Hip Hop Awards ‘20: 5 Things To Know About Mulatto
For those who are in the know, Mulatto has been on the come-up for some time now. After winning the first season of The Rap Game, the then-16-year-old took the reins of her career. On her independent grind, ‘Latto released a handful of mixtapes while amassing millions of followers.
After years of putting in the work, the Atlanta rapper’s breakthrough moment came in 2019 with the release of boldly-titled single, “Bitch from da Souf.” The record was an immediate success and quickly racked up views and streams. It propelled her star to new heights and led to a deal with RCA Records for the 21-year-old in March of this year. In August, ‘Latto released her debut album, Queen of Da Souf, a bold declaration of the impact she wants to leave on the music industry.
That same month she was a part of a culturally-defining moment when Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion released “WAP.” ‘Latto was chosen to appear in the accompanying music video alongside Rubi Rose, Sukihana, as well as singers Normani and Rosalía, and Kylie Jenner.
With a few standout tracks under her belt, a cameo in one of the biggest music videos of the year, and co-signs from rap heavyweights, ‘Latto’s star has only continued to rise. The 21-year-old is nominated for Best New Hip Hop Artist at the 2020 BET Hip Hop Awards alongside fellow newcomers Flo Milli, Jack Harlow, NLE Choppa, Rod Wave and the late Pop Smoke. Here are a few things you need to know about the self-proclaimed Queen of Da Souf.
You might already be familiar with her
While more people became acquainted with Mulatto through her appearance in Cardi B’s music video for “WAP,” she’s already a familiar face to many. The Atlanta rapper was on the first season of Jermaine Dupri-produced Lifetime series, The Rap Game, which she won when she was 16 years old. This led to a contract offer with Dupri's So So Def label, but she ultimately passed on the deal and chose to remain independent. Nonetheless, ‘Latto has steadily been on the rise.
Mulatto knew she wanted to be a rapper when she was 10 years old
Speaking to Earmilk, the 21-year-old shared that she was initially drawn to writing poetry when she was in elementary school. At the time, her dad worked in entertainment and would occasionally bring her along on rap video shoots, inspiring Latto to take up rapping. “I was just in my room writing and I was like ‘Daddy, I wanna rap’ and he supported me. He swears the rap was fire, but it was probably trash,” she recollected. “I [wanted] to be as big as I could be. I started out when I was ten years old. I wanted to walk the red carpets. My parents supported me 100%. My dad was booking studio sessions and putting me in talent shows, open mics, [and] cyphers. I [eventually] started building a social media following and [the] YouTube views were going up.”
Prior to her rap career taking off, Mulatto was a drag racer
“I started rapping when I was 10 years old. Before that, I drag raced,” she told XXL in March. “All the men in my family drag raced.” Even though she no longer does motor sports, she still goes to the races, saying, “in Atlanta, it be the biggest dope boys in the city, rappers, everybody be out there. Car shows, races, people grillin' out.”
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Nicki Minaj is one of her biggest sources of inspiration
‘Latto was in the fifth grade when the New York rap empress released her acclaimed Pink Friday album. It had a major impact on her. “I cut my hair in a bang, I had the pink highlights. I stood in line for Pink Friday, like crazy for Nicki,” she said during a recent appearance on Hot 97.
She goes hard for the Big A
Hailing from the Southside of Atlanta, ‘Latto credits the city for shaping her into the women she is today. “It’s played a major role for me,” she told The Face. “My personality, my creativity, my overall aesthetic, everything is so Southern. Atlanta is home to so much Black entrepreneurship – there’s no better place to grow up as a Black creative with a dream.”
The 2020 Hip Hop Awards will air on BET October 27 at 8/9c.
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