Super Bass by Nicki Minaj Lyrics Meaning – Decoding the Euphoric Love Anthem of the Decade

You can view the lyrics, alternate interprations and sheet music for Nicki Minaj's Super Bass at Lyrics.org.

Lyrics

This one is for the boys with the booming system
Top down, AC with the cooler system
When he come up in the club, he be blazin’ up
Got stacks on deck like he savin’ up
And he ill, he real, he might gotta deal
He pop bottles and he got the right kind of build
He cold, he dope, he might sell coke
He always in the air, but he never fly coach
He a motherfuckin’ trip, trip, sailor of the ship, ship
When he make it drip, drip kiss him on the lip, lip
That’s the kind of dude I was lookin’ for
And, yes, you’ll get slapped if you’re lookin’ ho
I said, excuse me you’re a hell of a guy
I mean my, my, my, my you’re like pelican fly
I mean, you’re so shy and I’m loving your tie
You’re like slicker than the guy with the thing on his eye, oh

Yes, I did, yes, I did
Somebody please tell him who the eff I is
I am Nicki Minaj, I mack them dudes up
Back coupes up and chuck the deuce up

Boy, you got my heartbeat runnin’ away
Beating like a drum and it’s coming your way
Can’t you hear that
Boom, badoom, boom, boom, badoom, boom, bass?
He got that super bass
Boom, badoom, boom, boom, badoom, boom, bass
Yeah that’s that super bass
Boom, boom, boom, badoom, boom (bass, bass)
Boom, boom, boom (bass, yeah)
Boom, boom, boom, badoom, boom (bass, bass)
Boom, boom, boom (bass)
Boom, badoom, boom, boom, badoom, boom, bass
He got that super bass
Boom, boom, badoom, boom, boom, badoom, boom, bass
Yeah, that’s that super bass (yo, yo)

This one is for the boys in the Polos
Entrepreneur niggas and the moguls
He could ball with the crew, he could solo
But I think I like him better when he dolo
And I think I like him better with the fitted cap on
He ain’t even gotta try to put the mack on
He just gotta give me that look, when he give me that look
Then them panties comin’ off, off, uh
Excuse me, you’re a hell of a guy you know
I really got a thing for American guys
I mean, sigh, sickenin’ eyes
I can tell that you’re in touch with your feminine side, uh

Yes, I did, yes, I did
Somebody please tell him who the eff I is
I am Nicki Minaj, I mack them dudes up
Back coupes up and chuck the deuce up

Boy, you got my heartbeat runnin’ away
Beating like a drum and it’s coming your way
Can’t you hear that
Boom, badoom, boom, boom, badoom, boom, bass?
He got that super bass
Boom, badoom, boom, boom, badoom, boom, bass
Yeah that’s that super bass
Boom, boom, boom, badoom, boom (bass, bass)
Boom, boom, boom (bass, yeah)
Boom, boom, boom, badoom, boom (bass, bass)
Boom, boom, boom (bass)
Boom, badoom, boom, boom, badoom, boom, bass
He got that super bass
Boom, boom, badoom, boom, boom, badoom, boom, bass
Yeah, that’s that super bass

See, I need you in my life for me to stay
No, no, no, no, no, I know you’ll stay
No, no, no, no, no, don’t go away, hey
Boy, you got my heartbeat runnin’ away
Don’t you hear that heartbeat comin’ your way?
Oh, it be like
Boom, badoom, boom, boom, badoom, boom, bass
Can’t you hear that boom
Boom, badoom, boom, boom, badoom, boom, bass?

Boy, you got my heartbeat runnin’ away
Beating like a drum and it’s coming your way
Can’t you hear that
Boom, badoom, boom, boom, badoom, boom, bass?
He got that super bass
Boom, badoom, boom, boom, badoom, boom, bass
Yeah that’s that super bass
Boom, boom, boom, badoom, boom (bass, bass)
Boom, boom, boom (bass, yeah)
Boom, boom, boom, badoom, boom (bass, bass)
Boom, boom, boom (bass)
Boom, badoom, boom, boom, badoom, boom, bass
He got that super bass
Boom, boom, badoom, boom, boom, badoom, boom, bass
Yeah, that’s that super bass

When Nicki Minaj dropped ‘Super Bass,’ it thudded into the cultural consciousness with the force of its titular sonic element. Pulsing with vibrant beats and effervescent strings of wordplay, the 2010 track exemplifies a love anthem in the heady days of a digital age. Laying down verses that celebrate an intoxicating infatuation, Minaj crafts a narrative driven by assertiveness, attraction, and a dash of material swagger.

While on the surface ‘Super Bass’ pumps as a quintessential club banger, its layers unravel to render a nuanced exposition on the dynamics of modern love and empowerment. Through this examination, we venture past its catchy chorus to dissect a multifaceted tale that complements the complexities of Minaj’s altering personas and her artistic ethos.

An Ode to Modern Knight: Dismantling Masculine Archetypes

Minaj introduces us to a character rich in contemporary knightliness, one who wields influence through ‘the booming system’ and the ‘cooler system’, an intricate layering of status symbols that signify modern-day chivalry and prowess. Her description taps into cultural touchstones which appeal to a new definition of what’s alluring in a partner, interfacing technology with traditional masculinity.

The transformative nature of this character’s portrayal speaks volumes about the shifting paradigms in romance. The track refuses to detach love from the trappings of socio-economic power, reflecting a deeper understanding of desires intertwined with real-world aspirations.

Boom, Badoom, Boom: The Infectious Hook That Captured a Generation

‘Super Bass’ is anchored by a hook that is nothing short of infectious. It’s the heart of the song’s staying power, a resonant ‘boom, badoom, boom’ that calls to our primordial sense of rhythm, capturing not just hearts but the cultural imagination. The repurposing of onomatopoeia elevates mundane syllables to a near-mythic status.

The hook operates on a dual level – it’s both the narrative heartbeat of infatuation pounding ‘away’ and an audible manifestation of Minaj’s lyrical audacity. It blurs the lines between sound and sensation, imbricating the listener in the experiential dynamism intrinsic to the song’s theme.

Empowerment Versus Objectification: Straddling Thin Lines

Minaj unabashedly explores the theme of empowerment through selection and allure. Lyrics such as ‘I am Nicki Minaj, I mack them dudes up, back coupes up and chuck the deuce up’ serve a double entendre of exercising control and reversing traditional gender roles within the context of courtship.

This subtext of empowerment presents a compelling juxtaposition to the objectifying tendencies present in the description of the male protagonist. The intelligent play on words and the confrontational defenses against objectification (‘yes, you’ll get slapped if you’re looking ho’) reinforce a message of self-respect and assertiveness.

The Finer Frequencies: Unraveling the Song’s Hidden Narrative

Beneath the club-ready basslines and catchy refrains lies a hidden narrative of vulnerability and dependence. Lines like ‘See, I need you in my life for me to stay’ reveal an emotional depth that contrasts the more materialistic facets of the song, exposing the delicate balance between independence and attachment in human connection.

The duality of ‘Super Bass’ is ultimately the duality of Nicki Minaj herself – skilled at reconciling her stature as a dominant female figure in hip-hop while displaying the universal uncertainties of love and desire. This hidden narrative forms the connective tissue between Minaj, her artistry, and her audience.

Memorable Lines: The Lyrical Dance of Wit and Provocation

‘You’re like slicker than the guy with the thing on his eye,’ is just one showcase of Minaj’s dexterity with clever analogies and playful braggadocio. Her adept manipulation of imagery and cultural references creates a landscape that’s colorful, kinetic, and ripe with double meanings.

Each line is carefully crafted for impact, thought-provoking in its sharpness and shades of significance. These memorable lines define not just a song but an era – Minaj’s bars capturing the imagination much like the ‘pelican fly’ that gives us a glimpse into the aspirational heights to which her creativity soars.