GloRilla remembers being a tomboy growing up in North Memphis, admiring the baggy silhouettes and bold energy of icons like Left Eye and Aaliyah. Today, she’s one of them. Draped in adidas and standing alongside the likes of Missy Elliott, Samuel L. Jackson and JENNIE, the multi-platinum rapper has been tapped as one of seven cultural figures fronting "Superstar, The Original" — the latest chapter in adidas Originals’ global campaign celebrating originality across generations.
Shot in dramatic black and white by director Thibaut Grevet, the campaign brings together a cross-generational roster of creatives known for leading, not following. For GloRilla, who calls this her “prolific era,” the inclusion is more than just a co-sign. It’s a crown. “I was excited to hear all the legends I was going to be in the same campaign with,” she tells PAPER. “That alone felt legendary to me. It made me feel like, ‘Oh wow, I’m really here.’”
She is. In just two years, GloRilla has gone from Memphis street hero to national phenomenon, turning heads with her raspy voice, punchy bars and a no-frills style that’s equal parts streetwear and Southern grit. But she’s more than just a turn-up queen. “A lot of times when I make songs and I’m really talking to the people, really giving bars, I feel like it goes unnoticed,” she says. “People just love my turn-up music, and I love making that, but I also love to make real music and actually rap.”
The Superstar sneaker has long been a symbol of exactly that kind of duality: sport and culture, past and future, polish and rebellion. In aligning herself with the silhouette, GloRilla joins a lineage of artists who, in the words of the campaign, “build crowds, instead of joining them.” And she’s only getting started. “I’m not scared to stand out and be me,” she says. “I’m not scared to set trends … that’s what originality is all about to me.”
The Memphis energy is still there — even if she doesn’t make it home as often as she’d like. Her family and friends bring it to her, and each year, she throws her birthday bash in the city to give it right back. “I’m excited to be a part of where Southern rap is headed,” she says. “And I’m excited to help take it even further.”
PAPER caught up with GloRilla to talk about her partnership with adidas, keeping it 100 and why she’s in her “prolific era.”
Congrats on this Adidas partnership.
Thank you.
The adidas Superstar has always been tied to cultural trailblazers, and this campaign puts you alongside names like Missy Elliott and Samuel L. Jackson — these huge stars. How did it feel when you first found out you'd be a part of it?
I was excited to hear all the legends I was going to be in the same campaign with. That alone felt legendary to me. It made me feel like, “Oh wow, I’m really here.” It made me feel excited, and made me feel like I’m somebody, you know? To be up there with all those big names. I was happy about that.
Were you a Missy fan growing up?
I love Missy. And I love Samuel L. Jackson. He’s one of my favorite actors.
What does being called an “Original Icon” mean to you, especially coming from Memphis?
It’s just basically when you walk in your truth, being bold enough to go first. Just being yourself and being able to lead and impact other people with what you do.
I feel like you do that so well. You're such an organic, authentic representation of not just Memphis, but for everyone. What do you think makes you original, and how do you maintain or protect that originality as your platform grows?
I'm not scared to stand out and be me. I'm not scared to set trends, you know what I’m saying? That’s what originality is all about to me: when you stand out doing what you want to do and when you’re not scared to start something or go first.
Do you ever feel pressure to tone anything down, or are you committed to keeping it 100 no matter what?
I always keep it 100.
You've grown so much, even just in the past two years. How do you keep in touch with Memphis and your Memphis roots? Are you always going back there? What sorts of things do you do to keep Memphis in your body, in your heart?
I don’t get a lot of time to go back to Memphis, but my friends and family still live there, so I still communicate with them. They still come around, so they bring that Memphis energy to me. And then I’m even starting to do my birthday bash every year in Memphis, to still represent the city every year.
In this campaign, you're representing a new generation of culture shapers. Where do you see Southern rap heading next, and what role do you want in shaping that future?
I feel like Southern rap has been on top for a while. A lot of people don’t see it that way, but I’m glad it’s finally getting the recognition it deserves. I’m excited to see it keep going further, and I’m excited to be a part of it.
You've always had a bold sense of fashion. How does your style reflect your state of mind?
My style is tomboyish, streetwear. That’s just a reflection of who I am. I grew up being a tomboy, and I always liked Left Eye and Aaliyah and how they dressed. So I feel like they play a big part in my style and my fashion.
This moment is about looking forward. What do you want your next era to feel like — not just musically, but personally? Any tidbits you can give about what’s coming next?
I'm in my prolific era. That’s what I like to call this era I’m stepping into. It’s going to be very prolific. I don’t want to give out too much, but yeah, that’s all I can say.
If your younger self saw you now (dripped in Adidas, standing next to these huge legends), what do you think she'd say?
I'd be obsessed with myself. Like, "Wow, she really did it." I would be so proud of me. Even though I am younger, I’d be like, “I want to be like her when I get older.”
What's something about your music or your persona that people misunderstand or maybe underestimate?
I'd say my lyricism. A lot of times when I make songs and I’m really talking to the people, really giving bars, I feel like it goes unnoticed. People just love my turn-up music, and I love making turn-up music, but I also love to make real music and actually rap. Sometimes I feel like it goes over people’s heads, so I’d like it if they actually tapped in and listened to the bars when I do the lyrics.
Photography: Thibaut Grevet
