In 2022 — the identical yr “Massive Vitality” turned her first Billboard Scorching 100 prime 10 hit — Latto bought her first run at performing in arenas when she served as one of many openers for the North American leg of Lizzo‘s Particular Tour. Simply two years later, the Clayton County emcee headlined a significant New York enviornment on her personal when she graced Brooklyn’s Barclays Middle on Halloween (Oct. 31) for the fifth cease of her Sugar Honey Iced Tea Tour.
Latto’s newest trek is in assist of her third studio album of the identical title, which debuted atop Rap Albums and reached No. 15 on the Billboard 200. A sprawling love letter to the sonic material of Atlanta rap, Sugar Honey Iced Tea options the Scorching 100 hits “Massive Mama” (No. 92), “Sunday Service” (No. 100, with Megan Thee Stallion & Flo Milli) and “Put It on Da Ground Once more” (No. 13, with Cardi B), in addition to collaborations with Ciara, Coco Jones, Hunxho, Teezo Landing, Younger Nudy and Mariah the Scientist.
The night time started with a quick efficiency from Karrahboo — who introduced out Gio, an Atlanta-based mannequin hooked up to Lil Yachty‘s Concrete Boys collective — and a very heartfelt set from Mariah the Scientist. “Let’s simply make it to the tip so I can get on this jet!” she quipped mid-set, one in all a number of occasions she alluded to the excellent news that rocked the hip-hop world mere hours earlier than she took the stage: Younger Thug, Grammy-winning rapper and beau to Mariah the Scientist, was sentenced to fifteen years probation and no jail time after pleading responsible within the two-year prison case alleging that he was the chief of a violent Atlanta road gang.
With Thugger coming house, Mariah implored that followers “burn [their] ‘Free Thug’ shirts” and begin saying the phrase backward (“Thug free!”). Buoyed by an additional increase of ardour and vitality sourced from the Younger Thug information, Mariah the Scientist rocked Barclays Middle with a set that neatly performed on the emotional vulnerability of her catalog. She’s been very open about persevering with to experience for her man irrespective of the end result of the case, so songs like “Unfold Skinny” felt particularly poignant as they blasted via the world.
Latto lastly took the stage round 10:30 p.m., kicking off her set with the viral Sugar Honey Iced Tea opener “Georgia Peach.” From the basic first verse of “Georgia on My Thoughts” to the retro commercials and tongue-in-cheek video interludes, Latto delivered an extremely streamlined visible interpretation of the Sugar Honey Iced Tea aesthetic, which she described in her July Billboard cowl story as “Mariah Carey, Beyoncé, Lil’ Kim and Kelis… however clearly with a Southern hip-hop twist. They’ve very female vitality, however masculine within the sense of confidence.”
In a nod to the vacation, Latto donned a Playboy bunny Halloween costume as she ripped her method via a setlist that prioritized her rap catalog. Although two of the largest songs of her profession are “Massive Vitality” and “Seven,” her Scorching 100-topping collaboration with Jung Kook, Latto largely shied away from her pop fare, opting to deal with her latest hip-hop hits like “Brokey” and “Again Outdoors” and her earlier rap bangers like “Muwop” and “B—h from da Souf.” Regardless of a little bit of illness working towards her, Latto delivered a remarkably high-energy present that featured tight choreography, an emphasis on dwell rapping and a number of ranges of fan engagement — from the freaky Jumbotron second of “Copper Cove” to the viewers ballot that gave technique to heartfelt renditions of “Prized Possession” and “S/O to Me.”
Listed below are the 5 finest moments of Latto’s Sugar Honey Iced Tea tour.
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Mariah the Scientist Celebrates Younger Thug’s Launch
“This s–t is so f–king unbelievable,” Mariah the Scientist gushed. “However let’s simply make it to the tip, so I can get on this jet. what I’m finna do!”
It’s tough to overstate simply how weird Younger Thug’s RICO trial was — and what a second the announcement of his launch was for the hip-hop group. Mariah the Scientist has remained staunchly in Thugger’s nook all through the ordeal, so to see her revel within the information of his homecoming — with no jail time at that! — was a candy sliver of hip-hop historical past.
From the slime inexperienced “Thug Free” signal emblazoned on the display screen behind her to the pure giddiness in her voice as she navigated between-song banter, Mariah the Scientist exuded a degree of happiness that radiated all through the group. Many of the enviornment was already completely satisfied about Thug’s launch, however Mariah’s palpable reduction, pleasure and gratefulness added an surprising, however unequivocally stunning, emotional undertone to the night time.
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Brooklyn Turns into Cheetah Print Nation
Ever since she went viral for seemingly sporting the identical cheetah-print thong on a number of events (actually, she had a number of thongs), the fierce look has turn out to be a key a part of Latto’s model. In a post-Renaissance World Tour world the place unfastened fan gown codes are inspired and embraced, Latto’s followers placed on their finest cheetah-print outfits for the Sugar Honey Iced Tea tour.
From leggings and jackets to purses and thigh-high boots, cheetah print was inescapable at Barclays Middle on Halloween — even amid the bevy of precise costumes. Latto has come a great distance since her 2020 debut studio album, and a fair longer method since we first met her on The Rap Sport. Between the packed enviornment and her followers’ adherence to the cheetah-print theme, this trek has confirmed that she’s cultivated a very engaged fanbase as she’s ascended hip-hop’s ranks this decade.
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NYC Hip-Hop Heavyweights Pop Out for Latto
It’s not a New York rap present when you don’t convey out a number of the myriad buzzy new stars and licensed icons of the town — and Latto knew that.
The checklist of particular company started earlier than Massive Mama took the stage, with Brooklyn rap crew 41 lighting up the group with renditions of their newest viral monitor, “Beckham,” and their breakout hit “Bent.” Later within the present, Hunxho — who dropped Thank God, his sophomore studio album, final week (Oct. 25), got here out to carry out “Copper Cove” his sultry Sugar Honey Iced Tea duet with Latto, along with his hit single “Your Mates.”
By no means a borough to be left behind, The Boogie Down Bronx made its presence recognized via A Boogie wit da Hoodie, who electrified the world together with his generation-defining hits “Jungle” and “My S–t.” After all, provided that the present was in BK, the thoroughest borough had the night time’s closing phrase when Latto introduced out Lil’ Kim to carry out “Crush on You.” It’s been a banner yr for ladies in rap, and it was notably particular to see two generations of feminine MCs exhibiting love to one another and rocking iconic venues with their basic verses.
“She’s the f–king reality!” Kim exclaimed. “Brooklyn, we bought one proper right here! You the GOAT child.” Latto, after all, gave Kim her flowers in return insisting that the hip-hop icon was the actual GOAT.
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Latto Flaunts Vary With Rap Ballads
Whereas there was no scarcity of ass-shaking or uptempo bangers like “Blick Sum” or “There She Go,” probably the most spectacular elements of the Sugar Honey Iced Tea tour got here by the use of Latto’s downtempo rap ballads.
In a second of viewers interplay, Latto requested followers to jot down the title of their favourite Sugar Honey Iced Tea monitor on their telephones so she may learn their selections. One fan named the Teezo Landing-assisted “Prized Possession,” which shortly gave technique to Latto performing the tune’s first verse in entrance of a mic stand with no dancers behind her. “I made this tune for y’all,” Latto advised the group, waxing poetic about romantic companions who attempt to management how their important others dwell their lives.
“Prized Possession” previewed a shifting rendition of “S/O to Me,” the standout Sugar Honey Iced Tea nearer that Latto first teased at June’s BET Awards. Though it boarded on schmaltzy, it was actually heartwarming to look at Latto give herself a pat on the again as she rocked the very first enviornment of her newest tour. Not solely was her breath management on full show, however she was additionally capable of show herself as a charming performer outdoors of the pyro and choreography and flashy video backdrops. Latto is a rapper who truly loves the artwork of rapping — and he or she by no means allow us to neglect that.
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Massive Mama Hosts A Money Giveaway
To shut out her present with a spirited rendition of “Massive Mama,” Latto introduced one fortunate fan onstage. In her slinky hit, Latto asks “What you gon do for Massive Mama, for actual?” — however this efficiency was extra about what Massive Mama may do for her followers.
The fortunate fan was ushered right into a cash sales space the place she had 10 seconds to gather as a lot money as she may earlier than Latto began the tune. Already a dope second on the idea of an unassuming fan getting the prospect to go house with a wad of money from their favourite artist, this interpretation of “Massive Mama” was notably good as a result of it flipped the romantic nature of the tune right into a fan-artist dynamic steeped in real appreciation. After every thing that her followers have achieved for her main as much as this momentous occassion, Latto used the ultimate few moments of her present to deal with the individuals who have at all times been by her aspect. She couldnd’t have chosen a extra charming technique to finish the night time.
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