Rico Nasty

Rico Nasty (aka Maria Kelly) is an adventurous and bold voice in hip-hop, with a constantly evolving sound and an appropriately "nasty" streak in her delivery. She started out as a singer/rapper who developed a bubble gum flavored, pop-infused form of trap she named "sugar trap". Over time, she began to slide into a darker and more aggressive tone, as her affinity for the harsher edges of trap came closer to the surface, along with her nu metal and industrial tendencies. She also never quite stopped exploring the joys of hyperpop while that was going on, and continued to embrace a melodic approach. The result is a curious mix, where the common denominator is arguably a combination of the confrontational nature of her music, her appetite for aggressive styles that push the envelope, and her undeniable punk instincts.