With her two new EPs, Tierra Whack remains unpredictable as ever

Philly rapper Tierra Whack never ceases to surprise. She exploded on the scene in 2018 with her 15-minute album Whack World, comprised of bite-sized songs no longer than one minute each. Whack’s music has a light, childlike quality—it effuses vibrancy along with expertly crafted flow. The record established her as a rapper to watch, with an experimental nature that shined brightly across the quarter-hour LP.

In the following three years, she’s released a steady stream of longer singles, each shedding new light on Whack’s style. “CLONES” offered a more heavy- hitting and ruthless track, which was quickly followed by the glitzy “Gloria.” Now, Tierra Whack has released two EPs back-to-back—Rap? and Pop?—both of which present vastly different versions of the artist, but when taken together, maintain her reputation as the wild card of the rap game.

While both of the titles end in question marks, the melodic and lyrical stylings of each EP nonetheless reflect their stated genres. It’s an unusual project: The songs tend to come across as more straightforward than anything she’s done before, but they’re still a surprise in the larger context of her work as an artist. Historically, she’s always thinking outside of the box, but on Rap? and Pop? she shows that she can deliver straightforward bangers in both spheres while retaining some of her signature style.

Rap? kicks off with the synth-heavy “Stand Up,” a classic ego booster that—in typical fashion—shuts down the haters and fakes who reportedly surround the rapper. In both the song and accompanying music video, she crowns herself as queen, daring anyone to step forward and challenge her. Whack calls whoever she’s referring to plastic (or the opposite of “thurl,” a Philly slang word for someone of upstanding character), and the invective lands with biting force.

“Meagan Good” is Whack’s most clear-cut rap track yet, with its steady percussive beat and contained flow. Who’s Meagan, and how is she so good? Unclear, but Whack wants her ex-man to know she’s doing as good as this woman. In the final track, “Millions,” choir vocals appear in the background, a classic move that’s seen a resurgence in recent years with the work of Kanye “Ye” West and Childish Gambino. In “Millions,” Whack’s line delivery differs greatly from “Meagan Good,” as they come out in a more rapid, staccato flow, similar to Kendrick Lamar.

Throughout “Millions,” Whack talks about acquiring bills on bills on bills, and going from the hood to drinking Mountain Valley water at fancy restaurants, all over a more lighthearted, groovy beat. While the songs on Rap? lightly push at the boundaries of the genre, Whack still brings her typically superlative lyric-writing skills.

In contrast, Pop? finds Whack’s enunciation getting clearer, as it gives way to more singing from the rapper than on its predecessor. Right out of the gate, on “Body Of Water,” she starts rapping, but it takes on a forced element as every syllable of each word is fleshed out over the light, quick beat. As opposed to Rap?, the structure of the songs on Pop? are more cookie-cutter arrangements, with clear verses and choruses. Prior to the first chorus she lets out a a cheesy “1, 2, 3, 4!”—and in the context of the EP, it works.

An electric guitar opens up “Lazy,” which features Whack sticking to the singing (albeit with the presence of the goofy ad libs: “Ketchup, mustard”). Then there’s “Dolly,” which brings in an instrument not yet heard in Whack’s work: the banjo. The folksy tune features airy vocals from the musician, but the EP as a whole shows off even more of her range as not only a rapper, but a bonafide singer.

Part of what places Tierra Whack on another level from most emcees is her effortless humor and versatility in lyrical delivery and flow. She never takes herself too seriously but still demands respect, a quality which endures in both of these works. Whack signatures are present on both EPs, from the silly improvisational bits to her classic “yuh.” The overall effect is that of an artist not losing herself in the mainstream sounds she’s trying to achieve, so much as bringing her established style into new territory. And, as Tierra Whack just keeps on surprising, maybe she’ll finally surprise us with a full-length album next.