Rapper, Singer, and Songwriter Tierra Whack dissected her latest release, WORLD WIDE WHACK, at the GRAMMY Museum’s latest addition to their concert-and-conversation series.
On Sept. 6, guests flocked to National Sawdust in Brooklyn for “A New York Evening with Tierra Whack,” a program coordinated by the GRAMMY Museum. Featuring past guests such as Jacob Collier, Allison Russel, and John Batiste, the “A New York Evening with…” concert series supports the museum’s musical education initiative through hosting musical artists for discussions and performances.
Originally from Philadelphia, Tierra Whack’s hip-hop and R&B chops have previously been recognized through a GRAMMY nomination for Best Music Video for her song “MUMBO JUMBO” in 2019, as well as a feature on Beyoncé’s 2019 song, “MY POWER.” Whack’s most recent album, WORLD WIDE WHACK, was released on March 15.
The program began with a Q&A moderated by journalist Ivie Ani, who had previously interviewed Whack for a Seventeen Magazine cover story in 2020. Whack and Ani delved into the motivations and creative background behind WORLD WIDE WHACK. Written and produced from a conceptual lens, the songs within are told from the perspective of a character inhabited by the artist who takes inspiration from the clown Pierrot, a stock character with roots in the French Comédie-Italienne. Whack found inspiration in this character due to its versatility and ability of assuming different identities when performing. To Whack, those qualities were essential when recording and producing her second album, which combines a number of genres between and within tracks.
“I had so many people tell me, ‘Yo, you got to focus on one style, one thing.’ But it’s all in me,” said Whack. “It’s who I am.”
Her new album demonstrates versatility in emotional expression as well as a musical tone, with Whack emphasizing an intersection of various feelings across her songs.
“We’re human. First of all, like, we don’t get enough –- give us some more grace,” said Whack. “Like, I’m never just one way, it’s not humanly possible to just always have one emotion … That’s WORLD WIDE WHACK, it’s all me.”
Whack first found renown for the vignette-like, minute-long songs that found home on her debut album, Whack World, upon its release in 2018.
“It just was an appetizer,” said Whack of her first release. “I was like, let me see, I’m just going to put it out there, and let’s see who takes the bite, who’s willing to give in and really give me a chance.”
Lyricism and spoken word combine on WORLD WIDE WHACK, serving as a departure from this format in what Whack hopes will be a “more real” collection of songs.
Whack also spoke about the role that mental health played in the formulation of WORLD WIDE WHACK, having battled with depression between her debut release and second album’s creation. Her recent record’s longer runtime allows for more introspection through the artist’s signature witty tone, delving into the “dark space” of depression in songs like “TWO NIGHT” and “NUMB.”
“I think our mind plays crazy tricks on us,” said Whack. “And yeah, I just had to work my way out of it. It was me. I had to look at myself in the mirror and be like, Tierra, do you really want this, or do you want to, you know, see a change? Do you want to actually be happy? And the answer was yes.”
The panel was followed by a DJ set and a concluding performance by Whack, featuring several songs from her new album including “MOOD SWING,” “MS BEHAVE,” “MOOVIES” and “SHOWER SONG” with the accompaniment of a live band.
“A New York Evening with Tierra Whack” provided an opportunity for fans to hear Whack contextualize her album within an intimate venue, expressing its capacity to be a channel for “truth of what [she] had been feeling for years.”
“It’s just a constant battle and roller coaster, and I’m just – I’m on the ride, man,” said Whack. “It’s scary, but I’m on the ride. I’m on the ride.”