In 2022 — the same year “Big Energy” became her first Billboard Hot 100 hit — Latto made her first arena appearance when she served as one of the opening acts for the North American leg of Lizzo's Special tour. Just two years later, the Clayton County emcee headlined a major New York City arena by herself when she graced Brooklyn's Barclays Center on Halloween (October 31) for the fifth stop of her Sugar Honey Iced Tea tour.
Latto's latest trek is in support of her self-titled third studio album, which debuted atop Rap Albums and peaked at No. 15 on the Billboard 200. Iced tea with honey and sugar includes the Hot 100 hits “Big Mama” (No. 92), “Sunday Service” (No. 100, featuring Megan Thee Stallion & Flo Milli) and “Put It on Da Floor Again” (No. 13, featuring Cardi B), as well as collaborations with Ciara, Coco Jones, Hunxho, Teezo Touchdown, Young Nudy and Mariah the Scientist.
The night kicked off with a short performance from Karrahboo — who brought out Gio, an Atlanta-based model associated with Lil Yachty's Concrete Boys collective — and a particularly heartfelt set from Mariah the Scientist. “Let's make it all the way so I can get on that jet!” he joked mid-set, one of several times he addressed the good news that rocked the hip-hop world just hours before he took the stage: Young Thug, the Grammy-winning rapper and Mariah the Scientist beau, was sentenced to 15 years on probation and no jail time after pleading guilty in a two-year criminal case alleging he was the leader of a violent Atlanta street gang.
With Thugger coming home, Mariah implored fans to “burn [their] “Free Thug shirts” and start saying the phrase backwards (“Thug free!”). Fueled by an extra boost of passion and energy coming from the news of Young Thug, Mariah the Scientist rocked the Barclays Center with a set that smartly played on the emotional vulnerability of her catalog. She was very open about continuing to drive for her man regardless of the outcome of the case, so songs like “Spread Thin” felt particularly poignant as they entered the arena.
Latto finally took the stage around 10:30 p.m., starting her set with viral Iced tea with honey and sugar opener “Georgia Peach.” From the classic opening verse of “Georgia on My Mind” to the retro commercials and tongue-in-cheek video interludes, Latto delivered an incredibly polished visual performance of Iced tea with honey and sugar aesthetics, which she described in her July Bulletin board cover as “Mariah Carey, Beyoncé, Lil' Kim and Kelis… but obviously with a southern hip-hop twist. They have a very feminine energy, but masculine in the sense of confidence.”
In a nod to the holiday, Latto donned a Playboy bunny Halloween outfit as she blasted her way through a setlist that prioritized her rap catalog. Although two of the biggest songs of her career are “Big Energy” and “Seven,” her Hot 100-topping collaboration with Jung Kook, Latto has largely shied away from her pop fare, choosing to focus on recent her hip-hop hits like “Brokey” and “Back Outside” and her earlier rap ringers like “Muwop” and “B—h from da Souf.” Despite the illness working against her, Latto delivered an impressively high-energy show that featured tight choreography, an emphasis on live rapping and many levels of fan engagement — from the awesome Jumbotron moment of “Copper Cove” to the poll that gave way to heartfelt renditions of “Prized Possession” and “S/O to Me” .
Here are the five best moments of Latto's Sugar Honey Iced Tea tour.
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Mariah the Scientist celebrates the release of Young Thug
“This st is so incredible,” said Mariah the Scientist. “But let's get to the end so I can do this jet. You know what I'm going to do!”
It's hard to overstate how strange Young Thug's RICO trial was — and what a moment his release was announced for the hip-hop community. Mariah the Scientist remained steadfast in Thager's corner throughout the ordeal, so you can see her relishing the news of him coming home — sans jail time! — was a sweet piece of hip-hop history.
From the green “Thug Free” sign emblazoned on the screen behind her to the sheer giddiness in her voice as she navigated through the songs, Mariah the Scientist exuded a level of happiness that radiated throughout the crowd. Most of the arena was already happy for Thug's release, but Mariah's palpable relief, excitement and gratitude added an unexpected, but undeniably beautiful, emotional tone to the night.
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Brooklyn Becomes Cheetah Print Country
Since going viral by seemingly wearing the same cheetah thong on multiple occasions (in fact, she's had multiple thongs), the edgy look has become a staple of Latto's brand. In a post-World tour Renaissance world where loose fan dress codes are encouraged and embraced, Latto fans don their best cheetah print gear for the Sugar Honey Iced Tea tour.
From leggings and jackets to purses and thigh-high boots, cheetah print was inescapable at the Barclays Center on Halloween – even amid the crush of actual costumes. Latto has come a long way since her debut studio album in 2020, and an even longer way since we first met her on The rap game. Between the packed arena and her fans' attachment to the cheetah theme, this journey has proven that she's cultivated a truly devoted fan base as she's risen through the ranks of hip-hop this decade.
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New York Hip-Hop Heavyweights Pop Out for Latto
It's not a New York rap show if you don't bring out some of the city's myriad hot new stars and certified icons — and Latto knew that.
The special guest list began before Big Mama took the stage, with Brooklyn rap crew 41 lighting up the crowd with renditions of their latest viral track, “Beckham” and their hit “Bent.” Later in the show, Hunxho — who fell Thank goodnesshis second studio album, released last week (October 25) to perform his sultry “Copper Cove” Iced tea with honey and sugar duet with Latto, in addition to his single “Your Friends”.
Never a borough to be left behind, The Boogie Down Bronx made their presence known through A Boogie wit da Hoodie, who destroyed the arena with their generation-defining hits 'Jungle' and 'My S–t' . Of course, since the show was in BK, the more inclusive borough had the final say of the night when Latto brought out Lil' Kim to perform “Crush on You.” It's been a banner year for women in rap, and it was extra special to see two generations of female MCs show love to each other and rock iconic venues with their classic verses.
“It is the king's truth!” Kim exclaimed. “Brooklyn, we have one here! You the GOAT baby.” Latto, of course, gave Kim her flowers in return, insisting that the hip-hop icon was the real GOAT.
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Latto flaunts the series with rap ballads
While there was no shortage of jingles or uptempo bangers like “Blick Sum” or “There She Go,” the most impressive parts of the Sugar Honey Iced Tea tour came through Latto's downtempo rap ballads.
In a moment of audience interaction, Latto asked fans to write their favorite's name Iced tea with honey and sugar he watches on their phones so he can read their choices. A fan dubbed the Teezo Touchdown-assisted “Prized Possession,” which quickly gave way to Latto belting out the song's first verse in front of a microphone stand with no dancers behind her. “I made this song for everybody,” Lato told the crowd, waxing poetic about romantic partners trying to control how their significant others live their lives.
“Prized Possession” previewed a moving performance of “S/O to Me,” standout Iced tea with honey and sugar closer that Latto first teased at June's BET Awards. Although she got on board with the schmaltzy, it was really heartwarming to see Latto pat herself on the back as she rocked the first arena of her latest tour. Not only was her breath control on full display, but she was also able to prove herself as a mesmerizing performer outside of the pyro and choreography and stunning stage videos. Latto is a rapper who truly loves the art of rap — and she's never let us forget that.
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Big Mama is running a cash giveaway
To close her show with a spirited rendition of “Big Mama,” Latto brought one lucky fan on stage. In her funny jab, Latto asks “What are you going to do for Big Mama, really?” — but this show was more about what Big Mama could do for her fans.
The lucky fan entered a coupon where she had 10 seconds to collect as much cash as she could before Latto started singing. Already a dope moment based on an unsuspecting fan who got the chance to go home with a pile of cash from his favorite artist, this rendition of “Big Mama” was especially clever because it turned the romantic nature of the song into a fan-artist dynamic steeped in genuine appreciation. After everything her fans have done for her leading up to this momentous occasion, Latto used the final moments of her show to cherish the people who have always been by her side. He couldn't have chosen a more charming way to end the evening.
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/lists/latto-sugar-honey-iced-tea-tour-brooklyn-recap-best-moments-mariah-scientist/
