Rico Nasty has teamed up with buzzworthy Atlanta rapper Bktherula for “Vaderz,” the first single from the Maryland native’s upcoming mixtape, scheduled for release later this summer. (Rico previously teased a mixtape titled Rx on social media last year that has yet to surface.)
Unabashedly aggressive and threatening, the Ben10k, Danes Blood and Dirty Dave-produced track culls influence from a varied swath of genres including EDM, trap and nu metal — and the found footage aesthetics of the song’s accompanying anxiety-inducing video further compliments “Vaderz” no-holds-barred attitude. “This ain’t no double life, bitch it’s really the way that I live,” Rico says, lowering her voice into a menacing growl. “Talk down on us then you might lose a limb/I be stepping on bitches like I’m wearing Timbs.”
The track is loaded with pop culture references, with Gen Z staples like Hannah Montana and the cult-classic Nickelodeon series Invader Zim, celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, streaming platform Twitch and accused rapist Marilyn Manson all receiving shout outs.
Rico Nasty recently made an appearance during Doja Cat’s set at the first weekend of Coachella. In addition to dropping her mixtape later this year, she’s also scheduled to perform at a handful of festivals throughout the summer — including Las Vegas’ Life Is Beautiful, which Rolling Stone bought a majority stake in earlier this year.