When Bay Area-rapper Saweetie learned she was nominated for two Grammys, including best new artist, the competitive nature she learned from growing up in an athletic household came out in full force.
Her grandfather, Willie Harper, played for the San Francisco 49ers and her father played football in college.
“I played football, track and volleyball,” Saweetie told The Associated Press, which has named her one of its Breakthrough Entertainers of 2021. “You might be invited to the playoffs, but you have to win. So I felt like I was invited to the Grammys, but have to win.”
Saweetie, who is also nominated for best rap song for “Best Friend” featuring Doja Cat, has claimed her title as an icy queen, a swaggering rapper whose sharp lyrics placed her in the ring alongside seasoned veterans. Over the last three years, she’s landed three Top 40 hits, including “Best Friend,” “Tap In” and “My Type,” has her own McDonald’s meal and became a TikTok meme.
