When it comes to debut albums, artists have to show and prove. Rapper Saweetie knows this, and to perfect her craft, she's been studying one of hip-hop's GOATs.
In an interview with People to promote her partnership with The Boiling Crab and Postmates, the Bay Area native shared that she's been looking to JAY-Z's catalog to brush up her game.
"The other day, I was listening to a whole bunch of JAY-Z albums," Saweetie told the publication. "No, really. I remember when I would write my freestyle car raps, I would listen to a whole bunch of JAY-Z. My favorite album [of his] is probably 'The Blueprint.' What I loved about it is, beyond the bars, you were able to get to know the man from New York, who made it from the block to the businessman."
Also in the conversation, the two-time Grammy-nominated artist revealed that although she isn't new to music, she still gets "jitters" when releasing new singles. Saweetie's latest song, "NANi," dropped in May, following "Richtivities" and "Immortal Freestyle."
"I get nervous with every release. I can't help it," said Saweetie, whose debut album, Pretty B.I.T.C.H. Music, is expected to drop before the end of 2024. "I get the jitters, I can't sleep at night and I just feel like I'm sharing such an intimate piece of me because it is created in the studio, and then you eventually share it out into the world."
Saweetie's been vulnerable about feeling overwhelmed as an artist before, once admitting to People in 2021 that she was seldom was able to take days off.
"It's like I live, sleep, eat and breathe music and business," Saweetie said at the time. "My team is really small, so I have to take on responsibilities that eventually somebody else will, but because my team is small, I have to help them out."
She continued, "It's just trying to find balance right now. I have no balance. Everything is just work, work, work and I don't have an outlet. I don't have a therapist. I don't hang out with any of my friends because I work so much."
Now taking the time to redevelop herself, Saweetie could come with some heat by the year's end.
