Many sports fanatics are gearing up for the upcoming Super Bowl showdown between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs. Others are getting prepared for Usher’s halftime show. Rapper Saweetie however, is getting ready for her big pickleball debut.
The rapper will make a splash on the Las Vegas Strip as part of the Smirnoff SMASH Pickle Bowl. This showcase features the “Icy Girl,” among other celebrities, going head-to-head in a tournament. The event serves as the kickoff for Saweetie’s new partnership with Smirnoff.
Pickle Bowl Prep with Saweetie
Saweetie, known for her love of challenges, shares that she is excited for the game. She will be playing along with the likes of stars like Lance Bass, Scheana Shay, Brock Davies, Vernon Davis, Kay Adams, host Speedy Morman and more.
“Well, I’m a sports girl so I’m always up for a challenge,” she shared. “This is my first time playing the sport, so I’m excited to see how I’m gonna do.”
Pickleball has recently gained a lot of traction and has become a popular game among sports enthusiasts. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, the number of people playing pickleball grew by 159% over three years to 8.9 million in 2022. Although Saweetie has never played before, she is hoping to learn the rules of the game fast.
“I mean, for me, it looks like a life-size ping pong ball game,” she joked. “So, I mean, I maybe I should read the rules, but I hopefully, it’s something similar to like a ping pong game.”
Saweetie is rooting for the 49ers to win the big game on Sunday, hoping for a decisive victory for the team. Acknowledging the strength of the Kansas City team, she expresses a preference for a comfortable lead of at least two touchdowns to ensure an enjoyable experience for herself and the Niner team and family.
Halftime Show Excitement
Even those who don’t consider themselves big sports fans, often look forward to the Super Bowl’s halftime show. This year, Usher will be hitting the field to perform his greatest hits. After dominating his Las Vegas residency that began in 2021, he is ready to take on one of the biggest arenas yet and drop a new album prior to.
Discussing the halftime show, Saweetie praised Usher’s talent and anticipates a performance full of surprises. She revealed her all-time favorite Usher song is “Superstar,” and expressed the possibility of future collaborations with the iconic artist.
“Well, you know, Usher is definitely one of the best, one of the best performers for his generation and my generation,” she explained. “So I think he’s gonna have a lot of tricks up his sleeve. You know, he’s super talented, he could skate on stage. So I don’t put nothing past his performance. I think he’s gonna shock us all.”
Looking ahead, Saweetie hints at a potential collaboration with Usher, mentioning her upcoming song “Can’t Trust You,” where she showcases her singing skills.
“It’s not gonna be my first single, but it’ll be one of my singles and I’m singing a lot on that song. So after people hear that, I think they’ll be able to see like how me and Usher can go back and forth on a song,” Saweetie explained.
Success and Future Projects
Reflecting on her recent RIAA certifications for “My Type” and “Best Friend,” Saweetie expressed gratitude but emphasized her desire for continuous growth.
“Honestly, I wanna get better that I wanna get better at this, but I’m really just not satisfied,” she shared. “I feel like there’s just more to accomplish more to achieve. It makes me happy and in that moment I appreciate it, I thank God but it’s just like I feel like there’s just so much more work to do.”
She provided a glimpse into her upcoming project, describing it as “Icy.” The rapper says the project will reflect her breakthrough into the industry with her first single.
“I would say it’s Icy because that’s the reason why I’m here. ‘Icy’ really broke me into the industry,” she said while reflecting on her own growth. “Icy is a girl who’s ambitious, a girl who goes out there and, and achieves her dream. So I feel like you could see that icy growth of the body of work.”