Latto (@Latto) - "Sugar Honey Iced Tea" (Album)

The rapper plays to her strengths. Latto knows what works. She's at her best when making brash pop-rap. It's what led to her break out with "Big Energy" in 2021, and shot her back up the charts in 2023 with "Put It on da Floor Again." it's a formula that works, and the rapper wisely decided not to tinker when it came to her brand new album. Sugar Honey Ice Tea is every bit the smooth musical ride fans want. Latto is talking trash to her haters, and flexing her skills over sugary instrumentals. It's a little long in terms of runtime, but taken as songs, there's a lot of good material on here. The singles sound especially good in the context of the album. The aforementioned "Put It on da Floor Again" and "Sunday Service (Remix)" still ring off thanks to standout guest features. It's the other collabs, though, that make the album such a pleasant surprise. Latto and Megan Thee Stallion flash killer chemistry on the song "Squeeze," which is about exactly what you think it is. Mariah the Scientist and Ciara allow the rapper to showcase different sides and sounds, and they mostly go over well. The Ciara track, "Good 2 You," feels like a conscious throwback to Ciara's debut album, which Latto has cited as a musical influence. Young Nudy is a bit out of place on the song "Shrimps & Grits," but Latto's performance and the wavy beat help to keep it together. To Latto's credit, she also does a solid job of holding down solo songs like "Brokey." A successful project in our book. - via HotNewHipHop