I first saw Tierra Whack on NPR’s Tiny Desk a few years ago. She was backed by a seven-piece band and had great energy, riffing on RnB and soul, so that’s what I was expecting when I popped on this new album, which is really a mixtape. Instead, I got an insane abstract rap album filled with hilarious bars, some serious flow, and beats made by a boom-bap legend, Conductor Williams. I had no idea Whack is a rapper, but holy shit, she is a force to be reckoned with. Tierra Whack, who happens to be related to the Smiths (Will and Willow), has an insane range.
Her flow on a track like “SIREN” gave me Missy Elliot meets Megan Thee Stallion vibes. We get more of this vibe of “QUEEN’S CROWN.” But Whack uses humour and double entendres like they are her alchemical fire, and raps specific words to give them a different meaning. “WAX PAPER” has the hilarious double-meaning line “Sometimes I’m too generous / You know what I mean, Ellen DeGeneres / You a snake; I could see the resemblance. She sings “mean” to sound like both ‘you know what I mean,’ and you are MEAN, Ellen DeGeneres. WHACK’S MUSEUM is full of these one-liners that are presented like they are off the cuff, but I guarantee Whack takes her bar seriously and likes to have fun. I mean, the track “EARWAX” has the line, I wanted in, but they wont let us, cabbages. C’mon, that’s fun and brilliant.
“TOTEM” has Whack rapping about not getting her credit, and after hearing this, a quick and methodical mixtape, it’s due.
