Tierra Whack is back: Rising North Philly rapper returns with ‘Only Child,’ named Apple Music’s Up Next artist

Whack is back.

Tierra Whack, that is. The ascending North Philly rapper has released “Only Child,” her first new song since she grabbed the hip-hop world’s attention with last year’s Whack World, the ingeniously inventive 15 minute, 15 song album came complete with a video for each track.

“Only Child” breaks from that format, in that it’s a full-length song, clocking in at a whopping three minutes and 59 seconds, freeing itself from the self-imposed restraints that Whack utilized so cleverly on Whack World.

The new song, which does not have a video yet, puts Whack’s abundant skills as a singer and rapper to work as it effectively cuts an ex down to size with wicked put downs that connect his selfish behavior back to his upbringing as a spoiled only child.

The catchy track is typical Whack in that its psychologically astute, and also very funny. “You done turned my heart so cold I should work at Friendly’s,” she quips. Later, she goes on the offensive and gets off her most memorable line with “Used to arch my back for you and now I’m your arch nemesis.”

“Only Child” is a well-timed release in that it follows the publicity surrounding Whack’s well-deserved best video Grammy nomination for “Mumbo Jumbo,” the 2018 song whose Marco Prestini-directed clip mini horror movie about a nightmarish trip to the dentist’s office lost out to Childish Gambino’s “This Is America.”

Despite losing, Whack made a splash at the Grammys with her red carpet appearance dressed in a Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat-inspired multi-hued gown designed by 64-year-old Philadelphia couturier Nancy Volpe-Beringer. And its clear that the 23-year-old songwriter has a big 2019 ahead of her: She’s just been named Apple Music’s Up Next artist, with the music streaming service planning on showering her with the type of attention it’s recently given such rising stars as ^lack, H.E.R., Billie Eilish and Khalid.