How Tierra Whack Went From "Whack World" to "Heaven" With J Melodic | The Formula S2E5

Coming off the success of 'Whack World,' Tierra Whack and J Melodic went back to the lab to create not only something new, but otherworldly. The track, titled “Heaven,” is from Whack’s new EP, "R&B?".
Rodney Carmichael | November 23, 2021
Genius loves company, especially the weird, wired sort of genius embodied by Tierra Whack.
But we don't always get to peep the kind of collective effort that goes into making her brand of Black girl magic. Scroll down the Soundcloud of her musical timeline - after she'd dropped her Philly-freestyling, cypher-stealing handle Dizzle Dizz and before Whack World shot her into the stratosphere - and you'll find a treasure chest of early songs that capture her genre-bending eccentricity. The very first joint in particular, posted in February 2015, is a minute-and-a-half long ditty of backwards rapping and shape-shifting called "Color Blind." And the warm, warbling soundtrack propelling her flow is produced - as the credit reads - "by musty ass J Melodic."
That's the kind of cheeky missive one only gets away with dropping on a loved one and it perfectly encapsulates the brotherly-sisterly bond shared between these two Philly natives. Their working relationship is equally intense: Every workday they convene for 12-hour studio sessions and J Melodic programs beats while Tierra admittedly pushes his buttons.
"We always disagree. I don't know how we work," Tierra says before J delivers his own deadpan response: "I humble myself and put myself aside to make sure that she's just comfortable," he says, cracking Tierra up.
In our final episode of a season focused on the art of collaboration between rappers and producers, we traveled to their hometown to find out how Tierra and J truly click behind the scenes. Over seven years, they've made hundreds of songs together. And the world has been fortunate enough to hear a handful of the hottest, including "Pretty Ugly," one of two songs Melodic produced on Whack World. But that routine hasn't dimmed their drive to innovate, as they shared one of their latest forays into uncharted terrain with us, an unreleased song The Formula is fortunate to premiere. It's titled "Heaven" and it feels like a kind of gospel salve custom made for the pandemic.
In the process of breaking down both songs, Tierra and J reveal how they push each other to the point of inspiration with their creative give-and-take. 'Cause patience is a virtue, but provocation is too.
#tierrawhack #jmelodic #theformula #nprmusic

[@DissonantSynth]

These two did a phenomenal job on "Heaven" . It's my fave Tierra Whack track, hands-down. It fills my soul. Those rich harmonies that cut so abruptly? Stunning

[@SadeWatkins]

That Heaven Track Is so soooo Beautiful. I feel the presence of the Holy spirit on that. May God Bless and Heal you Both Emotionally, Spiritually and Everywhere you need in the Precious name of Jesus 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾

[@AngelaRochelle]

I wasn't ready for Heaven 😭. It's so true, Heaven has all my favorite people.

[@kaykhadaeblessed4187]

Tierra is so talented and she’s repping Philly 💪🏾💙✨

[@ahoued42]

So much talent coming from there! Yall got artists that touch the soul

[@Clacci38]

@@ahoued42 Yes we do, spoiled with it.

[@davidhayter1179]

I wanna say every artist out of Philly hits hard from Jilly from Philly to the Roots to Beanie.

[@therealmykag]

“The process is us showing up” looooove that

[@WilkineBrutus]

Tierra is absolutely brilliant 💯💯

[@chestercastillo9612]

This chemistry means so much. Although there are lots of tension to their process, but the result always made them both excited. I will listen more to Tierra's projects.

[@jaistoner7928]

I need the Heaven track like ASAP!!

[@morganculver3642]

she's one of the only artists that every SINGLE song she releases is amazing

[@uniquewhimsy622]

She can do no wrong

[@elmer4255]

That heaven song is fire 🔥 😍 😩 i need that yesterday

[@tylerpurrden]

Tierra is so 🔥

[@missvalerie4040]

I love that song Heaven.

[@missvalerie4040]

I absolutely love them. Now watching. ❤️

[@mateomusic5813]

“Heaven” really made me tune into her. That song is fire!

[@owlislike]

Heaven is such a beautifully simple yet extremely complicated song. So much is expressed in a few words. It's brilliant.

[@TannerBowman]

Ooooh! Gorgeous! Can’t wait for their new music!

[@ohthatsshy7508]

😍😍Super dope!!! “Heaven” so beautiful can’t wait for the drop!!!

[@BrunoWiebelt]

this will be hit "heaven"

[@NumeroMMP]

They better release that heaven

[@Run120]

3:06 TO 3:35 Got me stuck. Wainting patently thanks Tierra Whack. Timeless

[@hernzjr]

Yoooo, release this track ASAP please!!

[@thePettiest1]

'Heaven' is another one of those tracks that I listened to once, two years back, and only returned to a few days ago. Maaaan, did I slept on this song. The subtlety, the simplicity, the choir and melody and lyrics. That's what a modern gospel song should sound like, hands down!!!

[@Wisdom_______JC]

This was so wholesome to watch❤️

[@JordanNMusic]

I really hope Heaven gets released soon 😭

[@divalarue]

I love the colors bleeding for the music and to top it off with them feeding us with knowledge behind the art is serenity. Thank you for letting us be free in y'all intellectual musical art. 💙

[@stayloni6060]

🥺 she’s so special

[@brrrrrrrrit2663]

They create amazing music!!! Big fan from Milwaukee!!!

[@mackenziemcalpin3975]

Love them. Heaven is one of the best songs ever. Thanks for making it.

[@davidgibbs614]

Exciting!! Love them so much.

[@ColeyGilchrist]

Love the graphicssss

[@kaciewolverton2692]

I can't wait til the new music is out either...been patiently waiting since whack world came out

[@giacomosoncini9015]

perfect interview

[@Glenentertainment]

all the way from South Africa, man and y'all are some creative people, I love it

[@garyindiana2127]

This combo is unreal

[@Camillyahreal]

Despite our age difference her music is dope and relatable

[@tyantoine356]

This is just genius!

[@NickAdelman]

wow! this is great! thanks NPR! SO MUCH SOUL! trap has gotten such a bad rap from mumble rappers. nice to hear someone not scared to be different from the norm. back to the art of it... not all about girls, money and cars.

[@camillegriggs7782]

Love This! Love Tierra 🤍

[@chiquita1235]

I love the collab

[@lordm5720]

We can’t wait either 😭😭

[@atsea3328]

I need HEAVEN yesterday!!

[@tiaravaloaga2103]

I need that Heaven track. ❤️

[@royalbillionsmusic]

So dope 🙌

[@meridethtexastwister]

Inspired song. Great job

[@ibean11]

[@DelicateSteveMusic]

Big Tierra fan here

[@veverytaylor750]

DOPE 4 SHOW!!!!

[@HydrusT]

"I like my money crisp and clean go crazy for the dough like Krispy Kreme" - OOOOOOOOOFFFF

[@philpheburbs]

lush to hear from these lovely humans!

[@natebrazier9988]

I WANNA GOOOOO THERE

[@ladiepink]

I can’t wait til she release heaven it’s so true we need day passes/ month passes really but maybe I’m greedy

[@dr.strawberry5773]

that was hard

[@Clacci38]

215 Philly all day!

[@infinitesky1495]

I love those microphones! What are they?

[@adamkassemtv]

Tierra is a breath of fresh air.

[@alexorluk5989]

Can't wait to meet

[@bajenbilly]

Man, this girl is something special

[@yupthatsbee3773]

I love this girl so much 😩💗

[@mymom7286]

We need boldly James and jay Versace on here for real.

[@jonathanwilkinson5779]

Ten stars

[@zaa10017]

tierra's just different

[@Claws716]

After hearing her on Lovecraft Country, she is def on all the time

[@Sassy_Princess]

Comment unrelated - TINY DESK please get Silk Sonic on your show. Thanks.

[@cameron357]

i wanna go there... put on a show there.....

[@friendlynightmares]

so if Pop? is releasing today...and Rap? just recently released...does that mean Gospel? is next ???

[@uniquewhimsy622]

I love her so much and her cute friend

[@uniquewhimsy622]

Better late than never. Never late is better. 😆😆😆😆

[@rafaxspirits]

😎✌🏻

[@EvanHulse]

What audio visualizer overlay is that?

[@MIent1313]

I've been wondering this myself

[@pedrooliveira3401]

Pls get soprü on tiny desk!

[@dialless2075]

I wanna make a song with her 🥺🤦🏽‍♀️

[@kelebogileselala5029]

She really looks like Ari Lennox Beautiful!

[@charles.m.molema4758]

Knew you'd come eventually . . . 😏

[@brycesoul3196]

Philly

[@mrbigg2u]

I am a total Whack Head ---- Fan for life! J's a dude too x

[@TheRealCaptainFreedom]

Sheeyit.

[@joelover270]

give us timbaland and missy elliot

[@OddHominum]

Major 070 shake vibes on the new track

[@sarrayunita4892]

Selamat malam

[@derrickzorns6506]

She should have been on Donda that heaven song would have sounded good with Kanye

[@johnmark6847]

First☺️

[@geeelwesley9777]

Nice sound. But we can’t just “imagine” Heaven to be what it is not. Only one person (besides the God-man Yeshua) went there and came back, John the Apostle. The book of Revelation is his account of who is there. Fr, fr

[@dime4026]

Diabetes isn't funny

[@hum-dinger2453]

DISLKE