Rico Nasty is having a LETHAL year.

The rapper has officially entered a brand new era with the release of her third studio album, LETHAL — out now via Fueled By Ramen. Marking a fierce return for the PG County, Maryland artist, the album showcases the feminine rage and trap prowess that originally catapulted her to rapper-rockstar status, while reintroducing listeners to a more mature, introspective Rico.

To celebrate the new project, Rico has announced a sprawling North American tour that will kick off September 19 at Riot Fest in Chicago and wrap up November 4 at The Fonda in Los Angeles. The 25-city run includes stops in New York, San Francisco, Atlanta, and Toronto.

LETHAL, Rico’s first release on the Fueled by Ramen label — home to Rico’s alt-act homie Hayley Williams and band Paramore — signals an evolution in her artistry. Executive produced by Grammy-nominated Imad Royal (The Chainsmokers) the 15-track album is as feminine as it is jarring; complex as it is simply just fun.

Fans who have rocked with Rico since the early aughts of her career will particularily enjoy the rap-rocker’s lyricism and wit on razor-edged anthems like “TEETHSUCKER (YEA3X),” drill-influenced alt-rock banger “BUTTERFLY KISSES,” and through the powerful nu-metal snarls heard on “SON OF A GUN.” As Rico reckons with the persona that skyrocketed her to fame at age 19 throughout LETHAL, listeners also hear the artist journeying to reclaim her agency—not only as an innovator, woman, and mother, but as the multi-faceted, fearless rockstar we know.

“This album is about being confident and saying fuck everybody else,” she says. “It’s an ode to yourself.”

Rico is also stepping into the spotlight in a new way this year. The artist will make her acting debut in Apple TV+ and A24’s upcoming series Margo’s Got Money Troubles, based on Rufi Thorpe’s 2024 novel. Helmed by David E. Kelley and produced by A24, Apple TV+ has committed to a full season of the show. Expected to premiere in 2026, the series features a powerhouse cast of actors that includes Elle Fanning, Michelle Pfeiffer, Nicole Kidman, and Nick Offerman.

From reshaping the rap-rock genre, to carving space for alternative Black women in music, Rico Nasty has always navigated these spaces by her own rules. Now, with LETHAL, a headlining tour, and a high-profile acting debut on the horizon, she’s inviting us along for a ride into her bold new era — one that’s thrilling and impossible to ignore.

Words by Melisa Yuriar.