Latto is one of hip-hop’s new female superstars. Emerging around the same time that the culture saw Ice Spice explode, the Georgia emcee (real name Alyssa Stephens) initially performed under the stage name Mulatto, a word historically used to describe half-black enslaved people. However, she was made to change it due to its outdated and potentially offensive nature.
Stephens first appeared on hip-hop’s radar when she released her 2019 single ‘Bitch from da Souf’, which managed to land on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 95. Throughout the pandemic, Latto released material, including her debut album, Queen of da Souf.
The album boasted the platinum-certified song ‘Muwop’ featuring Gucci Mane, which received attention from MTV. However, it was 2021 when Stephens broke through with her single ‘Big Energy’, which reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100. Ever since, the lyricist has been soaring at extraordinary heights.
In 2020, she was featured on the cover of XXL magazine as one of that year’s Freshmen Class. Latto has received support from the likes of Trin and Saweetie. However, in 2022, Stephens entered a Twitter feud with the iconic Nicki Minaj after the Queens legend suggested that Latto’s track be removed from the Grammy’s hip-hop category.
The incident occurred after Minaj’s ‘Super Freaky Girl’ got removed from the hip-hop category. Taking to Twitter, Minaj wrote, “I have no prob being moved out the RAP category as long as we r ALL being treated fairly. If SFG has 2B moved out then so does Big Energy!”
Shortly after Minaj’s tweet, Latto tweeted, “Damn, I can’t win for losing… all these awards noms, I can’t even celebrate.” Irrespective of this heated exchange, radio and media figures still remained interested in Latto, and in an interview with DJ Akademiks, she revealed her favourite rapper.
Speaking about her roots in the South, Latto unveiled, “Gucci [Mane] was always my favourite rapper since a kid, Gucci was always my favourite rapper. I’m from Atlanta, it hasn’t got anything to do with most lyrical. I remember Dreezy did a song with him when he first came out [of jail] because I was fresh off the rap game.”
Latto continued to explain ho she has always looked up to people from her city and was ecstatic when she got to collaborate with Gucci Mane. You can watch Stephens’ Off The Record interview with DJ Akademiks below.
