By moving from the number four spot up to the number three spot on Billboard magazine’s “Hot 100” singles chart, Nicki Minaj’s single “Super Bass”
threatens to break a decade-long record that is currently held by Missy Elliott. The record was established in 2002, when Missy’s “Work It” reached the number two spot and remained there for 10 consecutive weeks. As it is, “Super Bass” has already become the most commercially successful solo single by a female rapper in nearly a decade.
Should Nicki’s latest single move to a higher slot on the chart, it will be the third time within two years that the Young Money artist has made Billboard history. In 2010, Nicki Minaj became the first female emcee to have seven songs on the Billboard Top 200 Singles chart. She followed that feat by becoming the first female Rap artist with an album in the top 10 for 14 consecutive weeks or more. The previous record was held by Lauryn Hill, with 10 consecutive weeks for The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.
“Nicki isn’t like any other female rapper,” says Cash Money co-founder/co-CEO Ronald “Slim” Williams, told Billboard. “We knew she had the goods when Lil Wayne signed her. She’s not a female rapper—she’s a pop star who happens to rap.”
A full breakdown, including the previous female Rap artists to crack the top 10, and why some high-profile Rap/Pop collaborations didn’t meet the proper classification, is available at Billboard.com.
