North Philly’s own Tierra Whack is a ‘50-50.’ She’ll wash down a cheesesteak with a smoothie and some fruit
The rapper and Philadelphia die-hard, who stars in a new pseudo-music documentary, said she makes the best music when she is in the city.
Tierra Whack’s film Cypher may seem like a traditional music documentary. The new Hulu flick, which premiered on Nov. 24, starts by flashing back to a 15-year-old Whack, who, growing up in North Philly, was dropping colorful rhymes with a raw, rapid-fire delivery that elevated her to Grammy-nominated status.
But things turn pretty dark and creepy when a fan approaches her after a particularly challenging performance, and a mysterious presence starts following the artist’s every move.
What once seemed to be a documentary, turns into a suspense thriller about the dark side of fandom. For Whack, who has been “praying” for a chance to step into acting, agreeing to do this “fake-out documentary” was a no-brainer.
“[Director Chris] Moukarbel came to me with the whole script, and I was just like, ‘This sounds amazing,’ ” she said. “I was just blessed that he even thought of me to act in the film. I was kind of nervous like, ‘Wow, I’ve never done this before.’ But this is what I’ve been wanting, so I couldn’t turn it down.”
We talked to Whack about her itch for acting, the vision behind Cypher, her undying love for Philadelphia, and some of her favorite food spots in the city.
This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.
On her journey into acting
“Honestly, I’ve always been into films, which I tried to show with my first project Whack World. I’m heavy into movies and films. When I get free time, that’s what I’m doing — watching [movies]. I’m a fan of horror and mystery — that’s just my whole vibe.
“My mom used to always tell me, ‘You can be an actor, and you can be any character.’ I was always around the house being silly, and from a young age she would always tell me, ‘You’re going to be on TV.’ I got into music and it all started to tie together, and wherever the wind blows is where I’m going.”
On being ‘more Philly than any artist you know’
“I’m more Philly than Meek Mill, more Philly than The Roots. I’m still out here every day, all day. Whenever I get a chance, you can catch me at any Sixers game. I’m always here.
“I travel so much with touring and working, but I always need to come home to keep me grounded and keep me humble. I make the best music when I’m here, I create the best when I’m here.”
On making it ‘out’ but never leaving her hometown
“I have so many friends who have opened businesses here, and we all grew up together and we came from nothing. It’s just really inspiring, and I just want to continue to build here because I feel like we have so many great artists, actors, and just creators in general. We have so much talent, but then they make it, leave, and never come back. That’s not my vibe. I made it ‘out,’ but I’m still trying to pour into the city.”
On her favorite Philly food spots
“I love Taste Cheesesteak Bar, that’s my favorite spot right now. I also got to go with Juiced By B because I always want a smoothie and some fruit. I’m 50-50 — I’m healthy, but then I’m still on the cheesesteak tip. You have to have a balance.”
Whack also shared her list of go-to eateries: Halal Fusion, South Jazz Club, Prime Fusion, Sabrina’s Cafe, El Vez, Emmy Squared Pizza, Bar Bombon, and Kalaya.
“Cypher” is available for streaming on Hulu.