Latto Picks Drake, PARTYNEXTDOOR & Mariah The Scientist As Her Favorite 2025 Albums

BY Gabriel Bras Nevares 1.6K Views
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Latto Drake PND Mariah The Scientist Favorite 2025 Albums Hip Hop News
Latto performs before Lizzo takes the stage for the sold out performance at the BOK center on Saturday, May 20, 2023, in Tulsa, Ok. © Andy Dossett / Examiner-Enterprise / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Latto's friendships with both Drake and Mariah The Scientist make these choices no surprise, but the praise goes beyond their connections.

Latto was one of many guests at the Reform Casino Night Gala, where she looked back at a pretty notable and consequential year so far. But this 2025 retrospective was not about her own work or recent singles like "Gyatt." Rather, it's about what else the Atlanta femcee loved musically in 2025 from her peers like Drake and Mariah The Scientist.

Complex's Jordan Rose asked her about her favorite albums of the year so far at the event's red carpet on Saturday (September 13). The 26-year-old shouted out Drizzy's PARTYNEXTDOOR collaborative album $ome $exy $ongs 4 U and Mariah's HEARTS SOLD SEPARATELY. "We love Ri-Ri!" she added.

While these are more R&B-centric releases, there's no shortage of great hip-hop this year from Latto herself or her peers, plus plenty of rapping highlights on $$$4U. Either way, no matter where you look this year, there's quality to find.

As the year starts to come to a close, we can't help but wonder how other artists must feel about the output. Competition is always good, but everyone needs their fan moments, too.

Latto Collabs

Still, the friendships behind these picks make them no surprise, although both records certainly deserve praise regardless of context. Latto's bond with Mariah The Scientist manifested in live performances, nights out, the "Look What You Did" collab, and even joint podcast appearances. Their conversation with Angel Reese on the WNBA star's podcast caused a riot for their revelations and reflections on their respective romantic relationships.

Meanwhile, Latto's friendship with Drake also pops up in ways big and small. They have a track together in "Housekeeping Knows" and always show love to one another online.

All in all, we just hope we get even more solid contenders for 2025's AOTY before the year is out. The 6ix God himself has Iceman on the way, and recent Latto singles suggest she might have a project on the way.

Hopefully that comes sooner rather than later, as we're sure she's excited to get back in the conversation. We wonder what Drake and Mariah The Scientist might pick as their favorite 2025 albums...

About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a staff writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined HNHH while completing his B.A. in Journalism & Mass Communication at The George Washington University in the summer of 2022. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Gabriel treasures the crossover between his native reggaetón and hip-hop news coverage, such as his review for Bad Bunny’s hometown concert in 2024. But more specifically, he digs for the deeper side of hip-hop conversations, whether that’s the “death” of the genre in 2023, the lyrical and parasocial intricacies of the Kendrick Lamar and Drake battle, or the many moving parts of the Young Thug and YSL RICO case. Beyond engaging and breaking news coverage, Gabriel makes the most out of his concert obsessions, reviewing and recapping festivals like Rolling Loud Miami and Camp Flog Gnaw. He’s also developed a strong editorial voice through album reviews, think-pieces, and interviews with some of the genre’s brightest upstarts and most enduring obscured gems like Homeboy Sandman, Bktherula, Bas, and Devin Malik.

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