Latto was nominated for the first time for two Grammy Awards on Tuesday, and the rapper, along with fellow first-timer GloRilla, were both ecstatic as they shared their emotions at the moment.
Latto was nominated for Best Melodic Rap Performance for the live performance of her song “Big Energy (Live) as she competes among more seasoned artists and similarly successful songs like “Wait For U” by Future, Drake, and Tems, “Beautiful” by DJ Khaled, Jack Harlow’s “First Class,” “Die Hard” by Kendrick Lamar, BLXST and Amanda Reifer.
Latto also received the biggest nod for a young artist as she was nominated for Best New Artist alongside Brazilian sensation Anitta, Omar Apollo, DOMi & JD Beck, Samara Joy, Muni Long, Måneskin, Wet Leg Band, Molly Tuttle, and Tobe N Wigwe.
“Big Energy” was Latto’s biggest and most successful track of her career. The song gave her a career first iTunes No. 1 hit on its release on September 24, 2021. It is the lead single from her second studio album, ‘777,’ released in 2022.
The song has also remained the longest-charting solo female rap song in Hot 100 history since its release in 2021, taking over from the history-making track “Need To Know” by Doja Cat. Along with her Grammy nods, she also received a Billboard Female Rap Artist nomination, and even though she didn’t win, the artist was extremely grateful. On Tuesday, she shared her gratitude for the nomination noting she was emotional at the announcement.
“I’m crying so bad right now! Never give up on your dreams yall! Sh*t gone get rough… but Dont give up,” she wrote on Twitter. She added, “One thing about God.”
I’m crying so bad right now!!!! Never give up on your dreams yall!!! Shit gone get rough… but DONT GIVE UP ????
— BIG LATTO ? (@Latto) November 15, 2022
ONE THING ABOUT GOD!!!!! ??
— BIG LATTO ? (@Latto) November 15, 2022
Latto’s nomination has not been without its fair share of drama, as news about a possible nomination had leaked last month. However, a controversy was brewing after Nicki Minaj got wind that Latto’s song “Big Energy” was nominated for a category in rap while her track “Super Freaky Girl” was moved to the pop category. The artists later ended up arguing in a back and forth, with Minaj calling Latto a “Karen” because she was mixed with Caucasian and Latto also shading her age and maturity level.
In the meantime, Nicki Minaj has not reacted to the latest nominations, although her fans were not pleased with Latto’s nomination.
In the meantime, the freshest face on the block with not even a full six months in the game, GloRilla, also reacted to the news of her nomination.
Born Gloria Hallelujah Woods, GloRilla was nominated for Best Rap Performance GloRila for her breakout single “F.N.F. (Let’s Go)” alongside ‘God Did’ by DJ Khaled, ‘Vegas’ by Doja Cat, Gunna, Future and Young Thug for ‘Pushin P’, and ‘The Heart Part 5’ by Kendrick Lamar.
The artist shared her elation in a comment to Billboard. “I’m in disbelief. I don’t think this is happening for real. This is crazy,” she said. “My team let me know, [but] I had to go look it up for myself because I had thought maybe they was playing,” she said.
On Twitter, she also addressed critics of her song “F.N.F (Let’s Go).”
“The same song they was clowning me & my friends about saying we was Ugly & Dusty just got nominated for a Grammy! WHEN GOD IS ON YOUR SIDE YOU CANNOT FAIL,” the artist shared.
The same song they was clowning me & my friends about saying we was Ugly & Dusty just got nominated for a Grammy !!!!!!!!! WHEN GOD IS ON YOUR SIDE YOU CANNOT FAIL ??
— GloRilla ? (@GloTheofficial) November 15, 2022
GloRilla’s blowup has been nothing short of remarkable as she recently shared that she had created the song during a self-discovery 60-day cleanse to change her life when the song blew up in May, and the very next day she signed to Yo Gotti’s CMG label.
“But God,” she wrote in another tweet.
The Memphis-based label run by Yo Gotti also dropped a comment celebrating GloRilla. “Never stop believing! Keep going up, Big Glo!!!” the label’s page wrote on Instagram.
