Rico Nasty begins major-label career strong with ‘Nasty’

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Kavya Desikan, Editor

The newly-signed Atlantic Records recording artist Rico Nasty is one of the few gems coming out of the DMV (D.C.-Maryland-Virginia area) rap-scene. Compared to other SoundCloud rappers, Rico Nasty is one of the most experimental and eccentric rappers looking to redefine the future of rap.

Rico Nasty is skilled in turning rap trends on their heads, especially ’emo rap’ trend, which has been spearheaded by artists like Lil Xan and Lil Peep. Rico Nasty integrates punk and rock aspects into her music in a way that is much more unique and eccentric, yet palatable.

This major-label release is quite the departure from her previous Sugar Trap series. Compared to the upbeat and sickly-sweet beats on Sugar Trap, Rico sticks to rapping over either lo-fi, subdued beats or electric guitar heavy punk-rock inspired beats.

Despite the two styles seeming like polar opposites, Rico makes each seem perfectly blend between each other.

The cohesion on this album is unparalleled, one great example being the transition from ‘In the Air’ to ‘Pressing Me’. ‘In the Air’ starts with a loud electric guitar and uses it as the base for the beat while Rico uses her signature aggressive tone over the beat. Despite its hardcore and rock influences, it leads perfectly into ‘Pressing Me’. ‘Pressing Me’ is a subdued and much more chill song which emphasizes her other more breathy and mellow style over a trance-like lo-fi beat.

Rico Nasty is a rapper who brings a new kind of energy that not many other female artists possess. Her music is loud and unapologetic, not looking to conform to the norms of mainstream rap or SoundCloud ‘underground’ rap.

Her flow and lyrics are absolutely unique, and she’s able to showcase not only her versatility but her incredible wordplay as well.

Rico has done an amazing job of using her eccentric and refreshing style to create a cult following necessary for any upcoming rapper, and because of her unique sound and fresh interpretations of trends in the rap game, Rico Nasty is set to be the next female emcee that will take the industry by storm. Nasty is only proof of that.

There’s something magical about how she mastered punk rock-inspired rap where she can bark over beats (in a way that won’t give any listener a headache), but can also deliver entrancing verses over muted beats.

Nasty is a gem in an oversaturated industry and gets a well-deserved  4 out of 5 stars. With tracks like ‘Counting Up’, ‘Trust Issues’, ‘Pressing Me’, and ‘Rage’, it truly is a strong debut bound to make Rico Nasty take the industry by storm. Rico is not the next Cardi B or Nicki Minaj, but rather she is in her own category as Rico Nasty, as she’s an eccentric rapper whose roots differ from the New York heavyweights.