Latto masterfully wields her Southern sensibilities on ‘Sugar Honey Iced Tea’

Welcome to Heat Check, a biweekly music column where AJC culture reporter DeAsia Paige explores the temperature of Georgia’s buzzing, expansive music scene. The column includes music news, trends and any Georgia-related music that DeAsia is listening to. If you’re a Georgia artist and have music you want to be considered for this column — or if you just want to talk music — feel free to send an email to deasia.paige@ajc.com.

At 16, Alyssa Michelle Stephens performed under the questionable stage name Miss Mulatto and won the first season of Jermaine Dupri’s “The Rap Game.” The Clayton County rapper declined to sign with Dupri’s So So Def Records, claiming she wasn’t offered enough money . Instead, she went the independent route.

Since then, she signed with RCA, listened to fans’ concerns and changed her stage name to Latto, became a Grammy-nominated artist, collaborated with Mariah Carey, dropped two studio albums, garnered her first No. 1 hit and became the first woman to headline Hot 107.9′s Birthday Bash. Over five years, Latto has emerged as a pioneer in Atlanta hip-hop — blazing a trail that the city hadn’t previously seen for solo female rappers. And she did it her way.

Credit: Robb Cohen for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Now, at 25, Latto is back with her third album, “ Sugar Honey Iced Tea .” It’s as versatile as it is vulnerable, as Southern as it is sensual, while being a love letter to Atlanta that’s sealed with a kiss — making the album her best work yet. “Sugar Honey Iced Tea” proves that Latto’s artistry is as expansive as the city that raised her.

Her 2020 debut album “Queen of Da Souf” introduced listeners to a rapper who positioned herself as Trina’s rightful heir, and 2022′s “777″ showcased her pop ambitions. With “Sugar Honey Iced Tea,” Latto takes a more mature and skilled approach to both efforts while remaining true to herself.

The album is a hefty 21 tracks, thanks to bonus tracks of hits like “Put It on Da Floor” and “Sunday Service” and their star-studded remixes. But the album sans bonus tracks is dynamic enough to stand on its own. For nearly an hour, Latto takes listeners on a seamless ride through her Atlanta-fueled creativity.

The album opens with Latto leaning on her melodic rap skills with “ Georgia Peach ” and the TikTok favorite “ Big Mama .” Both tracks are laced with her Southern pride while showcasing the depths of her singing voice (“Ain’t nothing like a Georgia girl,” she croons on the opener). On songs like “Blick Sum” and “Brokey,” she wields her Southern twang as a dynamo for lyrical assassination. And on songs like “Liquor” and the Coco Jones-assisted “Ear Candy,” Latto offers sweet soulful jams on love and lust.

“Sugar Honey Iced Tea” is also notable for its perfect pairings. The finest example of this is “Copper Cove,” which features fellow Atlanta rapper Hunxho. The Go Grizzly-produced song is an ode to the Buckhead lounge of the same name. Latto’s sultry melodies match Hunxho’s signature soul-driven croons. “Copper Cove” could easily soundtrack a Saturday night out in Atlanta.

Elsewhere, Latto teams with Young Nudy for “Shrimp & Grits,” a song that sounds like a new Atlanta anthem. She later brings in Ciara on “Good 2 U,” a nostalgia-drenched track reminiscent of Cascade in the early aughts.

Sour moments on the album arrive when it becomes riddled in monotony. The Megan Thee Stallion-assisted “Squeeze” sounds like it’s trying too hard to lean into Latto’s pop efforts while repeating the same themes on “Liquor,” a stronger track. Similarly, “Look What You Did,” which features Mariah the Scientist, and “Prized Possession,” which features Teezo Touchdown, both center on the thrill of falling in love but, when heard in sequential order, fall flat and don’t add anything fresh to the album.

But Latto picks up the momentum with “S/O to Me,” the closing track that’s stellar enough to be the opener. Across four minutes, Latto reflects on her rise and her future as a rap superstar. It’s an appropriate ending to an album that brilliantly flaunts Latto’s knack for cohesion, crisp beat selection and penchant for refinement. Latto’s unyielding work ethic is rooted in her desire to put on for her city. Her evolution shines in her fight to always outdo herself.

Credit: Ryan Fleisher for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

“Sugar Honey Iced Tea” chronicles the maturation of a rapper who’s aware of the history she has made and laser-focused on her future. And she’s taking Atlanta with her every step of the way.

“’Cause I’m a real Southern b----, and I told you/ Gold tooth, gold hoops and soul food/ Everything I’m saying is so true./ Shoutout to myself,” she declares on “S/O to Me.”

Get all the news about the Atlanta Braves delivered each morning. Sign up for Braves Report.