Tierra Whack first made a splash in the rap scene after touring with Flying Lotus in 2017. The rapper, who goes by her government name, rose to prominence in 2018 with her debut project Whack World, which showcased her lyrical versatility and proficient ear for innovative beat selections. In the years since, Whack has collaborated with some of the hottest talent in the genre, including A$AP Rocky, Lil Yachty, Tyler The Creator, and more, with some fans even calling her the Missy Elliott of her generation.
Beyond Whack World, Tierra has released a trilogy of semi-connected EPs, titled Rap?, Pop?, and R&B? respectively. Though her catalog is currently scant, Whack recently announced a debut LP titled World Wide Whack, set to drop on March 15. As anticipation grows for the next major step in the femcee's career, let's look back at her existing discography.
4. R&B?
The third and most recent EP release by Tierra Whack comes in at number 4. While the rapper consistently delivers quality songs, her foray into R&B lacks the upbeat and joyous experimentation that defines her best work. The three-track collection is more than worth the listen, as Tierra explores emotional depths of love, loss, and a search for happiness, punctuating the prolific EP run with gut-punching tracks like "Cutting Onions." Released within two weeks in December 2021, each of the three projects shares themes of exploring specific genres. Visually, the album covers feature masked figures holding hands before a red curtain backdrop when sequenced together.
3. Rap?
Like R&B?, Rap? manages to showcase Tierra Whack's ability to lock in on a concept and show off her incredible writing acumen. The EP marks the initial release of the three, coming unexpectedly six months after Whack announced her intention to retire from music. Tracks like "Meagan Good" slightly embrace a pop-rap sound. Still, the record predominantly aims to solidify Whack's legacy as a rap artist, building on the experimental work seen in 2018's Whack World.
2. Whack World
Though listed as a full album on streaming services, Tierra Whack does not consider Whack World her debut album, as evidenced by the marketing for her upcoming project. Whether Tierra herself would classify Whack World as a mixtape, teaser, visual art piece, or any other distinction, it remains her largest collection of tracks released at once.
The album contains 15 songs, each running for a single minute or less. As a result of the abridged run-time, the songs explore a myriad of ideas without ever lingering on one topic or sonic delivery for too long. This seems to perfectly encapsulate the state of music within the TikTok era, where songs often blow up based on short snippets, and quickly close out before overstaying their welcome. Unfortunately, this also hurts a few tracks as they abruptly end just as they begin to pick up momentum. With any luck, Tierra Whack will expand upon some of the ideas and concepts present in this piece in her upcoming album.
1. Pop?
Ranking #1 on our list is Pop?, the middle child of the three EP run. This project offers up the most commercially viable batch of tracks Tierra Whack has helmed thus far, combining her astute ear for upbeat production with the high-energy delivery the 28-year-old is known for. Tracks such as "Body Of Water" and "Lazy" could just as easily be heard booming from the speakers in a nightclub as they could punctuating a blockbuster film's fast-paced montage. Likewise the closing track "Dolly" provides a slow, meditative pop offering that could serve as a reference track for Taylor Swift if it weren't so unapologetically Tierra. Furthermore, the leading single to the upcoming Tierra Whack album, "Shower Song" seems to lean on the same upbeat funk present across Pop? meaning fans of the emerging femcee have a lot of catchy tunes to look forward to in March.