Rico Nasty Announces Rock-Infused Album ‘Lethal’

Rico Nasty is ready to shake things up again. The boundary-pushing rapper has announced her new rap-rock album, Lethal, set for release on May 16 through Fueled by Ramen.

The project marks a bold new direction for the Maryland-born artist, who has built a career blending hip-hop, punk energy, and alternative sounds into a style she’s dubbed “sugar trap.” The project marks her first full-length release since 2022’s Las Ruinas and sees Rico fully embracing the rap-rock hybrid she’s been hinting at for years.

The Feb. 20 announcement comes alongside the release of the album’s lead single, “Teethsucker (Yea3x),” a grunge-fueled track that arrives with a chaotic, high-energy music video. The visual, shot in crisp slow motion, features Rico drenching a crowd with a water hose, embodying the rebellious spirit of the record.

In a statement, Rico Nasty described the album as a celebration of self-confidence and defiance. “This album is about being confident and saying f— everybody else. It’s about getting doors slammed in your face and people telling you to try it their way again and again, and you stay true to yourself and it works. That’s what this project is. It’s an ode to yourself.”

The 15-track album will continue Rico’s genre-defying approach, which has made her one of hip-hop’s most unpredictable voices. She first experimented with punk and metal influences on Nightmare Vacation (2020), which featured the raging “OHFR?” and the electro-punk-infused “STFU.” She took things even further on Las Ruinas (2022), incorporating elements of hyperpop, industrial, and alt-rock.

Beyond the studio, Rico has been actively blending hip-hop and rock in her live performances, recently touring with electronic punk duo 100 gecs and collaborating with genre-fluid artists like Denzel Curry, Doja Cat, and hyperpop producer Dylan Brady.

The Lethal tracklist includes titles like “Soul Snatcher,” “Grave,” and “Son of a Gun,” and the album is now available for pre-order, including a limited-edition silver saw blade vinyl.