We list some interesting things you didn’t know about Latto. Rapping since the age of 10, Mulatto is part of the elite new wave of female rappers, such as Flo Milli, City Girls, Saweetie and more, proving that women can also rule the rap scene with their unique styles, flows and verses.
1. Her real name is Alyssa Michelle Stephens
Latto’s real name is Alyssa Michelle Stephens, who was born on December 22, 1998 in Columbus, Ohio. The rapper and singer then moved to the south, crediting Clayton County as the place that gave her street credibility. Her mother Misti is White and Alyssa’s biological father is African American. Growing up, at the age of ten, Latto decided to become a rapper and began writing her own rap songs. Her fast rising star saw A-Town artists like Gucci Mane, OutKast, T.I. and Jeezy season her taste for music and soon after, esteemed female artists exemplified how Latto could one day have the genre of rap on lock with her bars. Now the artist has charted on the Billboard charts and won several awards including Best New Artist at the BET awards. Her song “Big Energy” has also been nominated for a Grammy.
2. She changed her stage name from ‘Mulatto’ to ‘Latto’
Latto formerly known as Mulatto has long been taking hits from the public and in the media over the name. She was first introduced to the world as a young teen with dreams of topping the charts when she appeared on Jermaine Dupri’s The Rap Game, and since that time, people took issue with the term as it has deep-seated roots in Black history. In the early stages of her career, when she went by the name Miss Mulatto, people asked how she would feel when she was to win her first award, and a white presenter addressed her as such. However, Latto spoke about officially changing her name, revealing that she has matured and become more aware of the term’s controversial history.
According to the Pew Research Center, the term “mulatto” – mulato in Spanish – commonly referenced a person of mixed-race ancestry with white European and Black African roots. However, it was often used in a derogatory fashion during the times of slavery and segregation in America. The root of the word mula, or mule, refers to the offspring of a horse and a donkey.
3. She appeared on the reality TV series ‘The Rap Game’
https://youtu.be/s_PQcLaqi8U
Latto’s been on the verge of breakthrough success since she first gained her footing as the teenage winner of Lifetime’s “The Rap Game” competition in 2016. She declined a prize deal with Jermaine Dupri’s So So Def label in favor of continuing her career independently, The young rapper grew up rhyming at block parties, eventually rising through the local scene in Atlanta and opening for bigger rappers when she was still a teenager.
Speaking to Uproxx, she talked about her journey in rap since an early age.
“I’ve been rapping since eight years old,” she said. “You know how people be like, ‘Oh, I’ve been rapping since I was two years old. Like, my momma put a microphone in my hand and I used to dance in front of the TV?’ No, I’m talking about full-blown, going to the studio, dropping music videos, promoting mixtapes, passing out mixtapes out the trunk of my daddy car.” She added, “I had a whole career at eight years old. So, it’s the time that I’ve put into it. That’s where people be saying, ‘Oh my God, what is it?’ It’s just I’ve been doing it forever.”
4. She became famous with her hit single “Bitch from da Souf” which went viral
“Bitch from da Souf” is the debut single by Latto released in January 2019. The song created a buzz in the streets of Atlanta making the young rapper famous. This led to the fiery remix featuring Saweetie and Trina. “The buzz that ‘Bitch From da Souf’ created put so many offers on the table for me all at once,” she explained to Complex. “Signing was especially a big deal for me being that I came from a TV show where I publicly turned down a record deal. For 5 years I worked independently waiting for the right opportunity to present itself. I knew in my heart that it was time and felt 100% confident in choosing RCA.”
But the road to fame was not always easy for Latto. In an interview with Hot97, Latto recalled missing out on birthday parties and going to the skating rink as a kid so that she could work on her craft and perform at shows. At that time she resented her parents for not letting her ditch the shows to enjoy time with her friends but said that as she got older she realized it was a blessing in disguise.
5. She was a part of the XXL Freshman Class in 2020
Latto has been on the rise in the hip hop world and now she has graced the cover of the XXL magazine’s Freshman Of The Year. The annual showcase of the hottest new rappers saw the Atlanta hip hop artist show why she is one of the top female rappers in the new breed. The rapper is only one of two females holding it down for XXL’s 2020 freshman class and her bars did not disappoint. The 2020 XXL Freshman Class rapper has “broken the mold with her bossy rhymes and southern sass,” XXL Magazine said.
Additional members of the Freshman Class for 2020 included Chicago’s Polo G, Louisville’s Jack Harlow, Memphis’ NLE Choppa, St. Petersburg, Florida’s Rod Wave, Carson, California’s Baby Keem, Atlanta’s Lil Keed, Chicago’s Calboy, Montgomery, Brooklyn’s Fivio Foreign, San Francisco’s 24goldn and Bronx’s Lil Tjay.
6. The remix of “Big Energy” featured Mariah Carey
“Big Energy” would prove to be Latto’s most rewarding gamble. The remix to the song featured Mariah Carey. Talking about the song, Latto said: “I took it and charged it to the game because I knew how commercial it sounded,” she says. “Did I think it would get me No. 3 on Billboard or a Mariah Carey remix? Hell no. But I did know it would be a step in a bigger direction.”
The single came with controversy. The beat is borrowed from Tom Tom Club’s 1981 song “Genius of Love,” which was previously sampled for Mariah Carey’s “Fantasy,” and Latto caught flak over an interview where she revealed her unfamiliarity with its origins. “People forget the original songs ‘Genius of Love’ and ‘Fantasy’ came out before I was born,” she says.
Latto released her second album, 777. In addition to “Big Energy,” it also included the songs “Soufside,” “Wheelie,” and “Sunshine,” featuring Childish Gambino and Lil Wayne.
7. She’s had beef with Nicki Minaj
A beef between Nicki Minaj and Latto erupted on Twitter when the two rappers began trading shots in the aftermath of a report that Minaj’s hit single, “Super Freaky Girl,” would not be considered for any rap categories at the 2023 Grammy Awards.
Minaj had been voicing her displeasure about not being considered for any rap categories on Instagram Live and Twitter earlier in the day when she made the ultimatum that if “Super Freaky Girl” wasn’t going to be considered for any rap categories, neither should Latto’s “Big Energy.”
Be that as it may, Nicki Minaj has been at the center of the rap game for many years. Her singles, albums, and videos have all made headlines. She has followed the path paved by other female rappers. However, Minaj also changed that path to forge a new one all her own. But the new generation doesn’t see it that way, with Latto accusing Nicki of having “only child syndrome” because, at one time, she was the only female rap star in the game.
8. Latto won the BET Award for Best New Artist
Latto is one of the hottest hip hop artists to watch from the already crowded Atlanta scene. She scooped up her first major music honor during the BET Awards in 2022, winning the title of Best New Artist. Latto was nominated for the award alongside Muni Long, Tems, Baby Keem, and Yung Bleu.
Latto also delivered a superb performance that is sure to be added to the history books of BET as she performed her hit singles “It’s Givin’” and “Big Energy.” In her skin-tight all-black and gold embellished jumpsuit, the Atlanta rapper delivered her hit song and even brought out the Diva herself, Mariah Carey, and Wu-Tang’s Old Dirty Bastard’s son, Young Dirty Bastard.
Both artists performed original verses from the 1995 “Fantasy” and received a standing ovation from fans to “Big Energy,” which is Latto’s first No. 1 hit on Billboard’s Hot 100 R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Latto also gave the legendary singer her flowers as the two shared a sweet moment on stage, with Mariah Carey ending her set with her signature alto sound.
9. She has collaborated with hip hop superstar Gucci Mane
Latto dropped “Muwop”, an apparent tribute to ATL legend Gucci Mane. It was the first official single and video from her major label debut studio album. On “Muwop”, Latto flipped Gucci Mane’s 2008 track “Freaky Gurl” and made a witty, female response in a way only Latto can. The video was shot in Miami and directed by ARRAD. “Muwop” peaked at number four on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart.
Leading up to the release of “Muwop,” Latto took to Instagram to pay homage to Gucci Mane by recreating the covers of his iconic albums and mixtapes. Talking about “Muwop”, Latto said: “I flipped Gucci Mane’s ‘Freaky Gurl’ for my project and I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if he could get on it.’ When I got the text that Gucci recorded a verse for the song, I started screaming! Gucci is my favorite rapper of all time. Even when I was ten years old, in interviews I would say he was my favorite.”
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