Rico Nasty

Drawing upon the extremes of hardcore rap and rock, Maryland-bred artist Rico Nasty debuted with a self-described "sugar trap" aesthetic that quickly transformed into a complex blend of genres centered on frustration, aggression, and empowerment. Building upon the buzz of her early mixtapes and songs like 2017's "Poppin" and 2018's "Smack a Bitch," Rico released her debut studio album, Nightmare Vacation, in 2020. Just two years later, she made an artistic leap with the mixtape Las Ruinas, which incorporated electronic and industrial into her potent attack.

Born Maria-Cecilia Simone Kelly in Largo, Maryland, she started rhyming with poetry, which later led to rap. Her early tracks -- "Hey Arnold," "iCarly," and "Iggady [Remix]" -- helped her develop an underground following, and she would go on to release mixtapes like Sugar Trap and The Rico Story. A collaborative EP with fellow DMV native Tino Loud titled Cuffin Season arrived in 2016. When Lil Yachty hopped on a remix of "Hey Arnold" that same year, it helped propel Rico toward an even larger audience. She returned the favor on "Mamacita," which was included on the Fate of the Furious soundtrack. In 2017, she issued the Tales of Tacobella and Sugar Trap 2 mixtapes. Continuing her prolific run, she released Nasty in 2018. The set featured Blocboy JB on "In the Air" and Lil Gnar on "Transformer." A 2019 collaborative mixtape, Anger Management, saw Rico working with Kenny Beats and also featured Baauer and EarthGang. That same year, she also released stand-alone singles like "Guap (LaLaLa)," "Time Flies," and "Fashion Week."

More singles arrived in early 2020, including "iPhone," "Own It," and "Don't Like Me," paving the way for Rico Nasty's major-label debut studio album, Nightmare Vacation (Atlantic). Released in December 2020, it featured guest appearances by Trippie Redd, Aminé, Gucci Mane, 100 gecs, and more. Upon release, the set topped the U.S. Heatseekers chart. The next year, Rico issued solo singles such as "Magic" and the hard-hitting Menoh Beats-produced "Buss." She also teamed with the likes of Mahalia ("Jealous"), Denzel Curry and Jasiah ("Art of War"), and NLE Choppa (for "Speed It Up" from the F9 soundtrack).

Rico kicked off 2022 with the Bktherula-assisted track "Vaderz," the first taste of her second Atlantic full-length, the mixtape Las Ruinas, which arrived that July. Pushing her artistry into unexpected directions, the set also featured collaborations with Fred again.. ("Jungle"), Marshmello ("Watch Your Man"), and Bibi Bourelly ("One on 5"). By 2023, she had already moved on to her next phase, releasing the singles "Beat My Face" and "Turn It Up." ~ Neil Z. Yeung