Tierra Whack – WORLD WIDE WHACK
Tierra Whack is making mainstream hip-hop interesting on WORLD WIDE WHACK, an album where no two songs are alike
It's been nearly six years since the release of Tierra Whack's ingenious (and critically acclaimed) debut album Whack World – an eccentric collection of 15 one-minute tracks (and accompanying videos) cleverly devised for social media. This time around, the Philly-born wordsmith has opted for a more traditional release, but can she maintain her momentum over a full-length LP, or is this sophomore effort destined to be more “wack” than Whack?
One playthrough of WORLD WIDE WHACK renders that question obsolete. No two songs are alike and Whack's effortless rhymes and absurdly varied vocals are abundant and irresistible. It's a record filled with breezy slow jams, throwback melodies, trap beats and nursery rhyme simplicity. Chanel Pit (‘Mosh pit smell like Chanel, mmm / What is that shit I smell? Me’) and Snake Eyes, with its shuddering bass thump, are among the main events, but it's Ms Behave – a rare foray into dancefloor banger territory – that steals the show, with a hand-drummed beat and buzzing electronic that channels Kelis’ Milkshake.
Perhaps this new album doesn’t match the immediate wow factor of Whack World – few albums ever could – but regardless, we should be thankful Tierra Whack is out there doing her thing; making mainstream hip-hop interesting.
Listen to: Ms Behave, Chanel Pit, Snake Eyes