Latto entered the upper echelon of female rappers in 2024. Fans gushed over her album Sugar Honey Iced Tea and Drake collab "Housekeeping Knows." She's been quiet on the music front during the first half of 2025, but it seems as though she's returned. Latto took to Instagram on March 11 to do some of her patented twerking and tease a brand new single. Not only does the single boast a catchy instrumental, but it's largely built around a classic Aaliyah sample.
Latto serves herself a plate of food while a pitched up vocal kicks in. It's head-bobbing sample driven by Latto's singing. The rapper has all the makings of a hit, then the pre-chorus kicks in, and an interpolation of the Aaliyah classic "Are You That Somebody?" kicks in. "I really need somebody," she sings. "Tell me are you that somebody?." It's one thing to pay lip service to an R&B classic, but Latto actually builds the rest of the song around the interpolation. "I don't care about your bodies," she adds. "Love the way you touch my body."
Latto New Song 2025
Hardcore Latto fans will not be surprised by the song choice. In July 2024, the rapper to Instagram Stories to post a video of her singing to Aaliyah in the car. Her song of choice? The exact same one sampled here. Latto has long been compared to Drake, with many claiming she represents a sort of female version of the 6 God. One of the defining Drake characteristics is his obsession with Aaliyah, whether it be through samples or tattoos. Latto seems to be following suit here.
Latto is not the only female rapper who has tipped her cap to Aaliyah in recent years. In 2023, GloRilla credited Aaliyah as the inspiration behind her collaboration with Tommy Hilfiger. "I'm a big Aaliyah fan, and I love what she did with them," Glo explained to Power 105.1. "I'm part of keeping a legacy going. I feel highly favored, because it could have been anyone else but me. I gotta make sure I keep it going." Between Latto and GloRilla, it doesn't look like Aaliyah's reputation will diminish anytime soon.
