Nicki Minaj is one of the most prolific female rappers of our time. Since her mixtape debut in the late 00s, the Queens native set the stage for artists like Cardi B and Doja Cat with attention-grabbing wordplay and a fiery personality, which she derived from 90s influences like Foxy Brown and Lil Kim.

Minaj’s journey officially began with her 2010 debut album Pink Friday, which combined the lyrical rawness of previous mixtapes like 2007’s Playtime Is Over and 2009’s Beam Me Up Scotty with forward-thinking, catchy production. Singles like the inspiring “Moment 4 Life” featuring fellow Young Money artist Drake, the victorious “Fly” with Rihanna, and the braggadocio flair of “Did It On ‘Em,” Pink Friday showcased Minaj’s ability to create effortless pop-rap hits. But “Super Bass,” the album’s fifth single, quickly blossomed as the rapper’s defining moment.

In comparison to the majority of Pink Friday, “Super Bass” is strictly sticky-sweet, bubblegum pop. That’s no surprise when the co-writer here is Grammy-nominated songwriter Ester Dean (Rihanna’s “What’s My Name?” and Katy Perry’s “Firework”) and production is handled by Kane Beatz (Young Money’s “BedRock,” Trey Songz’s “Bottoms Up”). Switching between an innocent sing-song chorus and catchy rap verses, she confesses being head over heels in love: “Boy, you got my heartbeat running away/Beating like a drum and it’s coming your way/Can’t you hear that boom-ba-doom-boom, boom-ba-doom-boom bass?”