Rico Nasty hit a wall. At one point in her career, specifically after her last album in 2022, the 27-year-old rapper and “Sugar Trap” singer felt like she was becoming a caricature of herself. The outfits, the screaming, the spectacle — it had started to feel like a costume she couldn’t take off.
“I don’t think I knew what I was really signing up for when I started making music,” she tells PAPER. “I got to that point and I was like, Wait, let me do some self-reflection. Let me get to the bottom of all these emotions and also show that in my work.”
In comes LETHAL, her brand new album, out now. It doesn’t sound like a departure so much as a distillation. The chaos has been pared back, the edges sharpened. Horror-movie aesthetics meet emotional precision — haunted production, cool tones and verses that don’t need to be yelled to land hard. “That was the biggest adjustment,” Rico says. “Having this big heart, but making music that suggests otherwise.”
Across the album, Rico isn’t reinventing herself — she’s unmasking. The visuals draw from cult horror (Saw, Smile, The Substance), but the real tension is internal: performance vs. personhood. She’s letting go of expectation, not energy.
“I don’t want to be this gimmicky thing of ‘Rico Nasty,’ this big costume,” she says. “I just want to be myself.” That instinct carries into her first major acting role in Margo’s Got Money Troubles, an upcoming A24 series where she’ll star opposite Nicole Kidman.
For someone who grew up on thrillers and always had a face made for high-stakes close-ups, it’s a fitting next move. She’s still building worlds. She’s just choosing which ones she wants to live in. And this time, she’s the one in control of the frame.
Below, PAPER sits down with Rico to discuss her favorite horror movies, her creepy smile and why this might be her most personal project yet.
Congrats on LETHAL. You’re also filming right now, right?
Yes.
How has that been going? Is this your first acting role?
Yeah, it’s my first real acting [role]. It’s been really fun. I had a fitting today. Everybody on set is really cool, and it’s really fun. I’m not gonna lie, I feel like after doing this press run — and that was more music-based — now getting back to work on set, I’m just like, oh, I love acting. I don’t know if it’s stealing the shine from the music, but I just like it. I like being on set. I like knowing exactly what’s going to happen, from the moment you get there to the moment it ends. With music, you might not know what’s going to happen. It’s a bit random. But I still love both. It’s crazy, having them in parallel like that. But yeah — major, major blessing. I’m so, so happy.
Did you always want to act as a kid? Did you see yourself as an actor, or was it always just music?
It’s so funny. Actually, my parents had me in acting classes when I was eight years old. It didn’t last long, but I remember I was in acting classes for a while. And then in my actual career as a rapper, I’ve auditioned, sent in tapes — because I didn’t live in LA, so I couldn’t go to actual castings. So yeah, I guess you could say it is something I’ve always wanted to do. As a child, it’s weird. I knew I wanted to do something involving a camera and a crowd, but I didn’t know at that age that I wanted to do music. So I think it’s funny just watching how it’s transformed.
Are you able to cry on demand?
No, boo. I’m not that good yet.
Off the bat, I feel like the visuals for LETHAL gave me Saw (2004) vibes. Did you ever watch those?
Saw? Fuck yeah. Yeah. Oh my god, I love you for that. Go, go. Tell me more. Why did you feel like that?
The press imagery — the basement. I was sent a press kit with these photos, and it’s like someone’s wrapped in a bag in this dingy basement. Even the needles on the cover. I was really into those movies. Are you a horror movie person?
I am a horror movie person. And I think it’s really weird that you tied that together because do you know what the vinyl is? The vinyl is a saw.
Oh, really?
Yeah. So for you to put that together — that’s a thing. I definitely did want to give an ode to the horror movies I watch, and just that energy in general. That “Where are they? What’s happening? How did they get there?” energy. And I also feel like it was a very sexy and mysterious way to channel that scary kind of energy that I still have. I feel like a lot of my stuff had drifted off one way or another — it drifted off into this Halloween style. If someone’s in crazy clown makeup and wild hair, it’s like, “Oh, that’s Rico Nasty.” So for this album, I really just wanted to tone it down, simplify it, and pay attention to cool tones. And I watched a lot of scary movies making this album. So that’s funny that you picked up on that, because I never said that. I never mentioned it anywhere. I didn’t know if anybody would peep.
Those Saw visuals just stuck in my brain. I don’t even know why I was allowed to watch those movies as a kid. I was like eight. But I just watched all the most fucked-up shit. What movies did you watch while making this album? And also, what’s your favorite scary movie?
I watched this one movie. It’s called Yesterday. It’s not a scary movie, but I watched it with my son. There’s a scene where they’re going through a car wash and the water’s spraying them. The whole premise is that the parents have to say yes all day to whatever the kids ask. So they end up doing some really wild shit. And then the song was called “YEA3x,” so I knew I wanted there to be some water involved because of that scene in particular.
Another movie I watched while making the album was Lakeview Terrace. I loved that feeling — like, somebody’s watching you when you move into a new place. I had just moved into a new place, too. Something about the coloring in that film, the blues and gray tones in this really nice neighborhood. I really liked that.
And one of my favorite scary movies of all time is House of 1000 Corpses. I love Rob Zombie movies, like The Devil’s Rejects and shit like that. Also Texas Chainsaw Massacre, the real deal one. Not the new fake ones.
Like the 1970s one?
Maybe the early 2000s one. Yeah. But I love that movie. And House of Wax.
I love House of Wax. Oh my God, that’s like top three for me.
House of Wax is crazy. And I mean, I also loved it just because of the cast. The cast was crazy. I miss when movies would do that.
I remember being a kid and they’d always play it on HBO. I would sit on the sofa and watch it over and over again. I don’t know why I loved it so much. Some of the slasher scenes were really creative. Like when he cuts the guy’s finger off in the sewer? He puts his hand up and just, chop.
I’m being so crazy for not mentioning it, but obviously The Substance was a movie that inspired a lot. Like the text I’m using, and just that feeling of merging the two double lives. That’s kind of what the album’s about. I don’t want to be this gimmicky thing of “Rico Nasty,” this big costume. I just want to be myself. The album is kind of about battling between those two sides — and your real self wins. I love that movie. It’s really, really crazy.
And you mentioned creative gore. That one is obviously gory as fuck. Super cool. Smile is another one I watched. I saw both the first and the second one. I thought it was really cool. I’ve always been told I have a very creepy smile, so the minute I saw the preview, I was like, let me check this out. I really fucked with that one too. We can go on and on about scary movies. That’s honestly my forte. Lowkey I’m into Japanese horror films too. There’s this one called The Sadness. It’s a zombie movie. That shit is terrifying. I had to cut it off halfway through because I was literally watching it alone and I was terrified. I was like, if this happened right now, I’d die. I can’t do this.
So you actually get scared?
Not normally, but that movie in particular was pretty high on the scale. It was pretty scary. It’s very fast-paced, very gory, and very crude. Like, no filter, no remorse type of gore.
That and Final Destination. That movie stuck with me as a kid.
Final Destination is dropping the day the album releases. That’s probably what I’m going to be doing that day — going to the movies to watch it.
I feel like you should star in a horror movie.
Thank you. I also went to go see a horror movie that had just come out by A24 called Opus. I went to the premiere and that film was insane. I’m not sure if I can say too much about it, but it was fucking crazy. A24 really does a good job with scary thrillers. I really liked Tusk. So it’s crazy, being on an A24 project now — like, maybe that horror movie dream isn’t that far away. It’s wild being able to even say I’m working on something with that production company in particular. They’ve done some of this generation’s favorite stuff.
Yeah, Hereditary was the last scary movie that actually made me feel scared.
Hereditary was crazy. Even Euphoria was crazy. Like, the thrill in that show was insane. It really kept you on your toes.
You mentioned the perception people have of you — the screaming, wild persona. I don’t know why this came to mind, but did you see the Drag Race impersonation of you on Snatch Game?
I did. I think I did. Weren’t people saying it was wrong?
It was kind of whack, in my opinion.
Yeah, people were saying she didn’t fully embody me, but it’s okay. They just need to have me on there. That’s what they need. Have me on there doing something. She still ate the look up though. The look ate. I’ll give her a 10 for that. She ate that look up. But the personality wasn’t really it. Like, come on guys. You should’ve had me in there.
Yeah, it was Yvie Oddly. She’s horror drag queen, too.
Oh, Yvie Oddly. We gotta put respect on her name. She’s really, really fire. And honestly, when I saw it, I was just happy to even be mentioned on Drag Race. I didn’t give a flying fuck about the opinions on it. I was like, wait a minute. Stop. You mentioned little ol’ me?
Do you watch Drag Race regularly?
I didn’t, but one of my makeup artists — she’s from Australia — she watches it religiously. She came on tour and was watching it every day on the bus. Eventually, I sat in and got the chance to watch it. And then little by little, I was like, oh my god — this bitch, I don’t like her. I don’t like her. It’s just so much tea. I really did enjoy it though. It’s a really good show. I watched seasons three and four.
You talked about how this album is coming into your own. Did you struggle with the perceptions of you versus how you actually are on the inside?
Yeah, I feel like I struggled with it a lot. I had created this super hard outer shell, and little by little, I subconsciously became the walls I put up. I didn’t mean to be so hard on myself, but I was. I don’t think I knew what I was really signing up for when I started making music. That was the biggest adjustment. Having this big heart, but making music that suggests otherwise. People would approach me with this energy that didn’t match me. And I don’t mean violent energy, I mean fear. People were afraid to talk to me. I hated that. I hated that people thought I was unapproachable. That’s not who I am. I’m a kind person. I’m forgiving. But when people are scared to speak up around you, it’s weird. It’s like there’s no guidance. Does that make sense? It feels like nobody cares about you.
So I got to that point, and I was like, wait, let me do some self-reflection. Let me get to the bottom of all these emotions, and also show that in my work. I didn’t want to just change without anyone understanding why. And it’s not like I’m saying it outright on the album, but I was definitely growing. I took a lot of time away from music.
I felt like I had to answer to the fans — why I took that time away, what I was working on. And the truth is, I was working on myself. This album is literally about working on yourself and choosing yourself at the end of the day. Realizing that a lot of the battles you face aren’t even yours to fight. Sometimes you just have to go with the flow. Everybody says it: there’s no good without bad. This album is just a tale of that.
I love that you love The Smiths and have this really sensitive side to you. You’re 27, right? You’re about to enter your Saturn Return.
Yeah. But it’s weird, too, because that speaks to my music. I’m a fan of rock music, but not the kind they usually compare me to — because I didn’t grow up with it. Not that I don’t like it, I just didn’t know about it. A lot of bands, my fans actually put me on to through comparison. They’d be like, “Oh my god, have you heard this? You sound like you could do a song like this.” And it’s weird — I got engulfed in it. Like, “Okay, this is what they like, this is what they think, so let me keep doing this.”
Then little by little, it got repetitive. And I was like, I wonder if they’d like my version of the music I like. I’m not listening to metal every day. There’s a time and place for that. That’s what my music is — time and place music. I don’t make music that’s for everybody. And with this album, I wasn’t trying to fix that. I just wanted to show a different side. Like, dude, a lot of the time I’m listening to Paramore, The Smiths, The Drums. It’s more chill. I’m not always like, “RAH RAH RAH.” And that goes back to my personality. People expect me to be like that all the time. And I don’t want to be underwhelming, but bitch, I’m not like that. I like my peace and quiet. I don’t give a fuck.
I love “Smile,” the closing track. I love that you ended on that note. And you said you were thinking about your son while writing it. There’s that line — “You embody all the best parts of me.” What parts do you think your son embodies of you?
Well, on the song, I feel like we have the same eyes. People always say we look alike. But when I mention his mind — the way we think — we have so many similarities. He’s always going to try to negotiate his way out of something. There’s always a bargain somewhere. He could sell water to a dolphin. He’s just very good with his words. And he’s also very creative and a very quick learner. Those were things I used to get compliments on as a kid. Seeing him have those same qualities makes me excited for his future. I can only imagine what he’s going to do with all the cool shit he’s learning now.
He knows about so many cool things. And he’s not a follower. He’s not afraid to go against the grain, even if it’s people he looks up to. If he wants to do his own thing, he’s going to do it.
He’s at that age where he’s becoming a little person. No more baby shit. And I’m proud of who he’s becoming. I remember being that age and not really questioning myself, but I do wish I had the confidence he has. He has crazy confidence.
And that’s not to say my parents didn’t instill confidence in me. I just think financially, it was different for me growing up. For him, it’s not. If he wants to do something, he can. And it’s really cool to watch him piece together the things he likes and figure shit out. It’s insane.
And he was born when your music career was taking off, right? So you guys have been growing together in a way.
Yeah. He was almost two when it started becoming a real thing. But yeah, they’re like my two babies, I guess you could say.
What’s your perspective on coining your signature “Sugar Trap” sound? Do you feel pressure to keep in that realm and maintain the brand, or is it just inherent in you?
I feel like it’s just inherent in me. I don’t think it’s anything I’m trying to do, and I definitely don’t feel like it’s a vibe you get on every song. It’s something that just happens.
A lot of the time when I do make Sugar Trap songs, I definitely feel like I want to stray away from it. I’ve already done this. I don’t want to keep doing it. But there is something about it — like, I would consider “ON THE LOW” Sugar Trap energy. I’ve seen people say they think the beat sounds like Dylan Brady. I never thought of that, but I can hear it.
I definitely feel like “PINK” is Sugar Trap. And a lot of times it’s not even the tone, it’s the way the music makes you feel. It has this bouncy energy. But sometimes it’s also the content. It’s not necessarily girly, pretty, cutesy shit. I’m still talking about the average trap music themes, with the metaphors and the bars. That’s what makes it fun and bouncy — mixing the two.
But I’m not actively trying to do it or repeat it or bring it back. It’s just who I am. It’ll make an appearance every now and again.
Are there any artists you’re particularly obsessed with right now? Or just any current obsessions people would be surprised to know about? I know you got into Gundam-building during the making of this record.
Oh yeah, I definitely did. I became obsessed with it. I’m literally looking at boxes of it right now. I built so many, like 20 of them. Another thing I became obsessed with is Trader Joe’s. I love Trader Joe’s.
As far as music, I love The Cranberries. I mean, obviously I knew “Zombie,” but there are other songs where I’m like, oh my god. There’s one called “Disappointment,” another one called “Twenty One.” Just so many songs I love by them. I dove back into The Smiths. There was a song I forgot I loved called “Asleep.” That’s my favorite song to drive to. I love Rob49 — the “What the Helly” guy. Love him. I love Babyface Ray. I went through a Baby Keem phase.
But musically, I jump around. I always go back to the classics. I peek my head out to see what’s hot, then go back to what I always listen to. I think I have ADHD brain or whatever I’ll listen to the same song on repeat while I’m getting dressed and not even notice. It’ll take someone walking in like, “Can you change this fucking song?”
Photography: Chris Yellen, Devin Desouza, Emerald Arguelles