazzling visual affair if nothing else". AOL music's Contessa Gayles reviewed the video, writing, "The highlight of the Sanaa Hamri-directed video? The glow-in-the-dark lap-dance scene." On the day of its premiere, Rap-Up
Rap-Up
Rap-Up is a magazine launched in 2001 by founder Devin Lazerine. The publication was originally a website devoted to hip hop, until Lazerine decided to pitch the possibility of a magazine to several publishers. The magazine is focused on the hip hop and R&B aspect of the music industry, and...
complimented the video as "vibrant". Becky Bain of Idolator gave the song a positive review, comparing it to "Judas
Judas (song)
"Judas" is a song by American recording artist Lady Gaga, taken from her second studio album Born This Way . The song was released worldwide on April 15, 2011, four days ahead of its scheduled release, by Interscope Records. Written and produced by Lady Gaga and RedOne, "Judas" is a dance song that...
" stating, "Super Bass had the better choreography in an anxiously-awaited music video featuring a pop star riding a motorcycle released today. (Sorry, 'Judas')". United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
's MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
found Minaj's signature lap dance "saucy" and complimented the clip's use of "hunky men" and "outrageous flirting". Brad Wete of Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
stated that there is plenty of "eye candy" for both men and women, stating that Minaj "ratchets up the sex appeal" in the clip. The Sun favored the fluorescent-lighting scene of the music video stating that "She'd be a good person to have with you at Glasto when you're trying to find your tent". Wesley Case of The Baltimore Sun
The Baltimore Sun
The Baltimore Sun is the U.S. state of Maryland’s largest general circulation daily newspaper and provides coverage of local and regional news, events, issues, people, and industries....
complimented the video as wildly stylized that "looks like a comic book come to life".
At the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards
2011 MTV Video Music Awards
The 2011 MTV Video Music Awards took place on August 28, at Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, honoring the best music videos from the previous year. On July 20, the nominees were announced...
, Minaj's video for "Super Bass" was nominated under the Best Female Video and Best Hip-Hop Video categories, winning the latter and gaining Minaj her first moonman.
Live performances
"Super Bass" was performed for the first time in May 2011 on national television live at the 2011 Billboard Music Awards.. Minaj performed this song alongside David GuettaDavid Guetta
Pierre David Guetta , known professionally as David Guetta , is a French house music producer and DJ. Originally a DJ at nightclubs during the 1980s and 1990s, he co-founded Gum Productions and released his first album, Just a Little More Love, in 2002. Later, he released Guetta Blaster and Pop Life...
at the American Music Awards of 2011
American Music Awards of 2011
The 39th American Music Awards was held on November 20, 2011 , at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles . The awards recognized the most popular artists and albums from the year 2011. Nominees were announced on October 11, 2011. The awards ceremony was host-free...
on November 20, 2011, and also performed her other song "Turn Me On
Turn Me On (David Guetta song)
"Turn Me On" is a song by French disc jockey David Guetta from his fifth studio album Nothing but the Beat. It features Trinidadian rapper Nicki Minaj on vocals. It was written by Minaj herself and Ester Dean, who previously helped Minaj co-wrote her hit single, "Super Bass"...
".
Cultural impact
On the same day as Swift's "Super Bass"-rap, Disney starlet Selena GomezSelena Gomez
Selena Marie Gomez is an American actress and singer best known for portraying Alex Russo in the Emmy Award-winning Disney Channel television series Wizards of Waverly Place...
additionally took to her official YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
account to rap to Minaj's song. In the video, Gomez raps an entire verse of the song, fast-forwarding through the profane language of the song, due to her younger audience. Gomez recorded herself rapping to the song in her dressing room at the 2011 People's Choice Awards
37th People's Choice Awards
The 37th People's Choice Awards, honoring the best in popular culture for 2010, were held on January 5, 2011 at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, California, and were broadcast live on CBS at 9:00 pm ET...
..
Personnel
- Lead Vocals - Onika MarajNicki MinajOnika Tanya Maraj , better known by her stage name Nicki Minaj; ), is a Trinidadian-born American recording artist...
- Songwriting – Onika Maraj, Daniel Johnson, Ester DeanEster DeanEster Renay Dean is an American singer and songwriter, and record producer signed to Zone 4 Records/Interscope Records. She is most notable for her dual appearance on Rio: Music From The Motion Picture and her 2009 US hit single "Drop It Low", which featured singer Chris Brown...
- Production – Kane
- Additional vocals – Ester Dean
- Recording – Akiet Chopaz
- Recording assistant – Lyttleton "Cartwheel" Carter
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Pink Friday
Pink Friday
Pink Friday is the debut studio album by hip hop recording artist Nicki Minaj. It was released on November 19, 2010 in both standard and deluxe editions through Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records, and Universal Motown. The intended lead single from the album, "Massive Attack", flopped...
, Young Money, Cash Money, Universal Motown.
Charts and certifications
| Chart (2011) | Peak position |
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia Urban (ARIA ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... ) |
2 | ||
| Brazil (Billboard Billboard Brasil Billboard Brasil is a monthly Brazilian magazine launched on October 10, 2009, with a print-run of over 40,000 copies. It is distributed nationwide by Brazil's biggest distributor Dinap... Hot 100 Airplay Brasil Hot 100 Airplay Brasil Hot 100 Airplay is the official music singles charts in Brazil. It has been compiled by Crowley Broadcast Analysis and published monthly by Billboard Brasil since the release of the magazine, in October 2009.... ) |
10 | ||
| Brazil (Billboard Hot Pop & Popular Billboard Brasil Billboard Brasil is a monthly Brazilian magazine launched on October 10, 2009, with a print-run of over 40,000 copies. It is distributed nationwide by Brazil's biggest distributor Dinap... ) |
5 | ||
| Canada (Canadian Hot 100 Canadian Hot 100 The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007... ) |
6 | ||
| South Korea (Gaon International Chart Gaon Chart The Gaon Chart is a national record chart of South Korea. It is complied by the Korea Music Content Industry Association and sponsored by South Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism; with an aim to create a national chart for Korea similar to the Billboard charts and Oricon charts... ) |
50 | ||
| US Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
3 | ||
| US Adult Pop Songs (Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... ) |
35 | ||
| US Hot Dance Club Songs (Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... ) |
23 | ||
| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,... (Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... ) |
6 | ||
| US Latin Pop Songs (Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... ) |
16 | ||
| US Pop Songs Mainstream Top 40 (Pop Songs) The Mainstream Top 40 is an airplay chart from Billboard magazine, and is also known as Pop Songs on billboard.com. It was often mistaken for and confused with the now discontinued Pop 100 Airplay chart... (Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... ) |
3 |- |
US Latin Songs Hot Latin Songs Hot Latin Songs is a record chart published by Billboard magazine. It is often recognized as the most important music chart for Spanish language Latin music in the American music market. It was established by the magazine on September 6, 1986 with La Guirnalda by Rocío Dúrcal being the first song... (Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... ) |
34 |
| US Rap Songs (Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... ) |
2 | ||
Certifications
{| class="wikitable"|-
!scope="col"|Country
!scope="col"|Certification
|-
|Australia
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
|style="text-align:center;"|3× Platinum
|-
| United States
|style="text-align:center;"|3× Platinum
|-
| New Zealand
|style="text-align:center;"| Platinum
Radio and release history
{| class="wikitable"|-
!Country
!Date
!Format
|-
|United States
|April 5, 2011
|Rhythmic airplay
|-
|Australia
|rowspan="2"|May 13, 2011
|rowspan="2"|Digital download
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
|-
|New Zealand
|-
|United States
|May 17, 2011
|Mainstream airplay
|}