While Kanye and company shoulder their mission to prove all an album needs to grasp attention and become instant classics is seven songs; Tierra Whack has taken it a few steps farther. In her debut project Whack World, every song clocks in at just one minute. Most songs these days with short run times are just a giant red flag that the artist in question can’t really make a full song or they’ve got a short attention span. They say you get 15 minutes of fame, Tierra Whack made a song for every one of them. However, each tracks seems like a longer version exists and she is just teasing us with her greatness. Like many Black women artists these days, the project was accompanied with a visual aspect. I should mention that she filmed the visual in just two days.
Whack World begins with “Black Nails,” a quick twenty bars that give a nice rundown of what you should expect from her. It’s simple in rhyme, the visuals match that energy with small nods to the lyrics in finger nail art.
Best believe I’m gon’ sell
If I just be myself — “Black Nails”
“Bugs Life” opens with “Probably would blew overnight if I was white,” and it gave me flashbacks to the mostly forgotten Lady Sovereign — wonder what she’s up to? Despite the affinity for placing white faces over Black ones in hip hop, Tierra Whack is certainly on the path to a somewhat overnight success. She’s already performed at Roots Picnic. Prior to this tape she only had 4 songs out under this moniker. With the audio visual aspect of creation and the rap world in need of something other than G.O.O.D. Music’s mania, right now she’s just the one we need.
We’ve all had a friend who attempted to take the relationship a little too far. “Cable Guy” is about finally buckling down and separating yourself. This is one of the songs that I’m certain has a other verse floating around in Whack’s computer. It builds the backing music and then like all the others it cuts exactly at a minute. Suddenly I feel like the person she rejected in the song, I knew what this was when I began listening.
I’m not perfect but I improvise
Drop shit and my niggas vibe — “4 Wings”
If this is a show of improvisation, then I’m truly afraid of what could happen when things are planned out. During press for her breakout single “Mumbo Jumbo,” which isn’t featured on Whack World, she mentioned how she starts each song by mumbling how the melody should sound. While “mumble rap” seems to be flooding the market right now, not many of them are doing it quite like Tierra. Sure she frequently revisits the tracks and lays down actual verses, but sometimes she doesn’t and it’s rather infectious.
The way Tierra weaves in and out of music stylings should be applauded. In such a short run time she’s proved that she’s got what it takes sonically. As a rapped you have to be able to handle the bars, often times that’s where the skills stop. Creating a hook that isn’t grating to the ears and adds to the audio landscape is difficult, but Tierra does it with ease. They’re her diamonds and pearls, designed by a not so average girl.
“Fuck Off” is a more succinct version of Big Sean’s “IDFWY” and arguably has more replay value due to its short run time. It’s more than a disgusted send off as she taunts the recipient in the chorus. Every rapper has to say something to the haters. Many of them tend to be long-winded about it. Here Tierra gives no villain speech before the movies climax and the effect is all the same.
Don’t worry ‘bout me, I’m doing good, I’m doing great, alright
It’s a bout to get ugly flow so mean I just can’t be polite — “Pretty Ugly”
Due to the fleeting format of this particular project, we’re left wanting more on each track. It speaks to Tierra’s understanding of supply and demand. Well demand is high and according to her Twitter the supply should be replenished soon as she’s already working on more. There’s also scattered hints that the full length tracks of the songs on Whack World might be arriving soon.
A lot of project debut’s have fumbled through different sounds and cast a spotlight on artistic weakness. There’s too much filler or repetition and nothing is really being said at all. Tierra gave a minute for each track, just a touch to capture your attention, but not too much because we haven’t earned it. Each song with enough replay value to rack up on the streams without overloading you on run time. If this explodes, like it should, perhaps she’ll deem us worthy enough for full tracks.
Original Art by Sadeé Robinson
She’s wholly ridiculous on social media, her videos range from the mildly weird to overtly macabre, she can also craft a great song. Breaking from the pack is what she does best. She didn’t even wait for a midnight release like we’ve come to expect. It wasn’t announced, it just flowed into Instagram feeds one minute video at a time. Even the way she uses those seconds on the tracks is strategic; some of them begin right with the chorus and other take up to 15 seconds to build up.
The artist formerly known as Dizzle Dizz has grown up and she’s ready to shock the world by any means. They may have delegated her to the smaller stage of Roots Picnic this year, but her momentum following this project and the hype to follow if she drops another should have her name a bit higher up on the line up grids soon enough. She’s got such an immense amount of talent I don’t even want her to collaborate with other, just watch her work her magic. You shouldn’t just take my word for it though. You’ve definitely got 15 minutes to spare, so listen to her project, don’t be whack.