Latto Brings ATL to NYC With Halloween Night ‘Sugar Honey Iced Tea’ Tour Stop: 5 Best Moments

“This s–t is so f–king unbelievable,” Mariah the Scientist gushed. “But let’s just make it to the end, so I can get on this jet. You know what I’m finna do!”

It’s difficult to overstate just how bizarre Young Thug’s RICO trial was — and what a moment the announcement of his release was for the hip-hop community. Mariah the Scientist has remained staunchly in Thugger’s corner throughout the ordeal, so to see her revel in the news of his homecoming — with no prison time at that! — was a sweet sliver of hip-hop history.

From the slime green “Thug Free” sign emblazoned on the screen behind her to the pure giddiness in her voice as she navigated between-song banter, Mariah the Scientist exuded a level of happiness that radiated throughout the crowd. Most of the arena was already happy about Thug’s release, but Mariah’s palpable relief, excitement and gratefulness added an unexpected, but unequivocally beautiful, emotional undertone to the night.

Ever since she went viral for seemingly wearing the same cheetah-print thong on multiple occasions (in actuality, she had multiple thongs), the fierce look has become a key part of Latto’s brand. In a post-Renaissance World Tour world where loose fan dress codes are encouraged and embraced, Latto’s fans put on their best cheetah-print outfits for the Sugar Honey Iced Tea tour.

From leggings and jackets to purses and thigh-high boots, cheetah print was inescapable at Barclays Center on Halloween — even amid the bevy of actual costumes. Latto has come a long way since her 2020 debut studio album, and an even longer way since we first met her on The Rap Game. Between the packed arena and her fans’ adherence to the cheetah-print theme, this trek has proven that she’s cultivated a truly engaged fanbase as she’s ascended hip-hop’s ranks this decade.

It’s not a New York rap show if you don’t bring out some of the myriad buzzy new stars and certified icons of the city — and Latto knew that.

The list of special guests 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 breakout hit “Bent.” Later in the show, Hunxho — who dropped Thank God, his sophomore studio album, last week (Oct. 25), came out to perform “Copper Cove” his sultry Sugar Honey Iced Tea duet with Latto, in addition to his hit single “Your Friends.”

Never a borough to be left behind, The Boogie Down Bronx made its presence known through A Boogie wit da Hoodie, who electrified the arena with his generation-defining hits “Jungle” and “My S–t.” Of course, given that the show was in BK, the thoroughest borough had the night’s final word when Latto brought out Lil’ Kim to perform “Crush on You.” It’s been a banner year for women in rap, and it was particularly special to see two generations of female MCs showing love to each other and rocking iconic venues with their classic verses.

“She’s the f–king truth!” Kim exclaimed. “Brooklyn, we got one right here! You the GOAT baby.” Latto, of course, gave Kim her flowers in return insisting that the hip-hop icon was the real GOAT.

While there was no shortage of ass-shaking or uptempo bangers like “Blick Sum” or “There She Go,” the most impressive parts of the Sugar Honey Iced Tea tour came by way of Latto’s downtempo rap ballads.

In a moment of audience interaction, Latto asked fans to write the name of their favorite Sugar Honey Iced Tea track on their phones so she could read their choices. One fan named the Teezo Touchdown-assisted “Prized Possession,” which quickly gave way to Latto performing the song’s first verse in front of a mic stand with no dancers behind her. “I made this song for y’all,” Latto told the crowd, waxing poetic about romantic partners who try to control how their significant others live their lives.

“Prized Possession” previewed a moving rendition of “S/O to Me,” the standout Sugar Honey Iced Tea closer that Latto first teased at June’s BET Awards. Although it boarded on schmaltzy, it was truly heartwarming to watch Latto give herself a pat on the back as she rocked the very 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 captivating performer outside of the pyro and choreography and flashy video backdrops. Latto is a rapper who actually loves the art of rapping — and she never let us forget that.

To close out her show with a spirited rendition of “Big Mama,” Latto brought one lucky fan onstage. In her slinky hit, Latto asks “What you gon do for Big Mama, for real?” — but this performance was more about what Big Mama could do for her fans.

The lucky fan was ushered into a money booth where she had 10 seconds to collect as much cash as she could before Latto started the song. Already a dope moment on the basis of an unassuming fan getting the chance to go home with a wad of cash from their favorite artist, this interpretation of “Big Mama” was particularly smart because it flipped the romantic nature of the song into a fan-artist dynamic steeped in genuine appreciation. After everything that her fans have done for her leading up to this momentous occassion, Latto used the final few moments of her show to treat the people who have always been by her side. She couldnd’t have chosen a more charming way to end the night.