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Teh Unique Path of Rico Nasty’s New Album ‘LETHAL’
Rico Nasty has built her reputation on defying conventional genres and expectations. When the Maryland rapper teased her highly awaited album in February, anticipation soared among her followers. The moment has finally arrived with the midnight launch of *LETHAL* on May 16.
An Audacious Start and Varied Soundscapes
The album opens with “WHO WONT IT,” where Rico confidently asserts that she is “way up in the mountains,” daring anyone to challenge her, as suggested by the title. This vibrant introduction seamlessly flows into tracks like “TEETHSUCKER (YEAH3x)” and “ON THE LOW,” wich fans had been eagerly awaiting.
This collection of 15 tracks reveals a remarkable level of experimentation from Rico Nasty. For exmaple,”PINK” dives into hyperpop while still paying homage to her rap origins. Conversely, “SMILE” adopts a much slower pace that starkly contrasts with other songs on the album. Notably, rock music emerges as a dominant genre throughout *LETHAL*.
The Prominent Rock Influence in ‘LETHAL’
“SON OF A GUN” and “SMOKE BREAK,” two highlight tracks from this project, significantly enhance its rock character. In “SMOKE BREAK,” she fervently delivers lines such as, “I don’t want nothing anymore; I don’t have anything left / I don’t need anything; just get away.” This musical direction aligns perfectly with *LETHAL* being released under Fueled By Ramen—a label celebrated for artists like Fall Out boy and twenty one pilots.
A Collaborative venture with Imad Royal
An additional point of interest is imad Royal’s role as producer for all fifteen tracks on *LETHAL*. Renowned for his collaborations with artists such as Doja Cat and Panic! At The Disco, his impact resonates throughout this work. Before its release, Rico shared insights about their collaboration during an interview with Rolling Stone.
“Honestly,” she chuckled while reminiscing about their sessions together, “I thought he really didn’t like me at first because he insisted we only record one song each day.” She elaborated on how this method led to some of her finest creations: “‘BUTTERFLY KISSES,’ ‘SAY WE DID,’ and ‘ON THE LOW’ were all born from those single-song sessions—I’d create my music and leave right after! Can you imagine how liberating that feels?”