Album Review: Baby Tate Gets a Superstar Makeover in ‘Mani/Pedi’

The Atlanta rapper-songstress hones her hip-hop and R&B prowess in her first major label release.

Written by C.S. Harper

Photo courtesy of Sarah Pardini

If there’s anything unexpected that’s come after the already unprecedented time that has been the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s been the seemingly out-of-the-blue, TikTok-driven rise of Baby Tate. That said, her fame hasn’t come from nothing: As the daughter of soul legend Dionne Farris, Baby Tate has quickly proven herself as a musician in her own right. Dropping the “Yung” that initially preceded her stage name — and downplayed her talent by infantilizing her — Tate Farris has soundtracked the HBO series “Insecure,” collaborated with Flo Milli and Bree Runway, and signed a record deal with Warner Records, all in the span of two years. After releasing her sixth EP, After the Rain, the rap girlboss waited little time to release her major label debut, delivering a hip-hop/R&B gem with her long-awaited sophomore effort, Mani/Pedi.

She begins the single “Pedi” with a rhetorical question for all femmes: “Ask yourself, ‘Who is the pettiest person that you know?’ It's a man, ain't it?” She chuckles before clapping back, “No, but for real / I think that the pettiest person I know / She go by ‘Baby Tate.’” This brief snippet of snark exemplifies exactly what ‘Mani/Pedi’ is about: God-fidence, with a bit of humor and self-awareness sprinkled in.

In the aptly-titled opener “Perfect,” Baby Tate monologues, “Merriam-Webster defines ‘perfect’ as being entirely without fault or defect / I define ‘perfect’ as, well, me,” before rapping fast triplets over a gritty beat to exemplify her perfection. The record’s second single, “Slut Him Out Again,” follows up this tone as a bisexual bedroom anthem. Over a slick beat reminiscent of New Orleans bounce, a style of hip-hop pioneered by Black queer musicians, featured artist Kali raps smooth lines about a ménage-à-trois with a man and a woman: “I can take your n---- or your b-tch.” As a self-described “65% gay” rap goddess, Baby Tate similarly scatters references to queer culture in other parts of the album, from her mention of ballroom categories in “I Do” (“I got body / I got face”) to the song titles “Yasss Queen” and “Dancing Queen.”

In a similar fashion, Baby Tate uses her wittiness throughout the record to serve introspective moments. The aforementioned single “Yasss Queen” sees her cross over into R&B territory, as she delivers a heartfelt falsetto with lyrics on self-love over guitar arpeggios: “It's impressive how you keep it all together / Though you got so much pressure on you heavy (It's heavy) / But like a diamond, you just always keep on shining through / 'Cause every time time you look up, all the stars are all you see.”

Image courtesy of Warner Records

Album standout “Ain’t No Love” finds the rapstress taking her sad girl tears to the club. With the help of collaborator 2 Chainz and a moody rap beat, Baby Tate muses about the lack of substantive love in party scenes: “Ain’t no love in this club.” Similarly, “What’s Love” sees her questioning love altogether amidst a no-strings-attached relationship, even “pullin’ up Webster (dictionary)” during a mid-song existential crisis (in classic earth sign fashion). However, Baby Tate regains her sense of self in “Karma,” wishing her former lover the eponymous dish best served cold in angsty bars. “Somebody's gonna end up breakin' your heart / I hope that I'm there to watch you go down / It'll be funny when you crumble under all of the pressure,” she raps bitterly over a minimalistic beat.

Despite letting her character flaws shine through, Baby Tate returns to her femme fatale persona with the titular “Mani.” A steamy R&B number with spacey percussion, she flexes her vocal and songwriting chops by crooning lines like “movin’ them phalanges … up in my panties.” “4Lifers” takes a more old-school approach to this R&B sound, with a twangy guitar and mid-tempo beat. Tate reveals a softer side in her relationships, singing “Fallin' for you's not hard to do / But I'm scared 'cause I got trust issues / And so much to lose.” However, it doesn’t take long for the rapper to regain her braggadocio in twerk song “Dancing Queen.” Over a catchy piano line, Tate calls herself the G.O.A.T. before telling her listeners, “Now shake, shake that shit, lil' b-tch.”

The singer-rapper cools things down with “Honest,” which offers a look into the person behind the self-proclaimed rap G.O.A.T. Accompanied by twinkling synths and a mellow guitar, she shares her struggles with alcoholism and her self-concept. “I should just bе honest with myself / Maybe I'm thе problem, I need help,” she belts in melancholy. Despite her inner turmoil, she finds inner peace in “I Do.” She repeats the affirmations “I got beauty / I got grace / I got body / I got face” before singing, “You don’t love me / And that’s okay / ‘Cause I do” over heavenly harps and vocoder sounds repeating the phrase, “I do.” By ending the album in this way, Tate uses the recognizable verbiage for marriage vows to promise herself eternal self-love.

In just under 45 minutes, Baby Tate creates a masterclass in hip-hop/R&B fusion, exploring the breadth of the human experience and flexing her musical muscles in the process. In doing so, she creates a breathtaking narrative that’s equal parts steamy, heartfelt, and pure, twerkalicious fun.