Album Review
3-5 Stars An enticing achievement that manages to be both fashionable and independent.
Reviewer: Otis Robinson
Released: 16th May 2025
Label: Fueled By Ramen / Parlophone
Rico Nasty, a trailblazer in modern rage-rap, is “marking her territory on the moon,” according to promotional materials. Indeed, in her third album, ‘LETHAL’, there’s a focus on artistry that reinforces her position in the resurgence of the rap-rock genre and her efforts to revitalize it. For this reason, ‘LETHAL’ stands as her most unified and distinctly recognized work; she displays her aggressive rap skills on ‘Son of a Gun’, while the intense screamo bridge of ‘Smoke Break’—paired with its ‘90s anime pop-punk chorus—clearly indicates her command of the niche since her early mixtape era. Throughout, she maintains the sweet yet edgy sugar trap style that launched her debut, connecting with various alternative rap artists who have risen alongside her. “I don’t sound like anyone,” she claims on the digitally shimmering ‘Butterfly Kisses’, “the bitches sound like me.” For example, the album's most straightforward song, the Doja Cat-like ‘On The Low’, illustrates how the pinnacle of modern hyperpop-trap is heavily influenced by Rico Nasty; or the artistic punk vibe of ‘Crash’, which feels akin to contemporary 070 Shake's alt-pop. ‘LETHAL’ unmistakably reinforces the Rico Nasty legacy, representing an enticing accomplishment for the US rapper that feels equally stylish as it does unconventional.
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