Steve 'Flash' JuonGloria Hallelujah Woods has been on the come up for a while. She didn’t aspire to be a rapper until she was 16 years old, but once she did the Memphis in her blood brought GloRilla out. It didn’t take her long to link up with Hitkidd and drop the viral hit “F.N.F. (Let’s Go),” a modern day take on “Independent Women” by Destiny’s Child. Glo is one down-ass, bad-ass bitch who doesn’t need any simps or wimps in her camp. The irony is that her boss attitude and looks probably has even more men jocking her now than when she started, but on “Yeah Glo” from “Ehhthang Ehhthang” she still doesn’t give a fuck.
“(Yeah Glo!) Stomp a lil’ pussy ho with some shell toes
(Yeah Glo!) Slappin rap bitches and makin bail, ho
(Yeah Glo!) Two-tone Cartier match the nails, ho
(Yeah Glo!) No competition these bitches stale, ho”
The lead single off “Ehhthang Ehhthang” is a direct flip of fellow Memphis rapper Juicy J’s signature “YEAH HO” vocal interjections. B100, Go Grizzly and Squat Beats provide the bouncy beat to match her Southern swag and no nonsense attitude perfectly. “I’m cocky bitch, when I was just humble they didn’t appreciate it/young wealthy and ratchet, I’m the hood bitches’ motivation.” There’s a subtle difference to her lyrics I think we need to stop and appreciate. Glo can talk shit and whoop a trick with the best of them, but she’s also subtly suggesting this isn’t a lane for her only. Glo is reaching a hand out and saying “I believed in myself and made this work — let me show you how to do the same.”
“Wanna Be” is the perfect anthem for the Glo up. She teams with fellow bad bitch Megan Thee Stallion to celebrate being young, fly and self-made. “Fuckin ass freaky nigga, don’t even wear no condoms/Don’t know how to treat a lady? I oughta smack yo’ momma.” Neither of these ladies has any time for wannabees of any gender. Ace Charisma & Payday (among others) once again encapsulate that big bad Memphis sound, proving GloRilla is indeed a worthy successor to the legacy of Three 6 Mafia, 8Ball & MJG, and the many other pioneers of the scene. Even when she’s “High AF” she’s firmly in charge of the song and riding that beat like a stallion.
Make no mistake that sex appeal is part of the presentation on “Ehhthang Ehhthang” if that wasn’t already apparent from the cover art. There will no doubt be haters who accuse her of exploiting her looks to get breaks other people didn’t, but Lil’ Kim and Nicki Minaj responded to the same haters by succeeding more and making them even madder. If Glo only had a thick body and no rap skill the presentation would be hollow and meaningless, but it’s so much more appealing to hear her spit her game on “Opp Shit” knowing she’s not a marketing gimmick with no substance.
The funny thing to me is that songs like “Aite” featuring Kevo Muney are tailor made for crossover radio play. AusGod & 88JAY knew what they were doing with the beat and Muney knew what he was doing with that hook. Some profanity here and there like “That independent shit be cool but you be needin people/can’t judge a book just by the cover, I be rеadin people” would need editing but it wouldn’t be hard to record a drivetime FM edit. Here’s what I mean when I say it’s funny — she doesn’t need it. She’s BEEN DONE gone viral. She already has the name, the fame, the looks and the fan base, and she wants her sisters to unite and take over this shit. “I just pray one day the bad bitches would come together/cause Cardi and Nicki on a track would break some fuckin records.”
“Don’t follow trends and I don’t do the shit e’rybody do.” That’s why you’re the shit Glo. She was bonafide before “F.N.F.” blew up and she was certified afterward, but “Ehhthang Ehhthang” is that statement from a confident woman that she’s not a one-hit wonder or a viral trend. You love to see a mogul in the making rise up using her charisma, her intelligence, and her keen sense of self to be a boss and not merely imitate the successes of the past. Her future is bright and her star will keep on rising.