Mulatto - 2020 XXL Freshman

GOV'T NAME: Alyssa Stephens
AGE: 21
REPPIN': Atlanta
TWITTER: @mulatto
INSTAGRAM: @mulatto
NOTABLE RELEASES: Singles: “B*tch From Da Souf,” “B*tch From Da Souf (Remix)” featuring Saweetie and Trina,“He Say She Say” and “No Hook”; Mixtapes: Miss Mulatto, Latto Let ’Em Know, Mulatto; EP: Big Latto, Hit the Latto; Album: Queen From Da Souf; Guest Appearances: Yung Baby Tate’s “Pretty Girl (Remix),” Boosie BadAzz’s “Nasty Nasty,” Duke Deuce’s “Kirk”
LABEL: RCA Records
WHO ELSE SHOULD BE PART OF THIS YEAR'S CLASS: “Right before quarantine hit, I was on tour with [Lil] Tjay and we was killing that shit, so Tjay gotta be on [here]. Um, Lil Tjay. Shit, it’s a couple females that could be on it, too, ’cause we killing the game.”
INFLUENCED BY: “I love Nicki [Minaj]. I grew [up] loving Nicki. I was about 10 when Nicki came out, so that was my personal choice. But I grew up on old Atlanta, T.I., so Jeezy, Gucci [Mane]. Gucci was my favorite rapper, is my favorite rapper, was always. Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, N.W.A, like all that raw trap, like, you know, uncut trap hip-hop.”
AS A FRESHMAN IN HIGH SCHOOL: I was always popular ’cause I’ve been rapping since I was 10 years old. Where I am from, I already had songs that I would perform at the parties in the city and like, pep rallies at school. So, I was always popular because I am famous where I am from. I was at the lunch table freestyling, class freestyling and I was a smart, popular nerd ’cause I didn’t play in school.”

TRUTH ON BEING AN XXL FRESHMAN: [Making XXL Freshman,] that is like accomplishing a goal. It’s a stepping stone, but it’s not just any stepping stone, you know what I am saying? Like, yeah, this a big step. This the leaping stone. Like, it solidifies your spot in the industry. When you an XXL Freshman that mean like, Oh, yeah, fo sho she up next and it’s that respect like, other people in [the] industry respect you. It’s like, a validation kind of thing. My favorite part is the cypher. I been looking forward to that since I was a kid. This shit dope and it’s gonna get hella attention ’cause you know quarantine or whatever, so people want to know what the fuck is going on.[For my personal goals,] Gucci is my favorite rapper so I want to do a song with Gucci. I want to be at least nominated for [Best] Female Rappers for BET, you know what I am saying? If I win, I win but I got to [at least] be nominated BET Best Female Rapper. I feel like [I’m] not just limited to rap. I feel like brand partnerships and being the face of certain makeup lines and stuff like that. RCA got headquarters out the country. I am going to try and take this worldwide. I am going to be the first female from Atlanta to take this mainstream. When you think of Atlanta, you think of all these artists but what female? I want to be that.”—Serena Cobb

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XXL

MULATTO'S 2020 XXL FRESHMAN FREESTYLE

XXL

Women are making groundbreaking moves in the rap game and Mulatto is among those next up to mark her name in the hip-hop sands. The Atlanta native (ClayCo to be exact), one of the 12 rappers inducted into the 2020 XXL Freshman cover, has broken the mold with her bossy rhymes and southern sass. And actually, that's the exact game she's kicking in her Freshman freestyle.

While unabashedly talking that talk, Mulatto, 21, seemingly offers an explanation for why she refers to herself as "Big Latto." Through bars smooth like butter and flowing like silk, the Down South rhymer, who has been driving race cars since she was a kid, lets it be known that she demands respect, she's serious about her craft and she secures the bag.

Mulatto has been grinding on the rap scene for a minute—since 2016—but she isn't intimidated by the diligence and tenacity that having longevity in the game requires. "Yeah, they call me 'Back In Latto'/Three shows, one night," she starts off.

She also isn't to play with and won't be played. "Bitch, I'm too rich to fight/Yo' head ain't nothin’ but a price/I don't got a type, long as bag bigger than mine/Nigga, I'm spoiled ’cause my folks and nem was movin' that white/You might see me out with one of my niggas in public/I ain't trippin’, he ain't hit it/Can't name one that I'm fuckin’/You know Latto low-key/I'm a young OG/You can't play a playa, real P-I-M-P," she spits.

"I see these bitches sneak dissin’, they know better to try/’Cause like a checked bag, we ain't letting that shit fly/Big Latto got ’em big mad and you see why/I'm pimpin’ niggas like Chyna, pussy all on his line-up/Four, five different designers, they all like, 'I shoulda signed her'/Can't keep up, but they tryna/Bitch, you played like a vinyl/When he ask if this pussy mine, I told him kinda, " Mulatto raps as she closes out her minute-long freestyle.

Born Alyssa Stephens, Mulatto has been putting in work since she appeared on the reality competition show The Rap Game in 2016, which she won. Four years later, she's quickly becoming a popular name in hip-hop and her freestyle further proves why artists like Gucci Mane (her favorite rapper) have hopped on songs like "Muwop" with her—an interpolation of Gucci's 2006 hit, "Freaky Girl." The RCA Records rapper's highlight track "B*tch From Da Souf," which garnered a major cosign from Da Baddest, Trina, on the remix and also features Saweetie, appears on her new album, Queen of Da Souf. Her EP and mixtape track record is pretty lengthy up to this point, too: Miss Mulatto (2016), Latto Let ’Em Know (2017), , Mulatto (2018), Big Latto (2019) and Hit the Latto.

Moral of the story is Mulatto is here to stay. See her deliver slick rhymes by checking out her 2020 XXL Freshman freestyle, powered by Rap Caviar, below.—Aleia Woods

MULATTO'S ABCs

Few things are more mundane than the ABCs once you're over the age of 5. However, XXL adds some excitement to reciting the 26 letters of the alphabet by having some of your favorite buzzing rappers go from A to Z and do some word association off the top of the dome. Here, we present 2020 XXL Freshman Mulatto's version of the ABCs.

The Atlanta native is known for her southern swag and no-nonsense bars, but she offers a lighthearted, playful side in XXL's ABCs. In the clip, Mulatto shows love to her sister, Brooklyn, lets fans know her favorite type of hot wings plus where to buy them in ATL and states plainly that she's here to stay.

"C is for cash," Big Latto says. "All about that cash. On that 'Cash Shit.' Aye! Shout-out to Meg," she adds, bigging up 2019 XXL Freshman Megan Thee Stallion's song.

Then she discusses her hopes to have a long, fulfilling career in the rap game. "L is for longevity," she affirms. "I hope to have longevity in this rap game. Longevity with my money. Just longevity."

Later on in the alphabet, Mulatto makes it clear that if your bank account is on the skimpier side, you should probably stay out of her DMs.

"N is for no broke niggas allowed," she reveals while chuckling. "Facts. Do not slide in my DM if you broke. This costs a lot, period.

And dudes should come correct with the paper. "O is for only rich niggas allowed," Latto adds. "Mmhmm, see what I did there? Yeahhh."

For P, Mulatto gives a nod to her own lyrics in her 2020 XXL Freshman freestyle, taking a page from Blac Chyna's playbook. "P is for pimpin' these niggas like Chyna," the 21-year-old ClayCo rep offers. "I said that in my freestyle."

Watch Mulatto bring her energy to the ABCs below.—A.W.

MULATTO, FIVIO FOREIGN, 24KGOLDN AND CALBOY'S 2020 XXL FRESHMAN CYPHER

XXL

When you’re putting on for the rap game, it’s imperative that you have representation from the most popular regions. In this year’s 2020 XXL Freshman cypher, the talent in all four musical goldmines is illustrated. Mulatto holds it down for Atlanta, 24kGoldn reps for the West Coast, Fivio Foreign walks with New York City’s drip by his side like a pocket and Calboy is grounded by his roots in Chicago.

Over a riveting string-led beat crafted by Grammy Award-nominated, South Carolina-bred producer Jetsonmade, who’s been racking up plaques like a set of molars that sat overnight, the group feeds off each other’s energy in each bar and showcases their unique rap styles that landed them on this year’s Freshman cover.

Following “baow” and “viral” ad-libs ringing from Fivio in the background, ATL's Mulatto is the ace who sets the pace. She kisses the beat and proceeds by putting it in a body bag, spitting about her ability to rap on the mic and to guys like her co-freshman Fivio.

“I don’t gotta rap about sex/But this shit way too good not to brag on/I ain’t even fuck a rap nigga yet, but if Fivio want to then I ain’t gon’ pass on ’em/Yeah, bitch, I get my mack on/He ain’t trickin’, I skip ’em like bad songs/I just dropped a hundred on jewelry during a pandemic, yeah, my money that long," she rhymes.

Next, the pivot is to the West for 24kGoldn’s turn. The San Francisco rapper and XXL Freshman 10th spot winner energetically drops in with the same sing-song flow that turned “Valentino” and the Iann Dior-featured “Mood” into Billboard chart-climbing songs and viral hits. In his vibrant-colored outfit and bell bottom jeans, he proclaims that he’s undeniable right now and makes note that everyone else in the cypher is, too.

“Got your girl TikTokin' to my shit/I see Fivi in the cut, Woo walkin' in this bitch/I see Cal gettin’ wild, see the style too legit/And Mulatto she a queen, put a crown on that head,” he delivers.

Brooklyn's own Fivio Foreign taps in after, hitting a slight side to side jig in his silk designer drip as he steadily finds his pocket. With the innate ability to make everything catchy, he looks over and acknowledges Mulatto’s earlier name-drop before vowing to keep his haters on high alert.

“I sit in the seat and I catch it if she throw it to me/They fallin' asleep, but I never let ’em fumble the dream/Yeah, and I’ll never let ’em humble the king/Look, that’s coming from me, I call up movers and they coming at three, glttt, baow,” he raps.

Lastly, we slide to Calboy, who with Polo G, joins the rich lineage of Chicago rappers that have made the XXL Freshman list. The platinum-selling rapper puts his head down and gets right to business, addressing the insomnia that comes with stacking money the long way. Even sleep-deprived, he reminds people that he’s awake enough to make that Nina sing if it must.

“I ain’t been getting no sleep ’cause nigga I’m trappin' a lot, aye/No, I’m not talkin’ ’bout Polo, but niggas be cappin’ a lot, aye/I gotta ride with that Nina ’cause niggas be yappin’ a lot, aye/I got some aim with that glizzy I’ll blow his lil cap off his top, for real” he serves.

As the entrancing beat rides out, Fivio Foreign confidently declares that no one is touching this class: “2020 Freshman, this the best one.”

Watch Mulatto, 24kGoldn, Fivio Foreign and Calboy’s 2020 XXL Freshman cypher below.—Kemet High

See the 2020 XXL Freshman Class