Sexyy Red
Janae Nierah Wherry (born April 15, 1998), known professionally as Sexyy 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), which became her first entry on the Billboard Hot 100. Her follow-up single, "SkeeYee" was met with similar success as both were included on her second mixtape, Hood Hottest Princess (2023). Her 2024 single, "Get It Sexyy" peaked within the top 20 of the chart.
In 2023, Wherry guest performed on the official remixes of the singles "Shake Sumn" by DaBaby, "Slut Me Out" by NLE Choppa, and "Peaches & Eggplants" by Young Nudy, alongside rapper Latto, all of which charted on the Billboard Hot 100. She also guest featured alongside SZA on Drake's single "Rich Baby Daddy" that same year, which peaked at number 11 on the chart and was accompanied by a viral music video in which Wherry delivers her second child.
Billboard declared her as "one of the biggest breakout artists of summer 2023."[3] She received a nomination for "Best Breakthrough Hip Hop Artist" at the 2023 BET Hip Hop Awards. Her public image, lyrics, and media presence have been described as brazenly sexual, boisterous, or "confident".[4]
Early life[edit]
Janae Nierah Wherry was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. The 5'4 performer started rapping when her boyfriend cheated on her and she decided to write a diss song about it. The stage name "Sexyy Red" was adapted from others giving her the nickname "Red" due to her red dyed hair, and her aim for sex appeal. She disclosed that the extra "y" was added to differentiate her from an Instagram personality of a homophonous name.[5] She graduated from Normandy High School in Missouri.[6]
Career[edit]
Red released her first song "Ah Thousand Jugs" in 2018. In 2021, she released her debut mixtape Ghetto Superstar.[7]
In January 2023, she released "Pound Town" with Tay Keith, which later went viral on social media.[8] In April, she was featured on the remix of NLE Choppa's "Slut Me Out".[9] In May that same year, she released "Pound Town 2" with Nicki Minaj, which became her first entry on the Billboard Hot 100. In June, she released the mixtape Hood Hottest Princess.[10] In August 2023, Red joined Drake on his It's All a Blur Tour as an opening act, having appeared as a guest at previous shows.[11] Released in October, she co-performed alongside SZA on his single "Rich Baby Daddy", the third single from Drake's eighth album For All the Dogs.[12]
Artistry[edit]
Influences[edit]
Growing up, Red listened to artists such as Gucci Mane, Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Project Pat, Juicy J, Three 6 Mafia, Chief Keef, Webbie, Boosie BadAzz, and Trina.[5][13][14] Kyle Denis remarked in Billboard 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".[13] She has frequently been called the "Female Gucci Mane" in particular and released a song with that title on her mixtape Hood Hottest Princess.[5]
Personal life[edit]
Red's first child, a son, was born in 2020.[14] On October 15, 2023, she announced that she was pregnant with her second child in an Instagram post.[15][16] She gave birth to her second child on February 5, 2024, and her birth footage was the center of Drake's music video for "Rich Baby Daddy", released nine days later.[17]
In August 2023, Red disclosed on a podcast that she was a victim of rape.[18]
Red, having expressed affinity for former U.S. president Donald Trump, utilizes the phrase "Make America Sexyy Again" as part of her branding.[19][20]
Headlining
Supporting