Latto has been having a huge 2022 so far, and it sounds like it’s about to get a lot bigger. The rising rap star is coming off the release of her 777 album today, her second full-length project and follow-up to her 2020 debut Queen Of Da Souf. But a mystery feature on the tracklist has been generating a lot of speculation, as the massive single off the project, “Big Energy,” has been quickly working its way up on the Billboard chart and is due for a remix.
The song samples a rather iconic song from the early ’80s, Tom Tom Club’s 1981 single, “Genius Of Love,” which most fans will recognize from Mariah Carey’s own iconic hit, “Fantasy.” And since the two stars share a sample on respective hits, it only makes sense they’d team up for the remix. While a lot of fans thought Latto would tap either Nicki Minaj or Cardi B for the new version, she made it clear that while she loves them both, she’s not getting into any drama by picking sides.
These tweets between Latto and Mariah today make it pretty clear that we’ll hear Mimi on Monday’s remix. Stay tuned for that, surely Mariah is going to bring a big verse and some signature vocal gymnastics for this one.
This past week has been an eventful one for Latto in both good and bad ways. She was able to build anticipation for her second album 777 which was led by a pair of singles: “Big Energy” and “Wheelie.” However, in an attempt to shed some light on her struggles as a female rap star, she brought an overflow of attention to herself. Latto revealed that there was a male artist on the album that made it “difficult to clear” a guest verse because she did not respond to their Instagram DM. She later expressed her regrets about making the reveal due to the drama it caused, but that’s behind her now.
At long last, 777 is here for us to enjoy. The project comes with features from some rap peers in close proximity to Latto’s class like Lil Durk, 21 Savage, Nardo Wick, and Kodak Black. However, there’s also a song that features appearances from two big-time names: Lil Wayne and Childish Gambino. They appear on “Sunshine” and it’s a warm record produced by Bongo ByTheWay that finds the trio taking a moment to send prayers to their enemies as they continue to elevate and defeat the odds.
While the song adds to Lil Wayne’s long list of guest verses over the last couple of years, it’s the first musical contribution we’ve heard from Childish Gambino, better known as Donald Glover, since he released his fourth album 3.15.20 back in 2020.
A few days ago, Latto stopped by Big Boy’s Neighborhood for an interview to promote her upcoming album 777. It was here that she revealed that a male artist on her album made it “difficult to clear” their guest verse because she did not answer an Instagram DM from them. It’s presumed that this male artist was shooting their shot with Latto with the Instagram message. After her comments, people on social media tried their best to guess who the artist in question was, but as of today, Latto has yet to give confirmation on who they are. Instead, she expressed some regret for speaking out against the shady male collaborator.
It came during an interview on The Breakfast Club, where Latto explained why she was regretting her initial comments. “My intentions was not to, like, make this a whole thing,” she said on the show. “I just was looking at it as, like, I’m a new female rapper in the game. I wish somebody could have gave me some insight about how this stuff really goes.” She added, “You hear, like, ‘Oh, female rappers have it harder.’ But I really wanted to give a little insight as to what specifically makes it harder for a female rapper. I didn’t want it to distract from the music or anything so I kind of wish, in a way, I didn’t say that.”
Latto continued, “I’m not here to raise nobody. “I’m just speaking on, like, it’s what I go through. And I think I’m allowed to do that to a certain extent. Social media is trying to turn it into this thing that’s like, oh, I’m ‘trying to clout chase’ or silence my experiences. I think it’s hard to know when you should and shouldn’t speak up.”
After Latto unveiled the tracklist for 777, many fans concluded that the male collaborator in question was Kodak Black, who has a past that includes sexual assault allegations and highly inappropriate comments. In a tweet, Kodak denied that it was him that Latto was referring to, and during her appearance on The Breakfast Club, Latto was asked directly if it was Kodak she was talking about.
“I don’t wanna say who it was,” she replied. “I just feel like…it’s gonna distract from the music and my intentions is not to get anyone dragged or anything. I just wanted to speak from, like, what do I deal with? I don’t specifically want someone to, you know, get dragged.”
You can watch Latto’s full interview on The Breakfast Club above.
777 is out 3/25 via RCA. You can pre-save it here.
Kodak Black is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Ahead of her upcoming sophomore album, 777, Latto stopped by Hot 97. During her visit, she delivered some hot bars for Funkmaster Flex’s Freestyle Session. For her freestyle, the “Big Energy” rapper was given the instrumental to UGK’s “Int’l Players Anthem.”
During her freestyle, she boasts about her riches (“Got your record deal on my key ring”), alludes to the song’s original collaborators, specifically a particular Outkast member (“My boots Andre, they cost a cool 3000”), and reminds us that she doesn’t need a ghostwriter (“Y’all ain’t never heard a verse from me that I ain’t f*ckin’ wrote”).
Of course, in true Latto fashion, her freestyle isn’t short of randy one-liners and double entendres: “Ride wood good, that’s why I should’ve been on Roll Bounce.”
777‘s tracklist boasts an impressive line-up collaborators, including 21 Savage, Nardo Wick, Childish Gambino, Lil Wayne, Kodak Black, and a yet-to-be announced guest on the “Big Energy” remix. Despite pulling in several big names for the album, Latto recently shared that a male collaborator, whom she chose not to name, almost didn’t clear a feature for the album because she didn’t respond to his DM on Instagram.
Despite her competitive energy on her freestyle, Latto maintains that she doesn’t have beef with any of her fellow female rappers.
Check out Latto’s Funkmaster Flex Freestyle above.
This Friday, two years after the release of her debut album, Latto will release its follow-up, 777, which she’s spent the last few months hyping with singles like “Big Energy,” “Soufside,” and “Wheelie” featuring 21 Savage. With just a few days to go, the Atlanta rising star shared the tracklist for 777, which defies industry conventions by clocking in at a relatively trim 13 tracks. Features on the album include Childish Gambino(!), Kodak Black, Lil Durk, Lil Wayne, Nardo Wick, and a mystery feature on the remix of “Big Energy,” Latto’s most commercially successful single to date.
Now that the tracklist is out, though, fans can’t help but speculate which of Latto’s male guests was the one she called out during a recent interview for withholding clearance over a direct message. “It’s a feature on my album… it was difficult to clear,” she told LA radio personality Big Boy. “They tryna drop they nuts on me because I won’t respond to a DM.”
Due to his previous misogynistic behavior and comments, many fans are sure it was Kodak Black who stalled the process, with responses ranging from outrage on her behalf to shading her for featuring him after those comments were made in the first place. For his part, though, Kodak denied the accusations from fans on his own Twitter, leaving just a handful of names to choose from… and perhaps that mystery guest.
Kodak Black, who has said he demands sex for features and is a registered sex offender, is on the track list. Fivio Foreign also has accusations as well.
As a collective, I wish Latto and her team believed the other women in the first place https://t.co/DFDUSQbGey
Latto saying she had a hard time clearing a feature because she wouldn’t sleep with a male rapper and was told that is a “normal” thing for female rappers to go through is HEARTBREAKING. Women can’t escape male egos no matter how talented they are and that shouldn’t be okay.
Y’all want Latto to say the man’s name for what? Y’all still listen to Chris Brown, Kodak Black, Tory Lanez, R. Kelly, Trey Songz. Y’all will still support bad men.
? with the way yall gave megan hell after she gave y’all the name of the man that actually harmed her, and y’all proceeded to call meg all types of liars afterwards, i see why latto didn’t say who did it. https://t.co/T0bjM8GaYo
That Mulatto Girl IS NOT Talkin Bout Me Homie I See Y’all Steady Reachin Lol … Shawty Ain’t Even Say A Nigga Name On Dat Shit Ion Know Why Tf Y’all Tryna Make A Nigga Wear Dat Jacket I’m Too Fly Fa Dat Shit Homie
Next week, Latto will release her sophomore album, 777., the anticipated follow-up to her debut album Queen Of Da Souf. She’s already released the successful track “Big Energy” and the recently-released “Wheelie” with 21 Savage. While the album is due March 25, Latto has yet to reveal its tracklist. That hasn’t stopped her from revealing something shocking about one of the male artists who appears on it.
Latto said there is a male feature on her album & he gave her a hard time clearing the track because she wouldn’t sleep with him. pic.twitter.com/r6fQLVoQN4
“I’m clearing my album right now and it’s been difficult to deal with these men,” she said during a recent interview on Big Boy’s Neighborhood. “They don’t know how to keep it business.” She later added, “It’s a feature on my album… it was difficult to clear. They tryna drop they nuts on me because I won’t respond to a DM.” The hosts were shocked by Latto’s claim and they did their best to try and find out who the man in question was. She revealed that the man is an artist before explaining why she kept the song on the album.
“Yeah, just because I love the song so much and I had to turn it in yesterday, so I didn’t really have a choice. So, I was backed into a corner like bullied, but I wish more females would speak up and stuff. I know the label and stuff, they say, ‘Don’t do that, [that’s] bad business,’ but man these folks be trying to drop nuts on female rappers, like I’m not gonna shut up about it.” She added, “We tolerate too much. We think, ‘Oh well, that just comes with the game being a female rapper.’ No, it shouldn’t though.”
Latto admitted that the man in question is someone she respects. “It meant something to me for sure, like I was definitely rubbed the wrong way,” Latto admitted. “But I love the song so much and I didn’t want to not put it on my album, so I’m like I don’t have no choice and I didn’t have time to record a second verse.”
Big Boy asked if 21 Savage, who appears on “Wheelie,” was the individual she was talking about, but she said it was not him. We’ll just have to wait until the tracklist arrives to have a better guess at who it is.
You can watch a clip from Latto’s Big Boy’s Neighborhood interview above and watch the full sit-down here.
Atlanta rapper Latto — who recently made waves when she appeared on rising rapper Omeretta The Great’s “Sorry Not Sorry” admitting that she, like many of the city’s greats isn’t technically from ATL — is set to depart as headliner on the Monster Energy Outbreak Tour later this week, and as it turns out, she won’t be going empty-handed. Today, Latto announced the official release date for the long-awaited follow-up to her 2020 debut album, Queen Of Da Souf and shared its carnival-themed artwork.
Titled 777, the album will arrive on March 25 via RCA Records. On the cover, Latto stands in front of a massive bullseye in white boots, shorts, and an extremely cropped top with knives and daggers stuck into the target behind her. According to a tweet she also shared, the artwork offers a glimpse into her state of mind as she prepares to release her first album since the lockdown and her official name change. “I put a lot of thought into my artwork,” she wrote. ” hope u guys love it and understand where I’m at mentally the music will give just as much as the visuals! I PROMISE U THAT!”
I put a lot of thought into my artwork I hope u guys love it and understand where I’m at mentally the music will give just as much as the visuals! I PROMISE U THAT!
Meanwhile, Latto’s biggest single to date, the Mariah Carey-sampling “Big Energy,” continues to rise on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching a new peak at No. 14 this week, up three spots from last week. Can it climb into the top 10? Perhaps her announcement will help it do so, but its success will certainly go a long way toward helping her album make an impressive debut when it drops on March 25, along with her new single “Wheelie” featuring 21 Savage. In the meantime, you can catch Latto — along with fellow ATLien supporting act Kali — on tour in Santa Cruz, California, San Francisco, Seattle, and Fresno starting March 19.