Tierra Whack has a message for her critics: Start drafting the apology.
The Philadelphia rapper returned Tuesday with “Totem,” a razor-edged new single that doubles as a warning shot ahead of her upcoming mixtape, Whack’s Museum, arriving June 19 on Juneteenth. Clocking in at under two minutes, the track strips away distractions, leaving Whack alone at the center of a sparse beat as she dismantles doubters and reasserts her place among hip-hop’s most inventive lyricists. “But I was born a stepper, so I’ll take the stairs / Yeah, aura so bright, it could light arenas,” she sings in “Totem.”
“Totem” arrives amid a particularly impish album rollout. In recent days, Whack has publicly called out detractors on social media and even shared a phone number where they can text formal apologies, writing, “I never stopped believing in myself when you stopped believing in me.”
The new track is the latest preview of Whack’s Museum, Whack’s first major project since 2024’s World Wide Whack, the acclaimed debut that landed on several year-end Best-Of lists. While that album proliferated the surreal, shape-shifting universe she first introduced on Whack World, the forthcoming mixtape appears to be focused on a different mission: bars.
If “Totem” is any indication, Whack’s Museum finds Whack returning to the fundamentals that made her one of rap’s most witty voices. Her wordplay remains elastic and unpredictable, snapping between punchlines and provocations with the precision of an experienced MC who knows exactly where she stands.
The project also includes “Wax Paper,” a hypnotic previously-released single built on a haunting beat that contains flashes of Nineties rap nostalgia. Directed by Child and filmed in Whack’s hometown of Philadelphia, the song’s black-and-white visuals transform familiar city streets into a monochrome maze where Whack glides through scenes with the oozing confidence of someone ready to reclaim her narrative.
The 12-track mixtape leans heavily into Whack’s signature branding with titles including “Whack Job,” “Brazilian Wax,” “Wiggidy Whack,” “Candle Wax,” and “Earwax.” In unison, they suggest a project designed as a museum exhibition that highlights her abundance of creativity across varied disciplines — a museum built from sharp quips and a clear sense of what she’s capable of.
Beyond music, Whack has continued expanding her reach across entertainment. Last month, she appeared alongside Oprah Winfrey during Amazon’s Upfront presentation, discussing Twitch’s cultural influence. She recently made her voice-acting debut in the upcoming Invincible VS fighting game, and appeared in last year’s Marlon Wayans-led film HIM.
Whack’s Museum Track List
“Whack Job”
“Wax Paper”
“Brazilian Wax”
“Wiggidy Whack”
“Totem”
“Godda”
“Siren”
“Candle Wax”
“Queens Crown”
“Earwax”
“Two Fifteen”
“Flowers”
