For those who remember when Atlanta rapper Mulatto first surfaced on the mainstream hip-hop radar, the 21-year-old’s debut studio album, Queen of Da Souf, has been a long time coming.
Mulatto dropped the album in August 2020, four years after she was introduced to a lot of fans during Season 1 of VH1’s “The Rap Game” reality show.
In the time between “The Rap Game” and her newfound fame, Mulatto was grinding and working on her craft. Now she’s a rising young star in the industry, getting co-signs from power players like Nicki Minaj, Gucci Mane, Saweetie and 2 Chainz. Queen of Da Souf has peaked at No. 44 on the Billboard 200 albums chart.
For those who remember the teenage version of Mulatto from VH1, or for those just becoming familiar with the now grown-up MC, here are some facts about one of the game’s female rappers you need to know.
1. Mulatto Was Born In The Midwest Before Moving South
Mulatto was born Alyssa Michelle Stephens on Dec. 22, 1998, in Columbus, Ohio. Her family moved to Atlanta when she was two years old. Mulatto, who got her rap name from her background with a Black father and White mother, dropped out of high school to pursue her music career. Her favorite rapper growing up was Gucci Mane.
WATCHGame + Ronnie 2K Try Out NBA 2K21 On PS52. Big Latto Used To Get Fast & Furious
Even before Miss Mulatto started rapping at 10 years old, her first love was drag racing. She was raised in a family of racers. One of her first songs when she was still a little kid was called “Drag Racers.”
NEWSHennessy Carolina Celebrates Cardi B’s New Sneaker Release3. Miss Mulatto Won Season 1 Of ‘The Rap Game’
In 2016, Mulatto was cast for the first season of “The Rap Game,” a reality competition show in which music mogul Jermaine Dupri brought in a group of child rappers — ranging from age 12 to 17 — to vie for a contract with his SoSo Def label. The show was produced by JD and Queen Latifah. Dupri built his empire thanks in part to young acts like Kriss Kross, Da Brat and Bow Wow, so he’s often viewed as the guru of developing young artists. Mulatto emerged as the winner of Season 1, however she reportedly never signed a recording contract with SoSo Def.
4. She Had Beef With Two ‘Rap Game’ Castmates
After “The Rap Game,” Mulatto continued her career as an independent artist without a major record label. She also opened her own boutique, called Pittstop Clothing, in Georgia. Mulatto collaborated with some of her castmates from the show, and with other young rappers from later seasons, such as Lil Niqo and Lil Key. Mulatto had beef with some other castmates, though. At the Season 1 reunion show she got into a fight with Supa Peach, and after the show she traded diss tracks back and forth with Young Lyric.
5. A Grown-Up Mulatto Broke Through In 2019
By 2019, Mulatto was all grown up and on the verge of her professional breakthrough. Her image and persona as a performer was more mature and reminiscent of superstars like Nicki Minaj and Cardi B. She released a single “Bitch from Da Souf,” which was her first solo hit. The remix to “Bitch from Da Souf” featured Trina and Saweetie; it went gold and cracked the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. Mulatto dropped two EP’s in 2019: Big Latto and Hit the Latto. Her success led to her signing a major-label deal with RCA Records in 2020.
6. 2020 Has Been Latto’s Year
Establishing herself among the music industry’s elite, Mulatto has spent 2020 working with the likes of Cardi B, Gucci Mane, Megan Thee Stallion, Doja Cat, Chloe + Halle and 21 Savage. Mulatto was featured on XXL magazine’s annual “Freshman Class” cover for 2020. She was nominated for a BET Hip-Hop Award for Best New Artist. She’s also been modeling for Rihanna‘s Savage X Fenty brand. Her Queen of Da Souf album was released in August, and her name’s been getting bigger ever since.
