The song was released on 16 March 2015 as the fourth single from Guetta's sixth studio album, Listen (2014).
The artists co-wrote the song with Ester Dean, Sean Douglas, and Giorgio Tuinfort; the latter co-produced it with Guetta and Afrojack.
"Hey Mama" is the third collaboration between Guetta and Minaj, following Nothing but the Beat singles "Where Them Girls At" (which features Minaj and Flo Rida) (2011) and the double-platinum "Turn Me On" (2011).
"Hey Mama" is written in the key of E minor with a tempo of 86 beats per minute.
The song peaked at number eight on the Hot 100, becoming Guetta's sixth top 10 in the US, also making Minaj's 12, Afrojack's second since Pitbull's "Give Me Everything", and Rexha's first as singer but second as writer after the no. 1 Hot 100 Hit The Monster by Eminem featuring Rihanna.