Snow Tha Product has a lot to get off her chest this holiday season.
Trump-supporting Latinos, soulless anti-immigrant chumps and homophobic racists should steer clear of the 38-year-old rapper, who was not afraid to lambast right-wingers in her latest studio album, “Before I Crashout.”
She independently released the LP on Dec. 12 — the Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe — and coincidentally on her ex’s birthday, she divulged to De Los over Zoom. “I’ll send him a gift or something,” she added.
There’s a little something for everyone in her 26-track project, which sonically roves between R&B, mariachi, cumbia and hip-hop. But it’s the album’s political commentary that packs the biggest punch.
“This album comes from the freedom of being like, What am I gonna lose? It’s not like this industry has ever been super supportive,” said Snow, whose real name is Claudia Alexandra Madriz Meza.
In “Mad at Me Again,” Snow joyfully embraces the concept of repatriating back to Mexico, making shady jabs at the MAGA community for supporting President Trump’s mass deportation initiative, while the more uplifting track “M.A.M.A” venerates Latinas: “You wanna deport them? S—, I want them to come!”
But it isn’t just xenophobes who get flamed by the Bay Area native: Toxic parents, buckle up.
The chilling rap track “She Wasnt Home” highlights abuse teenage girls face in their own household, while the lighthearted pop jam “Sola Otra Vez” underscores the solitude that comes from accepting one’s own neurodivergence — in spite of initial judgment from family. In the pop-rock jingle “Sorry X Tus Suegros,” Snow preemptively apologizes to a lover for her homophobic parents.
The album’s release followed a busy summer season for Snow, who sounded off on Trump-supporting relatives back in August with her scorching pop single “Sabado.” In the three-minute video — which has since amassed over 6 million views on YouTube — the rapper rolls up to a family barbecue, ready to roast family members who may have voted for Trump.
But the song wasn’t just for show. During her recent set at this year’s Don’t Fall in Love Festival in San Bernardino, she introduced her song “Sabado” by calling out Trump-supporting artists backstage — “Even though you’re probably going to blackball me, I would like you to officially suck my f— d—,” she hissed.
“If I could at least give people [songs] to get those conversations started [around] the dinner table, then that’s just what I want to do,” she said.
Snow is plotting her “Before I Crashout” tour next year, which will kick off March 19 in Riverside, Calif., with stops in other major cities — including Los Angeles venue the Novo on May 8. Tickets are now on sale.
This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.
The phrase “crashing out” has come up in recent years to describe an overemotional reaction, but especially to what’s happening politically. It’s seen as negative. Exactly — and the before in “Before I Crashout” is important, because there is a [process of] meditation and trying to keep your composure and maturity that comes before the crash-out. Even though you’re having those feelings, you need to put that out into the [world] in a safe way.
When did you start to embrace “crashing out”? Growing up, my way of coping with things was sitting in the bathroom by myself, because I had a one-bedroom apartment and there were too many of us there. I feel like I was just suppressing some of that energy we all feel right now about the current state [of the world].
[Then] I was like, “F— it, man.” I’ve gone live [on Instagram] and started crying about what’s going on. People [called] it a “crash-out,” and I was like, “It’s not crashing out to cry and be angry about what’s happening right now.” But it is valid to feel powerless sometimes about what’s happening. [There is] so much anger and I don’t know where to put it.
Soon I’m having friends over to crash out in [my rage room]. I bought a car and Jenicka Lopez [sister of Chiquis Rivera] is coming over to smash it.
In this album, you talk about Mexican pride, homophobia in the Latino community and the political machine of MAGA. In your own words, though, what is the essence of this album? As a queer woman born to formerly undocumented parents, being [a] first-generation older sister, I was raised with a lot of fear and shame. Everything was shame-based. “What are they gonna say? Don’t do too much, just make sure you’re kind of in the background.”
Even though I put on this bold persona as Snow Tha Product, I’ve always been scared. I’m finally getting to a place where I’m not anymore.
It sounds like you have a strong moral compass. Where do you think that comes from? Sometimes it’s held me back in life, trying to do the right thing, whether or not it’s going to be congratulated or noticed.
When I was little, I made a promise to God. I ended up in juvenile hall and some of the counselors, cops were just like, “Hey — this could be the rest of your life if you don’t get yourself together.” I told God, “If I could get out of here, I’ll keep being the best type of person I can be.” It doesn’t matter what happens, I know God’s watching and I know I’m watching and I wanna be able to live with myself.
You’ve mentioned repeatedly that that industry doesn’t value you. Why do you say that? I don’t necessarily fit a lot of the boxes that maybe this industry has set for female artists. I’m a rapper. Just by being a rapper, and not being Black, [from] the moment that I got signed to Atlantic, I was signed on the pop side. It felt like [I was] not allowed to really rap. I love the sport of rap, [but] I also like singing mariachi and corridos.
For a very long time there’s been these boxes for women: “You’re going to be sexy, you’re going to sell, you’re gonna be the hot girl that dresses beautifully. It doesn’t even matter if you write your music or not.” I don’t f— care about selling; the only thing that matters is that I write my music.
During your performance at Don’t Fall in Love Fest, you called out other performers for being Trump supporters. Why did you feel called to highlight them in your show? Was it planned? That was just genuine emotion. There’s a lot of artists that rallied behind Trump winning, and who are now trying to act like they’re all for Latinos and undocumented people, “F— ICE” and all that stuff. It’s so hypocritical.
A lot of times your parents would tell you how much you can’t do, but they were still doing it behind closed doors. I grew up hating that hypocrisy! And now I see it in this next generation of Latinos. So many wanted [Trump] to win because of the “economy” or because of the “tax breaks.” Now with ICE [raids] happening, they’ll say, “Well, I didn’t vote for this.” You didn’t know that these people were behind it?
Behind the scenes [at Don’t Fall in Love Fest], there was a little friction, I’m not gonna lie.
People seemed to resonate with what you said onstage, though. It’s important to note that, in those moments, it is scary to do the right thing. I just want our people to stand on business and understand that there’s power in numbers. We could do the right thing. We don’t have to be trying to assimilate at the [expense] of our identity. Is it hard to just try to be honest and be a good f— person?
Your song “Sabado” took the internet by storm. How did that idea come out and what impact has it had on your career? I’m neurodivergent. Sometimes I just notice too much — pattern recognition is on 10. I’m a people watcher and I just watched this dynamic [unfold] in so many different families.
Even though it’s funny, the song is talking about certain archetypes: Foos are saying the N-word, but don’t want to address the racism that happens in our communities. We have people trying to assimilate to [European beauty standards] by dyeing their hair blonde. There are uncles who are homophobic, but might secretly be gay.
I guess I was trying to do it in a funny way — trying to give you both the medicine and the candy so that we start talking about these topics.
Your album “Before I Crashout” marks a new chapter in your career. What’s next? All I want now is to be free. I want to have a good time. I’m married now, and I got a kid. I’m in a different place in my life, where I could genuinely say that my personal life is set. I’m happy, I’m blessed. I thank God every day. So why not just have fun?
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