Rico Nasty

Rico Nasty, hailing from Maryland, merged the raw intensity of hardcore rap with rock influences at the outset, launching under her self-coined "sugar trap" banner before shifting into an intricate genre fusion built around frustration, aggression, and empowerment. Momentum from her initial mixtapes plus tracks including 2017's "Poppin" and 2018's "Smack a Bitch" carried her to the 2020 release of debut studio album Nightmare Vacation. Two years afterward she pushed boundaries again on the mixtape Las Ruinas, folding electronic and industrial textures into her aggressive delivery.

Born Maria-Cecilia Simone Kelly in Largo, Maryland, she began writing rhymes through poetry before turning fully to rap. Early cuts such as "Hey Arnold," "iCarly," and "Iggady [Remix]" built an underground following, followed by mixtapes including Sugar Trap and The Rico Story. In 2016 she issued the collaborative EP Cuffin Season alongside fellow DMV native Tino Loud, while a Lil Yachty feature on the "Hey Arnold" remix that year broadened her reach; she reciprocated on "Mamacita," which landed on the Fate of the Furious soundtrack. The 2017 projects Tales of Tacobella and Sugar Trap 2 arrived next, with the 2018 mixtape Nasty featuring Blocboy JB on "In the Air" and Lil Gnar on "Transformer." Anger Management, a 2019 collaborative mixtape with Kenny Beats that also included Baauer and EarthGang, preceded standalone singles "Guap (LaLaLa)," "Time Flies," and "Fashion Week."

Further 2020 singles "iPhone," "Own It," and "Don't Like Me" preceded her major-label debut studio album Nightmare Vacation on Atlantic, released that December and boasting appearances from Trippie Redd, Aminé, Gucci Mane, 100 gecs, and others; it topped the U.S. Heatseekers chart upon arrival. In 2021 she dropped solo tracks such as "Magic" and the Menoh Beats-produced "Buss," plus collaborations including "Jealous" with Mahalia, "Art of War" with Denzel Curry and Jasiah, and NLE Choppa's "Speed It Up" from the F9 soundtrack.

She opened 2022 with the Bktherula-assisted "Vaderz," the initial preview of second Atlantic project Las Ruinas, which arrived that July and introduced pairings with Fred again.. on "Jungle," Marshmello on "Watch Your Man," and Bibi Bourelly on "One on 5." By 2023 she had advanced to the next stage, unveiling singles "Beat My Face" and "Turn It Up."