Nicki Minaj’s Seminal Pivot to Pop with “Super Bass”

It took two years for Nicki Minaj to take over the world. Following her 2009 mixtape Beam Me Up Scotty, she caught the attention of Lil Wayne who signed her. Minaj quickly became ubiquitous, taking over the charts and winning over rap heavyweights and pop divas with her next level guest verses. It was Nicki’s debut album Pink Friday and single “Super Bass” that made her a force to be reckoned with across the board. Her pop pivot was a huge risk, especially as she pulled double duty singing and rapping on the hit. But it paid off: the song was her first Top 10 single and became the highest charting song by a female rapper since Missy Elliott’s “Work It.” Joining us to discuss the song’s impact and the ups and downs of Minaj’s legacy is Rolling Stone staff writer Mankaprr Conteh.

00:00 Introduction to the Podcast
00:15 Nicki Minaj’s Breakthrough with ‘Super Bass’
01:00 Nicki’s Early Career and Mixtapes
04:14 The Impact of ‘Monster’ and Nicki’s Versatility
06:05 The Pop Side of Nicki Minaj
07:40 The Pink Friday Era
13:53 Nicki’s Controversies and Public Image
17:13 Interview with Mankaprr Conteh
17:32 MonkaFur’s Early Memories of Nicki
19:22 Nicki’s Influence on Pop and Rap
27:01 Nicki’s Legacy and Current Standing
30:52 Conclusion and Credits

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