GRAMMY-nominated hip-hop artist GloRilla has achieved the biggest Billboard milestone of her career with her debut album GLORIOUS, landing at No. 5 on the Billboard 200. The project opened with 69,000 album-equivalent units, doubling the numbers of her previous mixtape, Ehhthang Ehhthang, and marking the highest debut for a female hip-hop artist in 2024.
GLORIOUS features a star-studded lineup, including Megan Thee Stallion, Latto, Sexyy Red, Kirk Franklin, Bossman Dlo, Fridayy, T-Pain, Muni Long, Kierra Sheard, Maverick City Music, and Chandler Moore. This debut studio album follows a string of successful singles and high-profile collaborations that have propelled GloRilla into the spotlight, including her Hot 100 hits “Yeah Glo!,” “TGIF,” and “Wanna Be,” featuring Megan Thee Stallion.
In addition to the album’s strong debut, GloRilla’s single “TGIF” surged to No. 1 on Rhythmic radio, adding another achievement to her growing resume.
Rihanna, who praised “TGIF,” has expressed interest in having GloRilla create the official anthem for her multi-million-dollar brand, Fenty. Music icon Taylor Swift also gave GloRilla a nod by sharing her new anthem “WHATCHU KNO ABOUT ME” on social media.
The album’s visuals, directed by legendary filmmaker Benny Boom, are already making waves. In the music video for “WHATCHU KNO ABOUT ME,” GloRilla and Sexyy Red pay homage to the 2000s rap classic “Wipe Me Down,” with a special appearance by Boosie Badazz, making it a must-watch for hip-hop fans.
With a breakout hit as massive as “F.N.F.,” it would’ve been easy for GloRilla to just stick to that sound and appeal to get her bag as hip-hop’s most beloved new femcee of that year. To be fair, that’s kind of what she did in the following months, giving us single after single of some dirty Memphis bangers that she earned her fair share of hate for, along with every other woman rapper being just as hedonistic as the guys without that patriarchal benefit of the doubt. However, the Tennessee native clearly didn’t want to rush her studio debut, and now that GLORIOUS is here, we can easily see why.
On this new album, GloRilla amps up the regionality of her artistry with no need for excessive bells and whistles, makes the most out of her various flows and deliveries, and adds compelling flashes of topical focus that put the rest of her discography under a different context. Of course, it’s not all a hit, and there’s still some room for her to grow as an artist, lyricist, and performer. But Big Glo doesn’t just acknowledge this humbly on GLORIOUS. She also adds other sonic influences to emphasize and diversify her perspective in more explicit and consistent ways than many rap stars today tend to champion. Glo’s still the same person she’s always been, but pulling the veil back in this way results in more relatable and captivating affirmations on love, independence, faith, and conscientious identity that still go absurdly hard.
Starting with the beats, the most obvious auditory arsenal within GLORIOUS is two-fold: some orchestral and gospel-inspired instrumentals on one hand, and hard-hitting Memphis trap rhythms on the other. Mash them together and you have GloRilla’s catchy and to-the-point debut, at least holistically. The “INTRO” outlines this quite well with faint organs, warm bass, homages to T.I., and sharp snares. Overall, the drama and gravitas behind both of these styles inform and reinforce each other, so even string hits on singles like “HOLLON” come off as grand musical performances despite them landing on a club-ready track. GloRilla doesn’t consistently pick the most original beats, but even mild instrumentals on records like “STEP” with BossMan Dlow contain some interesting embellishments. In this case, it’s a slinky bassline and some stankface-inducing stomps.
The most consistently impressive production element here, though, is the brass. You already knew that thanks to GloRilla’s explosive lead single, “TGIF,” but there are plenty of examples of simple but effective uses of these timbres throughout GLORIOUS. One standout song is “LET HER COOK” and its contrast with light pianos, and “I AIN’T GOING” mixes those horns with an abundance of atmosphere and a more simple trap beat to create an almost rage-like feel. Still, almost everything on this album is distinctly Memphis despite its other employed styles. A lot of that is thanks to the 25-year-old’s delivery and lingo, but the percussion also carries heavily even in more poppy cuts like “I LUV HER” with T-Pain. Some choruses don’t ring as intoxicatingly as others, but with beats as impactful and larger-than-life as these, pretty much any refrain can become an anthem.
As for GloRilla herself on GLORIOUS, she remains as charismatic and confident as ever throughout almost every verse here. But the most interesting elements are when she deviates from that bravado, at least in part. Throughout this album, there are two main thematic focuses: the Memphis artist’s newfound fame and massive success in the hip-hop industry and her issues with toxic relationships with other men. “STOP PLAYING” switches things up with a soft drill tune, but more importantly, it assures her self-confidence regarding her journey to success and her self-respect regarding relationships. On “DON’T DESERVE,” Glo and Muni Long explicitly speak on wanting to see a friend leave an abusive relationship, an angle that you won’t find as directly in today’s rap landscape. But songs like “GLO’S PRAYER” show more vulnerability by admitting that she can’t bring herself to fall out of love with a problematic partner.
As such, many songs on here might share similar subject matter. Yet GloRilla is almost always diving into a particular aspect between these themes in a way that makes GLORIOUS feel more cohesive, carefully structured, and thematically progressive. By the time we reach more triumphant fare, such as the Megan Thee Stallion-assisted anti-drama anthem “HOW I LOOK” or the closer “QUEEN OF MEMPHIS” with Fridayy, we have a better understanding of her desires and what the next step in this journey is for her. What’s more, is that Glo relays this through a relatively small but, nonetheless, well-delivered set of flows. She sometimes sounds menacing, often fiery, occasionally conflicted, but always sharp and focused. Even though the album can feel like she’s spinning her pen’s wheels in place sometimes, these retreads don’t take away from the overall album experience.
Furthermore, you will still laugh at lines like “I’m half celibate, you can’t f**k, but you can eat this p***y” and be moved by confessions like “Got me feeling like a dummy when I know I’m smarter / The only man that showed me love correctly was my father.” GloRilla balances these moods out with grace, and if you need proof of that, listen to how passionately the album’s centerpiece, “RAIN DOWN ON ME,” with Kirk Franklin, Maverick City Music, Kierra Sheard, and Chandler Moore turned out. Speaking of guests, Latto and Sexyy Red both bring boisterous chemistry to “PROCEDURE” and “WHATCHU KNO ABOUT ME,” respectively. However, the featured artists never overshadow or outshine Glo’s vision on GLORIOUS, and she’s the one that links all its disparate elements together for a thematically well-realized experience.
Still, there are a few notes for improvement here and there, such as some generic instrumentals, non-rhymes, similar tempos and song structures, and some deja vu here and there. Fortunately, all that becomes moot by the time you finish GLORIOUS, as you have a hefty collection of grimy, bombastic, and raw trunk-knockers that don’t overstay their welcome, plus plenty of direct and fearless food for thought. With all this in mind, it’s not hard to see why GloRilla wanted to take her time with her debut album, both to mull over her own romantic struggles and to respond to the behavioral and industry-set expectations that her fame pinned onto her. It doesn’t feel forced, desperate, haphazard, or like it could’ve come from anyone else other than her. The Queen of Memphis now has her throne, and we hope that her next effort doubles down on her ideas here.
One of the reasons why GloRilla is GloRilla is because of her gritty and scrappy nature. She’s unapologetic when it comes to her behavior, and if you don’t like, you know where the door is. Her turnt party cuts and self-empowering big girl anthems are why she’s been able to grow her audience every year. The Memphis native has an identity and it’s bolstered by her booming delivery. You are getting plenty of tracks like that on her debut album GLORIOUS, but she’s also showing that she has a tender side. One of those instances in which GloRilla displaying that is on her T-Pain collaboration, “I LUV HER.”
Here, she is expressing her willingness to let her guard down, even though it can be hard at times. “I know I can get a lil’ crazy (I know it) / But I love that you know how to deal with it / I need you to bare with me, baby (For real) / I ain’t really used to no real n****.” The worries carry into her second verse, as hopes she isn’t falling too quickly. But overall, Big Glo seems to have some optimism that this can work out and its cuter moment on the record for sure. Spin “I LUV HER” with the audio link below.
Know he love Big Glo’, for sure (Damn, facts) His favorite redbone He got motion and I got it too, the sex be so cometic Voodooin’ with the p***y (Woo), I ain’t have to make no spaghetti Fell in love so fast (Damn), my friends say I’m pathetic (F***) Pray he don’t play with my feelings (Why?), this s*** gon’ get domestic
On Friday, GloRilla finally unleashed her eagerly anticipated debut album, Glorious. The project includes various features from Latto, Sexyy Red, Bossman Dlow, and more. Megan Thee Stallion even hopped on the high-octane track “HOW I LOOK,” which has quickly become a fan favorite. On it, the two femcees deliver hard-hitting bars about refusing to lower their standards, clashing with competitors, and more.
This isn’t the first time fans have heard the duo on the same song, however. They also teamed up for “Wanna Be” earlier this year, which appeared on GloRilla’s mixtape, Ehhthang Ehhthang. In May, they dropped a remix of the single alongside Cardi B. Glo then went on to join Megan Thee Stallion on her “Hot Girl Summer” tour. Fans can agree that the pair works well together, and fortunately, it looks like they could have more new music on the way.
During an interview with Billboard last month, Meg hinted at the possibility of a joint album. “I think that would be very fire. I ain’t gon’ say too much, but it feels like it’s going to get done,” she said at the time. Glo agreed, adding “Megan is a real rapper, and I’m also a real rapper […] We actually be talking and coming with bars on some down South gangsta sh*t. [It would be] some down South, real turnt, real rap [sh*t].” What do you think of GloRilla’s new song with Megan Thee Stallion? What about her new album Glorious? Do you think they should drop a joint album? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
GloRilla Recruits Megan Thee Stallion For Glorious
Quotable Lyrics:
Forty-inch jet black bustdown (Okay) Every fuckin’ watch I get, I bust down (Okay) Heard a bitch don’t like me, ho, I’m in your town (What’s up, ho?) Drop the lo’, I’m pullin’ up, it’s goin’ down (I’m goin’ down)
GloRilla’s debut album, GLORIOUS, is finally here. Listening to it, there are thankfully some instrumental/production and topical risks on the 15-song set. One thing that you could find as a weakness overall is her tendency to stick to what she knows. But on GLORIOUS, there are some tributes to gospel, which lead to some instances of personal reflection. Don’t get it twisted, though. Big Glo is still delivering her trademark crunk aesthetic with trunk-knocking bangers about confidence, independence, and the like. Speaking of the latter, one of the songs that GloRilla does best with is “WHATCHU KNO ABOUT ME.”
Shockingly, for the first time ever, her and Sexyy Red collide on it, and they have great chemistry. The beat may sound familiar to some as it samples Boosie Badazz’s and Webbie’s “Wipe Me Down.” Credit goes to Yo Gotti, Ace Charisma, and Lil Ronnie for putting a banging spin on it. The CMG boss is actually all over her debut album as a producer. Both leading ladies bring the brags, but Red adds an extra sense of grittiness that helps take this song to the next level. “WHATCHU KNO ABOUT ME” is already trending on YouTube with over 1.5 million views in its first 24 hours, so this looks to be an early fan-favorite.
Coochie drive ’em crazy, CDC He a dog for the p***y, and you know I got the treat Private entry through the club, f*** a fee A b**** play with gang tonight, her face going on a tee (Buh, buh) Bad b****, you know I’m thick as Coachella You won’t never catch me slippin’, I ain’t no f***in’ Cinderella, stupid b****
2024 is the year of GloRilla. The Memphis rapper’s stock has been on the rise, thanks to a series of high-profile singles (“Yeah Glo!” and “TGIF”) and collaborations (“Wanna Be” with Megan Thee Stallion and its Cardi B-assisted remix). Her mix of self-empowerment and street bars quickly made her a fan favorite. When she made herself known in 2022 after signing with Yo Gotti’s Collective Music Group, she developed a base of women and men alike, signaling a universal appeal that not every rapper in the mainstream today can say they have. In April, she released her second mixtape, Ehhthang Ehhthang, twelve tracks that show the MC staying true to her roots en route to what would become a banner year for the 25-year-old.
GloRilla’s 2024 takeover culminated with the release of her debut album, GLORIOUS. In true GloRilla fashion, GLORIOUS features a number of hard-hitting beats, in line with the sound of modern Memphis hip-hop. But, she also expands her palette with some more gospel-inspired sounds that fall out of her typical crunk and trap comfort zones. The result is a unique soundscape that often complements GloRilla and the extensive list of featured artists very well. Here are the seven best beats on GLORIOUS.
7. “RAIN DOWN ON ME” (feat. Kirk Franklin, Chandler Moore, Kierra Sheard & Maverick City Music)
GloRilla was born Gloria Hallelujah Woods. Perhaps it is unsurprising that a woman with Hallelujah as her middle name would make such a gospel-inspired track, but that is exactly what “RAIN DOWN ON ME” is. The track features gospel titan Kirk Franklin, Chandler Moore, Kierra Sheard, and Maverick City Music. It is a unique track on GLORIOUS, pulling off an effective gospel/trap mixture. The piano and choral adlibs sound like something one would hear at a Black church. It retains the spirit of GloRilla’s typical flair with an 808 pattern that gives her an actual beat to rap to.
The final minute sees the track go from a somewhat standard hip-hop song to a full-on “take us to church” moment. Franklin shifts the spotlight onto the choir, who sing over what has become a full gospel track, complete with hand clapping and an organ. The complete product is something that is not what GloRilla normally brings to the table. It is an admirable tonal shift after the line of party bangers and Trap & B that precedes it.
6. “DON’T DESERVE” (feat. Muni Long)
“DON’T DESERVE,” the seventh track on GLORIOUS, is a much softer cut. Produced by Hawky, Drumdummie, Fraxille, and Max Hummel, it is a song about valuing oneself and wanting friends to value themselves. The beat is sentimental, with a piano loop that makes it reminiscent of an early Polo G ballad–808s, piano. The bass will still sound good in the car. But, the beat’s sparseness is what makes it effective. It does not overwhelm and gives space for an impassioned performance by R&B star Muni Long, who steals the show vocally. “DON’T DESERVE” is not as high-energy of a song as “TGIF” or “HOW I LOOK.” However, it is a welcome entry on the tracklist. Its laidback beat and subdued delivery (by GloRilla’s standards) makes it a lowkey high point on GLORIOUS.
5. “HOLLON”
“HOLLON,” the album’s second track, is another one that revisits the crunk well. Horns, an ominous bell, and some more big bass make the track (produced by SkipOnDaBeat and FnZ) go. It’s another track that has a darker feel to it. If a DJ played this song at a party, it would probably be in everyone’s best interest to move out of the way.
It’s an early hit on the tracklist that sets the tone for what to expect across the rest of GloRilla’s debut album: a series of loud, banging beats, and for Glo’s confident flow to match the energy of those loud, banging, beats. “HOLLON” is another high point on the production side of the album. It’s one that longtime fans of GloRilla will surely gravitate toward, as it sounds like something that would have been right at home on both Ehhthang Ehhthang and the preceding Anyway, Life’s Great… mixtapes.
“LET HER COOK” is the thirteenth track on GLORIOUS, and it is an appropriately named one. Produced by London Jae, Pooh Beatz, Squat, and Coupe, this track is another banger. The horn returns, and the particular loop on this track has a similar pattern to Pharoahe Monch’s “Simon Says,” though it is not quite as in-your-face as that track is. There is a dinging sound deep in the mix that emphasizes her bars like the “ayy” adlib does on “TGIF.” Of course, the bass is once again at the top of mind. It feels like Glo’s intention on every song is to create a track that’ll bump regardless of where it’s being played. Like so many of the production choices on GLORIOUS, this is another great one. Even towards the end of the album, GloRilla wants to keep the energy high, something that she excels at doing.
3. “TGIF”
“It’s 7 P.M. Friday, it’s 95 degrees / I ain’t got no n***a, and no n***a ain’t got me” has become an oft-repeated opening line for many this year. Those bars represent a level of freedom that comes with being out of a relationship. They also would not hit as hard if they were said over any other beat. “TGIF” remains a 2024 highlight for Glo.
Produced by Zenjikozen, Brophy, and Jess Jackson, “TGIF” is a downtempo track with a persistent horn and thumping bass, as well as a repeated “ayy” adlib that punctuates many of the bars on the song. No one could have predicted “TGIF” was going to dominate the rap game in 2024 as much as it has. It is one of the only hip-hop songs to consistently be in the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 since its June release. That is a particularly impressive feat as the charts have favored pop and country the most this year. It’s easy to see why, as like much of GLORIOUS, “TGIF” is radio and party-ready. It is a 2024 banger and even on an album full of new material, a standout, anthemic track.
2. “STEP” (feat. Bossman Dlow)
“STEP,” the album’s twelfth track features another rising star, Tallahassee rapper and recent XXL Freshman, Bossman Dlow. The bass-heavy beat sounds like GloRilla taking a trip into Dlow’s world. The track has a type of bounce that can really only be found on a Florida rapper’s song. In that regard, it takes Glo a bit out of her comfort zone. But in the nascent years of her career, she has shown the ability to flow over just about anything you ask her to.
Her and Dlow sound at home over the bass, piano, and bell (which underscores the entire track). It is another track that, like “HOW I LOOK,” and like much of the tracklist, is immediately ready to make its way into DJ sets at most parties. The beat doubles as an opportunity for both Glo and Dlow to showcase their talents, and those who may have been previously unfamiliar with Dlow can get a good feel for exactly what he brings to his own music on “STEP.”
“HOW I LOOK” is the tenth track on GLORIOUS and the latest collaboration between GloRilla and Megan Thee Stallion. It is also the hardest song on the album. The production, handled by Yo Gotti (who has thirteen credits across the album’s fifteen tracks), Go Grizzly, B100, and London Jae, is the type of trunk-rattling sound fans have come to expect from those in the Memphis scene. It’s dark but still energetic, with some heavy bass and an eerie whistling sound buried in the mix. It feels like something that Duke Deuce, a Memphis contemporary, would rap over, and it is the most that Glo dips into the Memphis crunk sound on the album.
“HOW I LOOK” has a party-ready feel, thanks in part to the self-assured bars put forth by the two artists on the song, but also because the beat is one that could send even the most reserved person to the dance floor. It’s the standout moment on Glo’s debut and more than ready to be the next big single from this part of her career.
After making their way across the project’s 15 tracks, listeners have the same question — does GloRilla have kids? When you see the hip-hop party-starters’ washboard abs, that might not cross your mind at all. However, looks can be deceiving, and the Glorious album might have provided supporters with a few intimate clues. Continue below for more details.
Does GloRilla Have Kids? Fans Are Asking After Listening To Her ‘Glorious’ Album
As far as the GloRidaz (super fans) know, GloRilla does not have any living children. However, GloRilla’s verse on the track “Rain On Me” with Kirk Franklin, Maverick City Music, Kierra Sheard, and Chandler Moore, she hinted that there was nearly a baby Glo in the universe.
She raps:
“It’s hard to talk about my blessings, they be sayin’ I’m actin’ cocky / Always and forever humble, they just don’t wanna see me pop it / Five feet and I’m praisin’ You with every inch up in my body / So I pray You watch my back, along with those who say they got it / Watch over my family, Lord, and watch over all of my partners / And even though he hate me, Lord, watch over my baby father / Watch over my haters, they the ones that make me go the hardest / I just want us all to win, I just want us all to prosper.”
This isn’t the first time GloRilla opened up about a pregnancy in her music. On “Nut Quick,” GloRilla seemingly admitted to having an abortion, rapping: “Found out I was pregnant, got it gone, and I ain’t f*ck since.”
Back in January 2023, when a resurfaced photo appeared to show GloRilla caressing her baby bump, the rapper provided context to the image in an exchange with a user online. “Y’all slow as f*ck,” she wrote. “I was just playing on that picture. Nobody knew when I actually was pregnant until it was gone.”
Keeping that exchange in mind, supporters now believe the baby daddy in question mentioned on “Rain On Me,” is the biological father of GloRilla’s supposedly aborted kid.
Today, GloRilla finally unleashed her eagerly anticipated debut album, Glorious. The project boasts features from the likes of Latto, Megan Thee Stallion, Muni Long, and more. It even includes a Boosie Badazz-sampling song featuring Sexyy Red, “Whatchu Kno About Me.” The two femcees recruited the Louisiana-born artist for a lively music video, which so far, fans are loving.
Following the release of the project, however, some listeners were quick to notice what seemed to be some shade directed at JT. “You won’t never catch me slippin’, I ain’t no f*ckin’ Cinderella, st*pid b*tch,” GloRilla raps. This could potentially be a reference to JT’s mixtape City Cinderella, which she dropped in July.
This is unconfirmed, but the bar has sparked a debate in The Neighborhood Talk‘s comments section. For those who don’t recall, Glo and JT got wrapped up in an explosive Twitter/X feud earlier this year, which stemmed from rumors that they got into a physical altercation. Glo accused JT of having “secret animosity” towards her, prompting some serious insults to fly. Months after the feud fizzled out, at least publicly, GloRilla was accused of shading JT alongside Megan Thee Stallion in a behind-the-scenes video. For now, it remains unclear whether or not that was the case, or if GloRilla and JT have been able to patch things up since.
While some social media users are demanding a response from JT, others are urging them to squash their beef once and for all. What do you think of listeners speculating that GloRilla threw a jab at JT on her new track “Whatchu Kno About Me”? Do you agree or not? How are you liking her new album, Glorious, so far? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
GloRilla’s hotly anticipated new album Glorious is out today (October 11), and the project sees her teaming up with buddy Megan Thee Stallion on “How I Look.” The hard-hitting track sees the two continuing to foster the collaborative energy they established on “Wanna Be” earlier this year.
Last month, Glo and Megan expressed interest in making a joint album. In an interview, Meg said, “I think that would be very fire. I ain’t gon’ say too much, but it feels like it’s going to get done.” Glo added, “Megan is a real rapper, and I’m also a real rapper. We actually be talking and coming with bars on some down South gangsta sh*t. [It would be] some down South, real turnt, real rap [sh*t].”
This comes after GloRilla admitting she wasn’t sure about Megan when they first met, saying, “I first met you at your Hottieween party last year, and I ain’t gonna lie, I was kinda shy. You were just acting like you weren’t drinking that night. I was like… in my head, I’m like, ‘This b*tch ain’t acting like she ain’t drinking,’ like, ‘What’s up with this b*tch?’”
Listen to “How I Look” above.
Glorious is out now via CMG/Interscope. Find more information here.
It’s an exciting week for GloRilla because she’s about to drop her debut album, Glorious. It’s coming on the heels of her Ehhthang Ehhthang mixtape, so she’s really looking to maximize her 2024 without a doubt. Just a couple of days ago, the Memphis rapper revealed the project’s tracklist and it’s a pretty stacked one at that. Features will include Megan Thee Stallion, Latto, BossMan Dlow, Sexyy Red, Muni Long, T-Pain, and more. It’s also going to have 15 songs and it’s dropping this Friday, October 11. It’s going to be interesting to see how it compares to her previous tape, as it was a solid release.
But given how rock steady she’s been this year, we expect it to be a better project overall. Overall, we are excited for it, but maybe not as much as someone else. If you remember, Rihanna was yearning for it this summer. In fact, she even DM’d Big Glo asking when her album was dropping. She has not been shy about her support for the “Yeah Glo!” hitmaker, as she recently was vibing heavily to “TGIF,” one of the lead singles to Glorious.
Glo has been extremely thankful for RiRi’s love, and she’s been on the record expressing how much respect she’s got for the R&B legend. You could almost say they love each other like sisters. This comparison has been floating around the internet for a little while that they physically look pretty similar. Glo’s aware of it, partially thanks to her grandmother, but also due to the masses, so she claims. She stated this in a recent interview surrounding the release of her album and the internet isn’t buying that one bit. ““People” Just Be Saying ANYTHING ,” one IG user says. “Ain’t nobody said no sh** like that ,” another adds. Personally, we do see it just a little bit, but we want to hear your opinions.
What are your thoughts on GloRilla claiming that people say she looks like Rihanna? Do you see any sort of resemblance? Are you excited for Glorious this Friday? We would like to hear what you have to say, so leave your thoughts in the comments. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding GloRilla and Rihanna. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the music world.
,” one IG user says. “Ain’t nobody said no sh** like that