Since changing her controversial stage name from Mulatto to Latto, the Atlanta rapper says she’s ready to embrace her new name to reflect her upcoming music.
“Yes, I’m so, so, so excited for the new music. I feel like historically, the negative definition of Mulatto might have been holding me back,” she tells NME. “And this new name, Latto, short for “lottery,” can be forthcoming of good fortune; financially, spiritually, emotionally. I feel like this is [going to] be turning over a new leaf.”
Fans were first introduced to Latto as Mulatto on the first season of Jermaine Dupri‘s competition series, The Rap Game, in 2016. It wasn’t until last year that the 22-year-old considered changing her stage name after facing backlash over the term’s history due to its widespread use in the U.S. South during the era of slavery.
Latto says it’s been a “pretty smooth” transition from competing with others to earning her first platinum plaque for her 2019 breakout single, “B**** From Da Souf.”
“I want more plaques,” she declares. “I got my first plaque, and now I need to be in the studio more ‘cause I need to make more hits to get more plaques.”
“The Biggest” rapper says fans can expect to hear more elevation and growth on the follow-up to her gritty debut album, Queen of Da Souf.
“I’m actually in album mode right now, so the first project I’m about to drop is gonna be a plethora of flows, different [beats per minute],” Latto explains. “I’m from the South, so I tend to choose slower [beats per minute]. That’s very Southern or whatever. But I’m choosing different beats, working with different people, producers, artists. Everything is just [going to] be an elevation.”
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