Taken from this week’s Future Pop mailer. Click here to subscribe.
Female rappers have always been known for their glamorous style, proudly displaying their wealth and success, but Saweetie is a different kind of glam. I saw someone describe her as “if Ariana Grande and Cardi B had a baby” and that’s pretty apt. She’s confident and cool, but she’s not as ridiculous or overtly sexual as Cardi or Nicki. She pulls it back just enough not to intimate men – it’s fitting that she raps over Khia’s My Neck My Back on her hit Icy Girl, replacing the sexually demanding lyrics of the original. I’m not sure this is a good thing (I love how Cardi and Nicki use their sexuality to assert their dominance – it’s true 21st century feminism) but I’m very curious to see whether it’ll have a positive or negative impact on her career. She’s a talented girl with star quality and obvious commercial appeal… and hey, next time someone wants to get Cardi or Nicki on a track but can’t afford them, Saweetie will be ready to jump in. Icy Girl got her a record deal with Warner and a starring role in Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty campaign. I was surprised to see her on the line-up for next week’s Great Escape Festival, and I’ll definitely be hoping to catch her set, as I have a feeling it’ll be the last chance to do so in a small venue for quite some time.