Atlanta-based rapper Mulatto has officially changed her name to Latto. The big news comes in advance of a new single titled “The Biggest,” which drops on May 21st and will address the identity adjustment. Latto, whose real name is Alyssa Michelle Stephens, chose the Mulatto moniker as a comment on her biracial identity, but came under pressure to changer the name because the word mulatto is widely viewed as a racist slur.
In addition to announcing the single, Latto took to Instagram where she uploading a video showing a Google search for “latto.” The search reveals the word defined as “Short for the Lottery, Completely separate from Mulatto, represents a new chapter, good fortune, spirituality & financially. Often referred to as Big Latto the alter ego.
Latto first said she was open to changing her name in a January interview with YouTube platform Hot Freestyle. In the interview she explained, “My intentions was to never glorify being mulatto. So if that’s how it’s being perceived, like people think I’m saying I’m better because I’m mulatto or my personality trait is mulatto, that’s how they’re taking it. So if that’s not my intentions then I need to change the matter at hand, which is the name change.”
The name change has been made on streaming platforms as well as her social media channels. This is the second name change for Latto. She made her debut in 2016 as Miss Mulatto as a participant on the debut season of “The Rap Game,” a boot camp reality show she won.
Check out a snippet of “The Biggest” below.
Song at @ midnight. Video at 10am ET tomorrow 🎰 #THEBIGGEST pic.twitter.com/cnS1CLT9L8
— BIG LATTO 🎰 (@Latto) May 20, 2021
