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Milwaukee rapper Mudy casts a fierce presence on her debut EP

Irony doesn't get much thicker than the cover of Mudy's debut EP "What's Next," which depicts the Milwaukee rapper in full mime makeup and attire. Mimes, of course, are silent. And Mudy is one of the last artists you'd ever imagine biting their tongue.

Photo credit: Steven Robinson

The upstart Milwaukee rapper turned heads earlier this year with her single " FaceTime," a blasé, slyly funny tale of an online hookup, and she maintains that devil-may-care posture on her EP, where she further outlines her "nah I'm good" attitude toward relationships. "I don't do emotion, baby," she insists on "Mood," "She want me to text her, baby/No I can't."

Between its woozy, peacocking beat and Mudy's tart, Vince Staples-esque flow, that track is a highlight. So is "Drop," a ferocious club clapper that wouldn't sound out of place on a Lizzo record. But really, on a four-song EP as short and fleet as this one, they're all highlights, and Mudy has the presence to hold her own against even the wildest, cockiest beats -- even the trapped-out Game Boy synths of "Take 5" don't trip her up. Debut projects as fierce and fully formed don't come around often; you've got to enjoy them when they do.

"What's Next" is streaming now on Apple Music and Spotify. You can stream it below. (These songs contain strong language.)