Saweetie

Diamonté Quiava Valentin Harper[2] (born July 2, 1994), known professionally as Saweetie (/səˈwiːti/),[3] is an American rapper. After the release of her debut single, "Icy Grl", she was signed to Warner Records and her manager Max Gousse's record label Artistry Worldwide. She released her debut extended play, High Maintenance, on March 16, 2018. Her second EP Icy was released in March 2019, and spawned the hit single "My Type." Her debut album, Pretty Bitch Music is expected to be released in 2020 and was preceded by the single "Tap In".

Saweetie
Saweetie in 2018
Born
Diamonté Quiava Valentin Harper

(1994-07-02) July 2, 1994[1]
Santa Clara, California, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of Southern California
Occupation
  • Rapper
  • singer
  • songwriter
Years active2016–present
Partner(s)Quavo (2018-present)
RelativesGabrielle Union (cousin)
Musical career
GenresHip hop
Labels
Websitesaweetieofficial.com

Early life and education

Diamonté Quiava Valentin Harper was born on July 2, 1993, in Santa Clara, California, to a Filipino-Chinese mother and an African-American father.[4][5][6] She grew up in the Bay Area, attending Merrill F. West High School in Tracy and graduating from Monterey Trail High School in Elk Grove.[7][8][9][10] She began writing music at age 13. After high school, she went on to attend San Diego State University before transferring to the University of Southern California where she studied communications and business. After graduating, she began to focus on her rap career.[11][12][9]

Career

2016-2018: Breakthrough and High Maintenance

Saweetie began posting short raps on her Instagram account in 2016. One video featured her rapping over the beat from Khia's "My Neck, My Back (Lick It)", which would eventually turn into "Icy Grl".[7][9] The song was released on her SoundCloud in the summer of 2017, and brought her to the attention of Max Gousse, a well-known producer and A&R executive, who became her manager.[13][14][9] The video for the song went viral on the Internet and went on to accrue 100 million views on YouTube as of June 2020.[11][9]

To follow that up, Saweetie released in that same month a freestyle rap called "High Maintenance" accompanied by a short clip of herself rapping a verse to the song, all while chilling in her kitchen. It would go viral on Instagram and Twitter as well.[14][9] In October 2017, she released a video for her song, "Focus", which samples DRAM's "Gilligan".[15]

In January 2018, she was named Tidal's Artist of the Week and one of Pigeons & Planes' Best New Artists of the Month.[16] During Super Bowl LII in February 2018, she was featured in an ad for Rihanna's cosmetic company, Fenty Beauty.[17] That month, she signed to Warner Records and her manager Max Gousse's record label Artistry Worldwide.[11][18][19]

I do a lot of covers but this is the first time I'm actually doing original content. I leave the studio and I come home wanting to listen to really myself.

— Saweetie for XXL in October 2017.[9]

Saweetie released her major label debut EP, High Maintenance, on March 16, 2018. It is composed of nine tracks and was produced by CashMoneyAP, Nyrell, and Saweetie's cousin, Zaytoven.[20][21][22] The single, "Icy Girl" was certified Gold in June 2018, for sales of 500,000 in the US.[23] It was certified platinum in September 2019.[24]

2019–present: Icy and Pretty Bitch Music

Saweetie released her second major label EP, Icy, on March 29, 2019. The EP's first single, "My Type", written by Saweetie and produced by London On Da Track, samples "Freek-a-Leek" by Petey Pablo. Debuting on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 81, It was the first song of Saweetie's to enter the Hot 100.[25] "My Type" later peaked at number 21, becoming Saweetie's first top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.[26] A remix of the song featuring Jhené Aiko and City Girls was released on August 23, 2019.[27] In September 2019, "My Type" hit number 1 on the Rhythmic Radio charts, and was later certified double platinum in the United States.[24][28]

Saweetie collaborated with PrettyLittleThing to launch a 59-piece clothing collection, PrettyLittleThing x Saweetie, in September 2019. She said the theme of the capsule was "a boujie rich girl enjoying the finer things in life. I want to show the boys and girls that if you hustle hard your work will pay off."[29] It debuted during New York Fashion Week.[30]

Saweetie appeared on Nick Cannon Presents: Wild 'N Out as a guest performer, where she performed her single, "My Type" which aired on VH1 on January 28, 2020.

Saweetie released the lead single, "Tap In", from her upcoming debut album titled Pretty Bitch Music on June 20, 2020.[31] The single would peak at number 66 on the Billboard Hot 100 and become her first song to enter the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number 99. This was followed by the promotional single, "Pretty Bitch Freestyle", on July 2, 2020.[32]

On July 31, 2020, Saweetie would appear alongside American rapper Tay Money on the song, "Bussin 2.0", with a music video premiering the same day.[33] On August 6, 2020, Saweetie was featured on Ava Max's song, "Kings & Queens, Pt. 2", alongside Lauv.

Personal life

Saweetie has been dating rapper colleague Quavo since mid-2018.[34]

She is the cousin of actress Gabrielle Union.[35] Her grandfather, Willie Harper, played football for the San Francisco 49ers.[36] She is a fan of the Sacramento Kings basketball team.[37]

Discography
Main article: Saweetie discography
  • Pretty Bitch Music (2020)

References
  1. https://www.instagram.com/p/CCJw8U4ngg7/?igshid=11h5s5ns9i448. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. https://www.californiabirthindex.org/birth/diamant_quieavalenti_harper_born_1993_22199489. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. "GirlWithNoJob, Saweetie, & Cipha Sounds | You Don't Deserve to Be Verified! | #podSessions 1". YouTube. January 23, 2018. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
  4. "TUNESDAY: Icy Cool Facts About Saweetie, Femme MC On the Rise". Archived from the original on July 1, 2019. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
  5. "19 Facts You Need To Know About 'ICY GRL' Rapper Saweetie". Capital XTRA. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  6. Saweetie tells that her mother is of a Filipino descent in her freestyle rap, "High Maintenance".
  7. Fresh, Mikey (November 8, 2017). "Interview: Saweetie Turned Her "Icy Girl" Video Into A Career Springboard". Vibe. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  8. Williams, Marcel (November 13, 2017). "Bay Area MC Saweetie Talks "Icy Grl" & Social Media Fame". HipHopDX. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  9. C.M., Emmanuel (December 1, 2017). "The Break Presents: Saweetie". XXL. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  10. Harper, Diamonte. "Monterey Trail High School Varsity Volleyball".
  11. Lyle, Ashley (February 14, 2018). "Rising MC Saweetie Talks Viral Hit 'Icy Grl,' Signing With Warner Bros. Records & the Value of Education". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  12. Aynalem, Tali (November 26, 2017). "If You Haven't Heard These Songs, You're Sleeping". HuffPost. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  13. "Saweetie | No Bright Lights, No Ice, No Sugar After Midnight". Flaunt Magazine. Retrieved September 30, 2019.
  14. "Saweetie Releases "Icy Girl" Music Video". Vibe. October 17, 2017.
  15. Pile, Tatiana (December 21, 2017). "Saweetie Doesn't Let Anything Distract Her in "Focus" Video". XXL. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  16. Odedina, Michelle; Corrigan, Graham; Moore, Jacob; Gardner, Alex (January 31, 2018). "Best New Artists of the Month". Pigeons & Planes. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  17. Goddard, Kevin (February 2, 2018). "Rihanna Shares New Fenty Beauty Super Bowl Ad Starring Saweetie". HotNewHip Hop. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  18. Kennedy, Gerrick D. (April 10, 2018). "Rising rapper Saweetie is one to watch this year". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  19. "Saweetie Signs With Warner Bros. Records". Rap-Up. February 14, 2018. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  20. India, Lindsey (March 7, 2018). "Saweetie Shares 'High Maintenance' EP Tracklist and Release Date". XXL. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  21. Fresh, Mikey (March 5, 2018). "Premiere: Saweetie Reveals Tracklist For Debut EP 'High Maintenance'". Vibe. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  22. Saponara, Michael (March 16, 2018). "Stream Saweetie's Debut Project 'High Maintenance': Listen". Billboard. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  24. "Gold & Platinum - RIAA". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
  25. "How Saweetie Is Keeping Up Momentum In Hip-Hop's 'Sink Or Swim' World". Billboard. Retrieved September 30, 2019.
  26. "Saweetie Makes Hot 100 Debut, Is 7th Female Rap Act to Hit Chart in 2019 - The Most This Decade". Billboard.com. October 7, 2019. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
  27. My Type (feat. City Girls & Jhené Aiko) [Remix], retrieved August 5, 2020
  28. Herman, James Patrick; Herman, James Patrick (September 24, 2019). "Hitmaker of the Month: Manager Max Gousse on Saweetie's Big 'My Type' Spike". Variety. Retrieved September 30, 2019.
  29. "Saweetie Just Launched A PrettyLittleThing Collection & It's Almost Sold Out". Bustle. Retrieved September 30, 2019.
  30. "This Runway Show Showed What Models with Different Body Types Look Like In the Same Outfits". InStyle.com. Retrieved September 30, 2019.
  31. Tap In, retrieved August 5, 2020
  32. Pretty Bitch Freestyle, retrieved August 5, 2020
  33. "Tay Money, Saweetie – Bussin 2.0 [Official Music Video] - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  34. Mendez, Marisa. "Quavo Cops Saweetie a $75,000 Chain - XXL". XXL Mag.
  35. "Mind Blown: Gabrielle Union Shares That She's Cousins With This Female Rapper, And Twitter Is Living". BET.
  36. Haithcoat, Rebecca; Haithcoat, Rebecca (May 15, 2018). "Artist You Need to Know: Saweetie". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 30, 2019.
  37. icyVerified account. "icy on Twitter: "KING’S GAME W POPS "". Twitter.com. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.