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Janae Nierah Wherry (born April 15, 1998), known professionally as Red, is an American rapper. She rose to prominence with the release of her 2023 single " Pound Town" (with Tay Keith); its popularity spawned the remixed sequel "Pound Town 2" (with
Nicki Minaj Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty (born December 8, 1982), known professionally as Nicki Minaj ( ), is a Trinidadian rapper, singer, and songwriter. Regarded as the "Queen of Rap" and one of the most influential rappers of all time, she is noted for her ...
), her first entry on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Released that same year, her follow-up single, " SkeeYee", was met with similar success; both songs were included on her second mixtape, '' Hood Hottest Princess'' (2023). Her 2024 single, " Get It Sexyy", peaked within the top 20 of the chart and led her third mixtape, '' In Sexyy We Trust'' (2024). Also in 2023, Wherry guest appeared on the remixes of the singles " Shake Sumn" by
DaBaby Jonathan Lyndale Kirk (born December 22, 1991), known professionally as DaBaby (formerly Baby Jesus), is an American rapper. After releasing several mixtapes between 2014 and 2018, he signed with Interscope Records in January 2019 in a joint ...
, " Slut Me Out" by NLE Choppa, and " Peaches & Eggplants" by Young Nudy, alongside rapper
Latto Alyssa Michelle Stephens (born December 22, 1998), known professionally as Latto (formerly known as Mulatto), is an American rapper and singer-songwriter from Atlanta. She first appeared on Jermaine Dupri's reality television series ''The Rap G ...
, all of which entered the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Her appearance on
Drake Drake may refer to: Animals and creatures * A male duck * Drake (mythology), a term related to and often synonymous with dragon People and fictional characters * Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family ...
's 2023 single " Rich Baby Daddy" peaked within the chart's top 20, and the following year, her appearance on
Tyler, the Creator Tyler Gregory Okonma (born March 6, 1991), known professionally as Tyler, the Creator, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He has been cited as an influential figure in alternative hip-hop during the 2010s. Tyler beca ...
's " Sticky" peaked within its top ten. ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
'' declared Wherry as "one of the biggest breakout artists of summer 2023." She won "Best Breakthrough Hip Hop Artist" at the 2024 BET Hip Hop Awards, after being nominated the year prior. Her public image, lyrics, and media presence have been described as brazenly sexual, boisterous, and "confident".


Early life

Janae Nierah Wherry was born and raised in
St. Louis St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a populatio ...
. Wherry started rapping after penning a
diss track A diss track, diss record or diss song (an abbreviation of ''disrespect'' or ''disparage'') is a song whose primary purpose is to verbally attack someone else, usually another artist. Diss tracks are often the result of an existing, escalating feu ...
directed towards a boyfriend who cheated on her. The stage name "Sexyy Red" was adapted from the nickname "Red" she already had for a long time due to her red dyed hair. She has previously worked as a hairdresser and a call center agent. Wherry graduated from Normandy High School in Missouri.


Career

Red released her first song "Ah Thousand Jugs" in 2018. In 2021, she released her debut mixtape ''Ghetto Superstar''. In January 2023, she released " Pound Town" with Tay Keith, which later went viral on social media. In April, she was featured on the remix of NLE Choppa's " Slut Me Out". In May that same year, she released "Pound Town 2" with
Nicki Minaj Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty (born December 8, 1982), known professionally as Nicki Minaj ( ), is a Trinidadian rapper, singer, and songwriter. Regarded as the "Queen of Rap" and one of the most influential rappers of all time, she is noted for her ...
, which became her first entry on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. In June, she released the mixtape '' Hood Hottest Princess''. In August 2023, Red joined
Drake Drake may refer to: Animals and creatures * A male duck * Drake (mythology), a term related to and often synonymous with dragon People and fictional characters * Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family ...
on his It's All a Blur Tour as an opening act, having appeared as a guest at previous shows. She featured alongside
SZA Solána Imani Rowe (born November 8, 1989), known professionally as SZA ( ), is an American singer-songwriter. Known for her diaristic lyrics and genre explorations, she has been credited as a prominent figure in influencing contemporary R& ...
on his single " Rich Baby Daddy", from his eighth studio album ''
For All the Dogs ''For All the Dogs'' is the eighth studio album by the Canadian rapper Drake. It was released by OVO Sound and Republic Records on October 6, 2023. The album features guest appearances from Teezo Touchdown, 21 Savage, J. Cole, Yeat, SZA, Par ...
'', in October. Her first top-10 song in the United States was with
Tyler, the Creator Tyler Gregory Okonma (born March 6, 1991), known professionally as Tyler, the Creator, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He has been cited as an influential figure in alternative hip-hop during the 2010s. Tyler beca ...
over a year later. The two released a collaboration with GloRilla and
Lil Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. He is often regarded as one of the most influential hip hop artists of his generation, as well as one of the greatest rappers of all ...
, " Sticky" from the album '' Chromakopia'', in October 2024. On May 28, 2024, Red appeared at
WWE NXT ''WWE NXT'', also known simply as ''NXT'', is an American professional wrestling television program. It is produced by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE, featuring wrestlers from the promotion's NXT brand division. The show c ...
where she presented the new NXT Women's North American Championship. On June 9, 2024, she hosted the 2024 NXT
Battleground A battlefield, battleground, or field of battle is the location of a present or historic battle involving ground warfare. It is commonly understood to be limited to the point of contact between opposing forces, though battles may involve troop ...
PLE.


Artistry


Influences

Growing up, Red listened to artists such as
Gucci Mane Radric Delantic Davis (born February 12, 1980), known professionally as Gucci Mane, is an American rapper. He is credited, along with fellow Atlanta-based rappers T.I. and Jeezy, with pioneering the hip hop subgenre trap music for mainstream a ...
,
Lil Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. He is often regarded as one of the most influential hip hop artists of his generation, as well as one of the greatest rappers of all ...
,
Nicki Minaj Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty (born December 8, 1982), known professionally as Nicki Minaj ( ), is a Trinidadian rapper, singer, and songwriter. Regarded as the "Queen of Rap" and one of the most influential rappers of all time, she is noted for her ...
,
Project Pat Patrick Earl Houston (born February 8, 1973), known professionally as Project Pat, is an American rapper from Memphis, Tennessee. He is the older brother of Juicy J, the co-founder of Three 6 Mafia. Houston was formerly a member of the hip-hop ...
,
Juicy J Jordan Michael Houston III (born April 5, 1975), known professionally as Juicy J, is an American rapper and record producer. Originally from Memphis, Tennessee, he is a founding member of the Southern hip-hop group Three 6 Mafia, established ...
,
Three 6 Mafia Three 6 Mafia is an American hip-hop group from Memphis, Tennessee, formed in 1991. Emerging as a horror-themed underground hip-hop group, they went on to enjoy mainstream success. The group's 1995 debut album ''Mystic Stylez'' became an influen ...
, Chief Keef,
Webbie Webster Gradney Jr. (born September 6, 1985) who performs under the mononym Webbie, is an American rapper. He has been signed to the independent Trill Entertainment label since 2003. In 2005 he came into the hip hop scene with "Gimme That" fe ...
,
Boosie Badazz Torence Ivy Hatch Jr. (born November 14, 1982), better known by his stage name Boosie BadAzz or simply Boosie (formerly Lil' Boosie), is an American rapper. Hatch began rapping in the 1990s as a member of the Southern hip hop collective Concentr ...
, and
Trina Katrina Laverne Kearse (née Taylor; born December 3, 1974), is an American rapper. She rose to prominence in the late 1990s for her collaborations with Trick Daddy on the singles " Nann Nigga", " Shut Up", and " Take It to da House". In 2000, ...
. Kyle Denis remarked in ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
'' that those artists "embody the unapologetically hood energy that now courses through every Sexyy Red song", with Red herself stating that she sought to emulate their "fearlessness". She has frequently been called the "Female Gucci Mane" in particular and released a song with that title on her mixtape ''Hood Hottest Princess''.


Lyrical and musical style

Red's lyrics focus on one-sentence phrases rather than
metaphor A metaphor is a figure of speech that, for rhetorical effect, directly refers to one thing by mentioning another. It may provide, or obscure, clarity or identify hidden similarities between two different ideas. Metaphors are usually meant to cr ...
s and other devices, with Jayson Buford of ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...
'' writing that "she abstains from traditional lyricism". He also described her as a "classic Southern rapper". In ''
Complex Complex commonly refers to: * Complexity, the behaviour of a system whose components interact in multiple ways so possible interactions are difficult to describe ** Complex system, a system composed of many components which may interact with each ...
'', Eric Skelton called her songs "full of viral lyrics". Red has stated that her daily life serves as the main inspiration for her music. Due to the often highly sexual nature of her lyrics, she has been characterized as a prominent figure of "pussy rap", although she rejects this classification and has expressed exasperation over being reduced to her sexual songs. Red is also noted for her distinctive voice and flow. She has received praise for her "authenticity" and her "energy", which are cited as factors for her success with a broad audience.


Public image

Sexyy Red has been a focal point in discussions about the representation of Black women in the music industry. During an interview with One Musicfest, American rapper
Trina Katrina Laverne Kearse (née Taylor; born December 3, 1974), is an American rapper. She rose to prominence in the late 1990s for her collaborations with Trick Daddy on the singles " Nann Nigga", " Shut Up", and " Take It to da House". In 2000, ...
defended Red, emphasizing her right to express herself freely and to create music on her own terms. In contrast, rapper
Khia Khia Shamone Finch ( ; ' Chambers; born November 8, 1976)''U.S. Public Records Index'' Vol 1 (Provo, UT: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.), 2010. is an American rapper and record producer. She is known for her single, " My Neck, My Back (Lick It). ...
voiced her disapproval of being compared to artists like Trina and Red, citing concerns over their perceived negative influence. In response, Red addressed Khia's remarks on social media, referring to her as "washed up" and "miserable".


Personal life

Red's first child, a son, was born in 2022. On October 15, 2023, she announced that she was pregnant with her second child in an
Instagram Instagram is an American photo sharing, photo and Short-form content, short-form video sharing social networking service owned by Meta Platforms. It allows users to upload media that can be edited with Social media camera filter, filters, be ...
post. She gave birth to her second child on February 5, 2024, a daughter, and footage of her in the delivery room was the center of Drake's music video for " Rich Baby Daddy", released 9 days later. In August 2023, Red disclosed on a podcast that she was a victim of rape. Red, having expressed support for current U.S. president
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...
, has used the phrase "Make America Sexyy Again" in her branding. However, she revealed in November 2024 that she voted for Vice President
Kamala Harris Kamala Devi Harris ( ; born October 20, 1964) is an American politician and attorney who served as the 49th vice president of the United States from 2021 to 2025 under President Joe Biden. She is the first female, first African American, and ...
.


Discography


Mixtapes


Extended plays


Singles


As lead artist


As featured artist


Other charted songs


Tours

Headlining * Hood Hottest Princess Tour (2023) * Sexyy Red 4 President Tour (2024) Supporting * Moneybagg Yo – Larger than Life Tour (2023) *
Drake Drake may refer to: Animals and creatures * A male duck * Drake (mythology), a term related to and often synonymous with dragon People and fictional characters * Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family ...
and 21 SavageIt's All a Blur Tour (2023)


Awards and nominations


See also

*
Raunch aesthetics Raunch aesthetics is a term in feminist theory which describes the ways in which women in hip hop express their sexuality through the performance of lyrics, choreography, and staging. These aesthetics are performed by artists such as Lil’ Kim, ...


Notes


References


External links

* * * * {{authority control 1998 births Living people Rappers from St. Louis African-American women rappers 21st-century American women rappers 21st-century American rappers Dirty rappers American trap musicians