Amid all the controversy and drama on the men’s side of the rap world, Megan Thee Stallion and GloRilla have put forth an early contender for “song of the summer” with “Wanna Be.” The two Southern MCs united for the first time on the tracklist of Glo’s Ehhthang Ehhthang mixtape. Their standout collaboration just hit the airwaves as the project’s second single. Here’s everything you need to know about why this song is rocketing up the rankings, including our own Trending Tracks.
Given the chart success that GloRilla and Megan Thee Stallion already achieved on their own, it really isn’t hard to see why this song is now inescapable. Their individual skill and the promise of this collaboration on paper speaks for itself, and still ends up greater than the sum of parts in practice. Twangy and fiery, both GloRilla and Megan Thee Stallion’s on-mic personas are a perfect match for each other.
GloRilla & Megan Thee Stallion’s Charm Is Undeniable On “Wanna Be”
Rather than an “opposites attract” sort of pairing, the charisma they exude over top of this one has more of a multiplicative effect, bringing out the best of the other’s performance as they swap lines and blend verses. As for the visuals, this falls in the category of a true old-school single, given the full high production value treatment rather than just being tossed to radio DJs. The camera work, costuming and even some brief choreo sections all scream “Rap Caviar,” a placement this song is deserving of ten times over.
Closing out the song’s construction, though Meg and Glo bring plenty of original mastery to the table, the story of “Wanna Be” isn’t complete without noting the samples and interpolation. Most obviously, the track’s digital heartbeat comes from Soulja Boy’s “Pretty Boy Swag,” itself a groundbreaking single. Jumping into the Houston MC’s section, one of her catchier cadences starts with, “don’t save him, he don’t wanna be saved,” a gender-swapped lift of J. Cole’s “No Role Modelz.” It’s manifestation of “response song” sorts of interpolation la Brandy and Monica’s “The Boy Is Mine,” albeit in a much smaller case here.
As much as we can pick apart and break down the factors behind the success of “Wanna Be,” what GloRilla and Megan Thee Stallion lay over its infectious production really speaks for itself. You can find “Wanna Be,” as well as all of GloRilla and Megan Thee Stallion’s backlog wherever you stream your music.
For more on what’s been trending for us lately, take a look at our Tate McRae – Think Later review or our coverage of XAVI – La Diabla.
