Take a blind guess at GloRilla’s favourite Bible verse and also you may choose Galatians 6:9 (“And allow us to not develop weary of doing good, for in due season we’ll reap, if we don’t quit”) or maybe Hebrews 10:36 (“For you will have want of endurance, in order that when you will have finished the need of God you might obtain what’s promised”). Religion, which isn’t the identical as belief, calls for that we let go and let God. Or as Massive Glo places it on her new album, GLORIOUS: “Rain down on me Father God, I received’t use an umbrella.”
The common American could not have observed, however for a lot of GloRilla followers, she low-key “fell off” in 2023. Regardless of the white-hot success of “F.N.F. (Let’s Go)” and “Tomorrow 2,” her debut EP Anyhow, Life’s Nice was tepidly obtained, and a handful of songs on label compilation Gangsta Artwork 2 got here and went. For the fashionable hater, a full yr between Scorching 100 hits may as nicely be a decade, and so GloRilla’s 2024 has been a recalibration of kinds, together with the February single “Yeah Glo!” and tour dates with Megan Thee Stallion. To re-captivate vacillating followers, GLORIOUS finds energy in the next energy.
GloRilla’s Christian background isn’t any secret—in interviews, she’s shared childhood goals of turning into a gospel singer, and he or she regularly thanks the person upstairs on social media—however it’s hardly come to the fore in her music. GLORIOUS remains to be by and enormous a secular rap document, however the place Anyhow, Life’s Nice and April 2024 mixtape Ehhthang Ehhthang have been stylistic smorgasbords, her debut album tightens the main target, mixing mid-tempo musings on romance and faith with the turnt-up anthems her followers love most. The 25-year-old rapper has grown as a lyricist, however what’s most fun about GLORIOUS is its idiosyncrasy. Increasing past playlistable entice stipulations and the wistful soul chops that sign A Severe Rap Album, GloRilla channels the music of her youth, biking by crunk and gospel with aplomb.
Earlier than we get to Kirk Franklin, let’s circle again to the crowd-pleasers. Sexyy Pink collab “Whatchu Kno About Me” looks like a mixtape loosie, however as enjoyable as it’s to listen to the pair commerce verses over a pattern of “Wipe Me Down,” the repurposing of Boosie Badazz’s iconic move veers towards karaoke. T-Ache swings by on “I Luv Her,” although the distinction between their vocal kinds can’t elevate Glo’s pick-me relationship bars (“I do know I be naggin’ typically/Shit, put dick in my mouth, make me shut up or somethin’”). The back-and-forth hook of “Process” lands much better, and Latto goes toe-to-toe with GloRilla’s flex discuss: “They name me large mama, bend a bitch over my knees.”
