It's been GloRilla's year and she wants to close 2024 with a successful release of her debut album, GLORIOUSwhich arrived on Friday (October 11).
Big Glo season is here. Entering her highly anticipated debut LP, Big Glo set the stage with her Ehhthang Ehhthang mixtape earlier this year and supported “Wanna Be” collaborator Megan Thee Stallion on her Hot Girl Summer tour, which took in arenas across North America.
GLORIOUS features 15 total tracks along with special appearances from a number of collaborators including Sexyy Red, Megan Thee Stallion, Latto, Kirk Franklin, T-Pain, Fridayy, Bossman Dlow, Muni Long and more.
The CMG rhymer set the table with the thunderous singles “TGIF” and “HOLLON,” which stormed the Billboard Hot 100 chart, sitting at No. 28 and No. 95, respectively.
“I was praying for it, I didn't know if it would come or not. I was praying for it and showing it,” he said Billboard News of her recent success. “I said to give them the mixtape first to get used to me, to give them a sense of who I am and that will prepare me for the album. The mixtape went well — it did what it was supposed to do, which was prepare me for my album.”
Even Rihanna shouted publicly for Glo to release her album in July — and when RiRi calls, you deliver. Three months later, it was delivered for Rih and her millions of fans GLORIOUSGlo's arrival looks set to cement her status as one of rap's female titans.
stream the project below and check out our ranking of all 15 songs from worst to best.
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“Let her cook”
The “Tomorrow 2” rapper is switching things up and slowing down. However, between Glo's more strained raps and the horns behind her, it's a bad mix on “Let Her Cook.” Back to the drawing board for a new recipe.
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“Stop playing”
Timbaland's stripped-down production enters the fray, not his truck-rattling drums. Big Glo has had enough of men in her life playing with her. Instead of getting depressed or crying about it, GloRilla just got back at her now ex-boyfriend twice as hard. “My ex, he cheated/ He didn't cry, I cheated/ His op, let him eat it/ Big Glo undefeated,” he confesses.
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“Step” Feat. Bossman Dlow
Bossman Dlow and GloRilla set the bar high with “Finesse,” but “Step” falls short of what could have been from two of the hottest rappers to dominate 2024 while moving millions around the world. It's more like Big Glo finished a song – her half-virgin bars and “Hawk Tuah” are clever – and then Dlow stomps on a throwaway verse after the two-minute mark.
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“I'm not going”
GloRilla either knows how to fight or she's the most confident rapper to come out of Memphis. “I Ain't Going” is a sassy lyrical display as she puts her man in his place and lets her insecure partner know she's “willing to die” for her respect. Don't play with Big Glo and prepare to face the consequences. Either way, “I Ain't Going” will live somewhere in the middle of it GLORIOUS.
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“Import”
Big Glo recounts her rise from the streets of Memphis to the thread as the First Lady of CMG. She sets the table with a 90-second sprint that touches on her sobriety since her April arrest, as well as how she's learned from life's mistakes. At just 25, her story is far from over GLORIOUS serves as a time capsule at GloRilla's altitude.
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“Queen of Memphis” Feat. Friday
Drake once compared his latest verse about projects to surgery. GloRilla declares herself “Queen of Memphis” in humble fashion to close out her debut album. “I've been through the worst/ It brought me the best,” she admits while aligning herself with Kelly Clarkson's “What doesn't kill you makes you stronger” mentality. Even as her star power grows, she can become lonely at the top as she has lost loved ones on her journey. But even through the storms, the 25-year-old always thanks the man above for keeping her on track. Fridayy injects his celestial crown from the clouds to help Glo set up a bow GLORIOUS.
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“Glo's Prayer”
“Ciara's Prayer” had CiCi praying to God that the next man she was romantically involved with would also be her future husband. GloRilla takes an opposite approach with “Glo's Prayer” as she asks the Lord for guidance to leave this deceitful man alone. “Is it me, Lord? What should I change/ Or should I blame my taste in men,” wonders Glo. This is more of a backing track that ties in with the gospel-based “Rain Down on Me.”
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“How I Look” Feat. Megan Thee Stallion
GloRilla and Megan Thee Stallion reunite for the bouncy 'How I Look'. At this point, there has to be a possibility for a joint project or EP from Meg and Big Glo. It's weaker than “Wanna Be” but still a good debut look. “How do I look?” it's a question you can ask anything or anyone in life, but at the end of the day, it's confidence in yourself that you need to thrive.
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“Hollon”
“Hollon” is an instant mayhem and party maker. Glo was able to create these infectious hooks that stick in listeners' heads while also raising their collective heart rates. While she can tend to be shy in person, there's nothing shy about “Hollon.” When Glo walks into a room, dudes better bow to her Balenciaga heels and she's ready to rumble with any of the girls. “Don't start on me, b-h, I'm petite/ Follow everything, I'm ready,” Glo raps.
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“Rain Down on Me” Feat. Kirk Franklin, Kierra Sheard & Chandler Moore
Alleluia. A gospel record by GloRilla? Kirk Franklin trait? It is a welcome pivot to cleanse yourself of inclination for Glo as she bathes in purity while seeking the Lord's blessings and guidance. It's not exactly out of left field as GloRilla and her nine siblings were raised by a religious mother. She breaks into a rapper's prayer and even asks for protection from her haters.
“Watch out my haters, the ones that make me go harder/ I just want us all to win, I just want us all to prosper/ Thank you, Lord,” he sings. It's a wholesome moment on the album with help from Kierra Sheard and Chandler Moore to inspire struggling fans.
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“Process” Feat. Latto
Third time's a charm when it comes to the Latto-GloRilla connection. The pair of Southern rhymers take turns laying out the blueprint for women knowing their worth and keeping sneaky dudes at bay. Supah Mario directs the stellar production and Big Mama seems to get the best of Glo in a tight prize fight. “Time out, take a spot, Caressa please/ They call me big mama, bend my knees, yeah/ You're gonna call it beef, but we all know I'm just a threat,” Lato says.
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“Don't Deserve” Feat. Muni Long
GloRilla lets her guard down and taps into her softer side because life is all about balance. Muni Long is a perfect tango dance partner on “Don't Deserve” as her angelic vocals aid Glo's inward looking journey. Muni implores women to stand up for themselves and leave certain relationships when they don't respect them as she tackles issues of domestic violence, verbal abuse and more. “This n—h ain't worth my friend/ He don't know what to do with a bad b—h,” he sings on the chorus. Thematically, it's a catchy track reminiscent of Eve's “Love Is Blind.”
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“Whatchu Kno About Me” Feat. Sexy Red
Perhaps the most anticipated collaboration GLORIOUS. The fun police would even have a good time when they show up with GloRilla and Sexyy Red, who do justice to Boosie Badazz's 'Wipe Me Down' sample. It's a female empowerment anthem — but with a wicked twist. Glo's refrain 'It's give hair, face, a–, titties' is the new ratchet version of 'head, shoulders, needs and toes'. Women in rap are winning right now and “Whatchu Kno About Me” is just another example.
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“I Love Her” Feat. T-Pain
T-Pain making a cameo is such a pleasant surprise. GloRilla was thrilled to have Teddy Pain on her album and fans are grateful for the Florida hitmaker's appearance. Payne has made a career of cooking up anthems around love, and his heady hook deftly balances Glow's stark romance. Calculated risk pays off.
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“TGIF”
GloRilla continued her solo hits with “TGIF” kicking off GLORIOUS. Her husky flow pairs well with the intense production. Then combine that with its powered speaker bars and pretty much even the laziest of people are ready to drive through a wall. Rihanna rapping along to the frenetic tune added more fuel to Glo's fire. Looking at the clock on Friday and seeing that it is 7 p.m. on a summer night — the start of the weekend will never be the same.
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/lists/glorilla-glorious-songs-ranked-list/