Whether or not it’s her “Icy” calling card or her “I do know that’s proper” catchphrase, two-time Grammy-nominated rapper Saweetie has been cementing herself as a branding queen since she first hit the Billboard charts with “Icy Woman” again in 2017. Within the years since then, she’s notched a bevy of platinum singles — “Faucet In,” “My Kind” and “Finest Pal” (with Doja Cat), amongst them — and collaborated with everybody from John Legend to Gwen Stefani.
For her newest partnership, Saweetie has joined forces with Tinder — the courting app utilized by tens of millions of love-seekers around the globe. Dubbed “Swipe-Off,” the collaboration is a nationwide problem the place the faculty with probably the most Swipe exercise on Tinder wins a free double characteristic live performance headlined by Saweetie and particular visitor and fellow rapper Child Tate. “She was undoubtedly one of many high selections and I’m pleased she went with us,” Saweetie gushes.
Swipe-Off — which alludes to Saweetie’s “Faucet In” lyrics, “You higher get the cardboard and make it swipe like Tinder”— is the most recent step in a busy yr for the “Icy Chain” rapper. Earlier this yr, she launched a pair of singles titled “Shot O’ Clock” and “Birthday” (with YG & Tyga), the latter of which peaked at No. 16 on Billboard‘s Rhythmic Airplay chart. Earlier than she debuted these two songs, Saweetie additionally hopped on the remix of Child Tate’s viral hit “Hey Mickey,” which the pair will “completely” carry out on the Swipe-Off live performance. Simply final month, the rapper and USC alumna co-hosted the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards pre-show.
In a full of life dialog with Billboard, Saweetie speaks on new music, that VMAs teleprompter gaffe, a return to performing and her courting suggestions for a Tinder house run.
What can followers count on to listen to and see at your Tinder Swipe-Off live performance, ought to their campus win the competitors?
Icy Women like to have enjoyable, and I’m a university woman, so I’d like to deliver my power to no matter campus wins. I believe it’s an effective way to deliver communities collectively in such a enjoyable and youthful method. I’m jealous too, I want I used to be nonetheless in faculty. It’s been a while! I’m actually pleased to go to the scholars. I’m pleased that they’re excited to see me with my new music. I simply dropped “Birthday” and “Shot O’ Clock,” which is doing very well proper now. So, I’m excited to see who’s gonna go up as a result of they will count on a extremely enjoyable present. The shock is out now, I’m bringing Child Tate, who can be wonderful. So, we’re going to deliver all of that!
The give attention to faculty campuses on this Tinder collaborations strains up together with your advocacy for schooling. What are your long-term plans and objectives to your ICY Child Basis?
My longtime objectives and plans is to offer again to Black and brown communities, and to return again and to be a residing instance for what they might turn into. Whether or not it’s music, enterprise, schooling, no matter their coronary heart needs. I would like them to know that undertaking their dream is feasible. I believe it’s vital that anyone who seems to be like them is coming again and talking on this, simply to offer them the gas they should engineer their goals.
My purpose is to return and to encourage and to assist them not solely find out about monetary literacy, however to find what their ardour is. I believe that after we used to have profession gala’s as youngsters, we have been usually solely proven the normal careers, however it’s 2023-2024. There’s so many extra alternatives on the market. So, I believe it’s vital to indicate them that somebody that appears like them did it, they usually can do it too.
As you prep for the Swipe-Off live performance, what have you ever discovered are your favourite songs to carry out reside?
So there’s two songs. For a well-liked reduce, I like to carry out “My Kind,” after all. The power is all the time so loopy. A deep reduce I like to carry out is “Again Seat,” it’s such vibe, it’s so particular, and it simply places me into this magical trance on stage.
You place out “Birthday” and “Shot O’ Clock” earlier this yr, which of the 2 do you like?
I really feel like day-after-day is your birthday. I’m the kind of person who celebrates my birthday the entire month. So, “Birthday” was actually particular to me, as a result of I really feel like everybody ought to rejoice life for, if not the entire month, then — I don’t know what’s extra dramatic than that — however give me a complete month and I’m good.
What I really like about “Shot O’ Clock” is that it’s a triple entendre. It might be alcohol pictures, however it is also like wholesome and wellness pictures. They might be NBA pictures. There might be some sort of different pictures! [Laughs.] It will probably go in so many various methods. What made these two songs the proper mixture is that they’re a celebration of life. I’m an Icy Woman, I like to have enjoyable. I wish to work laborious, however I additionally wish to rejoice laborious as nicely, and I really feel like these are what these two songs exhibit.
These two songs have been your first releases (as a lead artist) of the calendar yr, why return with these explicit tracks?
I believe it was all about getting new music out. It was {the summertime} — you understand, summertime is for the women stepping out, preparing and having enjoyable — so I believe it matched that power. Now, so far as my subsequent couple of releases, I’m nonetheless deciding on what these are, however I simply wished to offer the women one thing to get able to and to social gathering to.
By way of new music, the place is your head at sonically? What sounds and kinds are inspiring you proper now?
I don’t wish to give the identify of my sound out — as a result of, you understand, folks be learning they usually be stealing, woman. However this music I’m creating…
I actually inform those that I don’t like writing camps. Don’t do any writing camps with out me, as a result of I’ve to be within the room. I produce my very own music and I additionally write my very own music. It’s a co-production between me and the creatives, and I believe as soon as I put my foot down in that method, the music bought so a lot better. I must be within the room. My soul and my spirit must be within the manufacturing. All I can say is if you hear this sound — it’s simply gon’ be that Saweetie Sound. So, I’m actually excited to share that with the world. It’s that Saweetie Sound, child, let’s simply name it that!
Let’s get into your Tinder historical past for a bit. While you use the app, do you achieve this as Saweetie or Diamonté, or are you a lurker?
Truthfully, I used to be a lurker for in the future. I used to be like, “Oh no, it is a new world for me. I gotta come again to this.” However I by no means got here again to it, so I’m excited that I’m truly in a position to work with them in an even bigger method.
What are you inexperienced flags and crimson flags on a Tinder profile?
Inexperienced flags are anyone who’s well-traveled, who likes to have enjoyable, who has a job…? A J-O-B. [Laughs.] A job that makes tangible cash, not simply social forex. A crimson flag is somebody who has no different hobbies moreover partying. I believe that’s a really one-dimensional character, and for a lady like me, you should be multi-dimensional to maintain me . That’s undoubtedly what I’m in search of: somebody who has extra to supply than only one facet.
What was your strategy to courting in faculty and the way does that differ from how you progress within the streets now?
I undoubtedly suggest that folks shouldn’t be tied down to at least one particular person in faculty, I believe faculty is all about expertise — which is why Tinder is nice as a result of, you’re in a position to see what you want and what you don’t like. Hopefully, the women are on the market vetting as a result of we’re the prize. So, who wins the prize? We’re gon’ see!
Within the Swipe-Off advert, you have been giving us some performing vibes and also you’ve achieved that previously. Is a return to performing on the desk for you in any capability?
Properly, earlier than the writers’ strike, I truly filmed with a extremely huge TV present, so I’m actually excited for each time they determine to launch it. I do know it’s going to be an enormous second. They stripped me down: no lashes, barely any make-up, I had this wig on! They have been like, “No lashes, take ‘em off!” And you understand, I’m a lash woman, so I’m identical to, “All proper, cool. Let’s get into this performing bag, what’s up?!”
Clearly the SAG-AFTRA strike remains to be ongoing, however may you give followers any hints as to what the present might be?
I’m going to offer you considered one of my lyrics: “Cocaina tiptoes/ Trip it just like the whip stole/ Benjis in my bra when my titties want a carry although.” The reply’s in there!
Outdoors of the Swipe-Off live performance, the place else can followers count on to see you performing?
That’s one thing we’re engaged on in relation to this top-secret rollout we’ve been planning, however they gon’ see me exterior!
Now, I’ve to get into the VMAs as a result of clearly all people had so much to say. Take me inside your head whilst you have been internet hosting the pre-show and studying off that teleprompter. Do you may have something you’d wish to say to the commenters at house?
I do have a response for that really. I believe a easy response is it doesn’t matter what occurs, child simply maintain going. Imma all the time maintain going. I like to inspire. I like to encourage, and since I bought again up on that stage, make-up nonetheless intact, hair nonetheless intact, outfit nonetheless intact, nonetheless on my Icy Woman ten white toes — I simply maintain going it doesn’t matter what occurs. That’s all I gotta say about that.
I do know your DMs in all probability be flooded every day, what’s the corniest pick-up line anybody’s ever tried on you? And have you ever ever used a pick-up line on anyone else?
I believe my model is so sturdy that the way in which I’m approached or the way in which followers — you understand, followers shoot their shot — I believe I don’t get corny strains trigger I believe folks simply know me so nicely. They be like, “You need some crab legs? You need a Birkin? What you wanna do?” It’s cute stuff!
I believe that I don’t get corny pickup strains, I get inventive pick-up strains. The pickup strains I be attending to see have me laughing. And I believe that when persons are attempting to hyperlink on Tinder, make them snigger, be inventive, don’t do the “Yo,” “Hey,” “Wassup.” Don’t do the straightforward stuff. It’s Tinder, child! Let’s spice it up and let’s have enjoyable in life. It’s one thing about making the woman snigger. Should you may make me snigger, what else are you able to do?
You puttin’ everybody on recreation, I do know that’s proper!
I do know that’s proper! You realize what I really like? I really like when a person come as much as me they usually try this line they usually go, “I do know that’s proper.” I be like, “Take a look at you!” It makes me giggle as a result of to listen to a person say it in my tone?! [Laughs.]
