Cheekily titled WORLD WIDE WHACK, Tierra Whack continues to make a name for herself with humor and even more sincerity on her major label debut album. It is full of pure fun, joy, and silliness, while being surprisingly dark and poignant as well.
Ever since her surprise debut mixtape Whack World back in 2018, Tierra Whack has turned heads in the art rap / R&B / pop music world. Elusive, funny, and undeniably charming, Philly-based Whack managed to pack a crazy amount of interest into a fifteen minute long mixtape, where each song is notably one minute in length. There's a fun, tongue and cheek element to her music that's both smart and silly. Since then, she's been pretty sparse in releases outside of some sporadic singles and small scale offerings, such as the Pop?, Rap?, and R&B? EP's back in 2021. She even signed to major label Interscope. There's been a lot of hype and chatter for a debut album ever since Whack World was released and we finally have one in 2024.
Cheekily titled WORLD WIDE WHACK, Tierra Whack continues to make a name for herself with humor and even more sincerity. Across fifteen tracks that span thirty seven minutes in total runtime, WWW is full of pure fun, joy, and silliness. It is surprisingly dark and poignant as well, where we hear themes of depression and lack of meaning on some tracks. It's quite impressive and brave to hear Whack being so open to these topics and to be more honest through this record. I enjoy hearing her goofy self but applaud her serious, reflective side just as much if not more. Tracks like the pretty, acoustic "TWO NIGHT" has Whack questioning that she might die tonight. It's very somber and stark, considering she has dealt with anxiety and self doubt throughout her career but it's also humbling to hear that she's still tackling this with humor ("my last meal might be chicken and fries / I'm Black, so you should not be surprised"). "27 CLUB" closes the album and is also another serious moment that tackles suicide, where this time there isn't much humor to be drawn here but rather involves self doubt, lack of drive, and lack of meaning resulting in the possibility of losing your life. It's a heartbreaking song that documents what Whack has been through personally and she handles this theme quite maturely and beautifully despite her usual attempts at silliness in her music.
The majority of WWW isn't as serious and goes for the cheeky, hilarity that we would typically expect from Whack with sprinkles of personal experiences in the track listing. "MOOVIES" is a moody 80's R&B jam that takes from Whack's perspective of going on dates ("you never take me to the movies / take me to eat, I'm a foodie"). "SHOWER SONG" is literally a song about Whack taking a shower, singing in the shower (and sounding great!), exfoliating, and even soaking her ass. It's pure fun, even if I can't sing that well in the shower. "CHANEL PIT" is another highlight that has Whack rapping about a mosh pit smelling like Chanel. "MS BEHAVE" sounds like it could've been included on the Black Panther soundtrack with its nocturnal tribal grooves. "X" is a jumpy, quirky tune that sounds like a Tune-Yards collab. "INVITATION" is a 90's pop throwback that tackles fan culture and expectations of her music ("every song I drop, I change the sound"). "IMAGINARY FRIENDS" has Whack describing her imaginary friend with a Chance the Rapper-like delivery. "BURNING BRAINS" is a slick R&B ballad that's pretty on the ears and has some weird warbling towards its end.
WWW is a very fun listen and debut album from one of rap and R&B's most intriguing newer artists. It's fresh, fun, quirky, and surprisingly personal. There are things that certainly keep WWW from being better, such as the inconsistent track list that repeats sonic ideas (especially from much of the ballads) and the lack of experimentation in some areas. I feel like after a few listens, I'd want to cherry pick songs rather than listen to the entire album in its entirety. Regardless though, WORLD WIDE WHACK is one of the more unique, enjoyable listens I've heard this year when it comes to rap, R&B, and pop music. It's definitely a Tierra Whack album when you hear it. There's a lot of personality, humor, and sincerity to hear and I'm curious to see what Whack does next in her career.
My Rating: 7 / 10
Favorite Songs: "SHOWER SONG," "CHANEL PIT," "TWO NIGHT," "MS BEHAVE," "IMAGINARY FRIENDS," "27 CLUB"
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