More about: Flo Milli

RCA Records are calling the new Flo Milli record, You Still Here, Ho? the Alabama rapper’s debut album. It’s another example of pernickety parsing of the terms ‘mixtape’ and ‘album’, an issue that has plagued Megan Thee Stallion’s relationship with her label. Perhaps RCA are simply trying to relaunch Flo. Or maybe they’re trying to lock her into releasing more projects than she’s contracted for, like 1501 Certified Entertainment are alleged to be doing with Meg. Either way, and however it pans out for Milli’s contract, You Still Here, Ho? is clearly a continuation of 2020’s Ho, why is you here? — and not only in title. Though lacking some of the raw Big Dick Energy and heady attitude of its predecessor, You Still Here, Ho? still overwhelmingly presents contemporary rap at its finest, pushing Flo forward as one of the frontrunners of a new kind of rockstar.

After an introduction by American TV icon Tiffany Pollard (which matches the energy of the Y2K album artwork neatly), You Still Here, Ho? immediately reintroduces the charming aggression of Flo with ‘Come Outside’, an icy diss track that shows off both an unblemished flow and a confident dry humour. No matter how braggadocios or confrontational she gets, she never loses this innate charm; Flo Milli is impossible not to like.

Single ‘Conceited’ is a bright spot on the track-list, the bass heavy and the beats cold and stark. It’s no surprise this one has gone micro-viral on TikTok with her fans (the Flomilitary) since it has the raw blatancy and primal impact of the hits on her debut. Another single, ‘Ice Baby’ — here cast as a bonus track — also shows Flo at her best, her bar-arrangements inventive and slick, the ideal song for the COLORS show she filmed in 2021.

‘Big Steppa’, ‘Pretty Girls’ and ‘PBC’ are also standouts, while ’Tilted Halo’ introduces a slow jam, sultry version of Flo Milli that flips sappy pining and instead imagines how the men craving her attention must feel ("I'm giving you the thirst trap blues").

While ‘On My Nerves’ samples 2002 Nelly hit ‘Dilemma’, it doesn't serve to the extent we know that Milli can. Nor does 'Do It Better' or collaboration tracks 'Hottie' (with BabyFace Ray) and 'Pay Day' (with Rico Nasty) have quite the same impact of some of the better tracks either here or on Ho, why is you here?. That isn't to say they totally flop; it's more that Flo set herself a near insurmountable hurdle with her 2020 record.

You Still Here, Ho? reemphasises Flo Milli as the present and future of rap. Though it doesn't achieve the flawlessness of her 2020 debut, it does give us plenty of new hits to spin at the gym and the club, plus a few moments that show where Flo could take things from here...

You Still Here, Ho? is out now.

Issue Four of the Gigwise Print magazine is on pre-order now! Order here.

More about: Flo Milli