Tierra Whack Delivers Smoothly Intense Rap in New Album 'WHACK'S MUSEUM'
- Michelle Leung
- 19 hours ago
- 4 min read
Tierra Whack fully leans into a punchy, lyrical musical style in her newest mixtape, WHACK’S MUSEUM, released June 19. Hard-hitting verses are delivered with a deceptively relaxed flow and Tierra utilizes atmospheric layering to build up each track.
The Philadelphia native first gained widespread critical acclaim for her 2018 EP Whack World, consisting of 15 short minute-long tracks complete with music videos for each song, and in her subsequent releases, Tierra has explored a mix of genre-bending rapping and singing. Riding the momentum of Whack World, Tierra performed with her idol, Lauryn Hill, toured around the world with 6LACK, and was featured on several singles including Melanie Martinez’s “Copy Cat,” Lil Yachty’s “T.D,” and Alicia Keys’ “Me x 7.”
While listeners and industry players highly anticipated Tierra’s darker 2024 debut album WORLD WIDE WHACK, none of the tracks reached the heights that Whack World’s “Hungry Hippo” achieved. She expanded on bold visual concepts, as visualizers are at the forefront of many of her musical releases. This time, black and white vintage film defines the aesthetics. Tierra continues to work with recording engineer and lyricist Kenete Simms, who’s helped shape her creative vision from day one.
Tierra exists at an undefined intersection between genres, a point that she has emphasized through her experimental 2021 EPs Rap?, Pop?, and R&B? WHACK’S MUSEUM’s opening track, “WHACK JOB,” sets the stage for a more rap-focused album. “They said I should rap more / What more can I ask for?” Underneath Tierra's bars, a repetitive melody colors multiple tempo shifts, which alternate between the original pace and one that is almost half as fast. In turn, Tierra’s rapping slows, but the shifts perfectly match her laid-back, confident lyrics. The visualizer shows Tierra as a sanitation worker, and the symbolism is bold and brash: she’s taking out the trash and cleaning up her industry.
Watch the “WHACK JOB” visualizer here:
Next up is “WAX PAPER,” which leads with a slightly disconcerting wailing synth that perseveres throughout the song. Another classic drum groove supplements the repeating melody as Tierra lays down the wordplay, biting back at industry rivals:
“Gotta visit with the dentist ‘cause of all these plaques
I just want my credit, man, I promise I don’t need cash.”
The music video was released a couple weeks before the album, as a teaser for the project to come. Black and white film depicts raw, everyday scenes from Tierra’s Philadelphia neighborhood, drawing inspiration from hip-hop style videos pre-2000s. Directed by child., the gritty visuals tell a cinematic, authentic story.
Watch the “WAX PAPER” music video here:
With a lighter change of pace, “BRAZILIAN WAX” features smooth trumpet and vocal samples that decorate Tierra’s relaxed line deliverance. But the topic remains grim as she speaks about her success, and the attitudes of other rappers and internet trolls towards her accomplishments.
“WIGGIDY WHACK” slows down, heavy on the bassline and pulling back on the drums. Tierra switches up her intonation, making fun of all those who have caught her ire before becoming serious again. Her clever rhymes and references decorate the track, enticing listeners to hit replay to catch all its little nuances.
“Yeah, I see you ride waves, that’s why you always fishin’
I get your Minnesota ‘cause y’all are mint condition”
“TOTEM” is a play on words, as Tierra really means “told ‘em.” The song returns to classic hip-hop elements, with hi-hats on every beat and a low bass you can feel down to your toes. One of the shorter songs in the album, running only a minute and 36 seconds, “TOTEM” feels like a transition point into the rest of the tracklist.
Similar to the wordplay of “TOTEM,” “GODDA” stands in for “gotta.” With a brief introduction featuring strings, this is Tierra’s fastest flow yet. This track highlights her self-assurance and reconciles with her constantly changing celebrity status. No longer laid-back, this is a switch to an active, focused vocal delivery.
“Doctor said I got a problem so I gotta fix it
You only get one life so you gotta live it
One thing about money, I gotta get it.”
“SIREN” bridges the switch from a calm rapping style to something more biting. Tierra sings in the chorus to this song for the first time on the album, drawing a bigger contrast between each musical section. The visual for SIREN rockets between the monochrome style of the “WAX PAPER” MV and the blue low saturation of “WHACK JOB.” Tierra sits in a restaurant booth, and calm shots contrast with anguish-ridden, unflinching scenes.
Watch the “SIREN” visualizer here:
“CANDLE WAX” feels like a breath of fresh air, the calm piano and brush lightly hitting the drums paint a serene picture. Brief crowd cheers are inserted amidst Tierra’s unhurried, almost tired-sounding bars. “QUEENS CROWN” returns to Tierra’s driving yet casual flow, as she describes a disagreement she had with another artist:
“Took so many shots, but somehow I’m unharmed
Use my words as weapons, me I’m unarmed
You ain’t got one charm, spaghetti with no Parm
How are you the GOAT? You ain’t even got no farm.”
Tierra plays around with rap-singing and different cadences in “EARWAX.” Here, Tierra resigns herself to taking the higher road, claiming that she knows the game but she chooses not to play it. “TWO FIFTEEN” utilizes more vocal sampling, giving the track character as the tempo switches to a slower swing. Through this song, Tierra gives advice to listeners, combined with a glimpse into her life story and appreciation for her mother.
Rounding off the album, “FLOWERS” is a call to action and a reminder that Tierra knows her worth. “No one told me I was queen, in my soul I knew it,” she raps, making sure her competitors know she won’t be backing down. She changes her tone midway through, mocking them and laughing before returning to repeat the song’s refrain. The growling bassline carries the song, a perfect wind-down and closure to WHACK’S MUSEUM.
Tierra Whack is treading new territory with each release, refusing to be categorized and embracing boundless experimentation. We can’t wait to see how she develops her visual storytelling and continues to evolve as an artist and lyricist.
Listen to WHACK’S MUSEUM here:
Which tracks are your favorite? What stands out most on the album—the beats, wordplay, or visuals? Let us know in the comments below or connect with us over X or Instagram.
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Edited by Martina Yee
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