Jovana and Paige went to the Majestic Theater to see Rico Nasty and Sadboi for the LETHAL tour in Detroit.
Preshow
Jovana
Rico Nasty has been a part of my music taste since 2018 when I heard “Bitch I’m Nasty” for the first time as an angsty 14-year-old. However, I truly started listening more when her album Nightmare Vacation dropped in 2020 where I kept hearing multiple songs on TikTok, such as “OHFR?” and “Pussy Poppin.” With every album drop, Rico Nasty reminds audiences of her talents, and this was especially reflected in her new 2025 album, LETHAL. Songs like “TEETHSUCKER” and “WHO WANT IT” reminded me how talented Rico Nasty is with her artistry – going from rap to electronic to heavy metal to emo and everything in between. After listening to LETHAL, I knew I had to see her in concert no matter what.
Paige
I am sure many of us know Rico Nasty from her spirited hit “Smack a Bitch,” released in 2018. When I first stumbled upon this song, it was just what I needed to release a little angst. This song and many of her others are filled with energy that consumes and galvanizes me. In the best way possible, it releases rage from within, and I am sure current and past teenagers can relate to that necessary feeling. A lot of this energy comes from her unique voice that really levels up each song. As much as many people around me detested the song, I loved it and continued to listen to her discography. One of my favorite albums is her 2019 release, Anger Management. This album has similar energy to “Smack a Bitch” and scratched the same itch for me. A notable song from this album is “Cold.” Since then, Rico Nasty has released songs and albums with such a diverse range that I am sure everyone can find a song to enjoy. Her older music, starting off as a fusion of “sugar trap” (her own term), hip-hop, metal, and punk, has broadened into fusions containing more R&B and pop elements. Her endless creativity and spirit are what keeps me listening, and her blend of so many genres is ceaselessly satisfying.
Sadboi
Jovana
Sadboi was Rico’s opener, and what’s funny is that this is the second time Paige and I have seen Sadboi open for an artist. The first time was in 2024 in Detroit at the Shelter, when we saw Coco and Clair Clair. Sadboi did a great job commanding the crowd and keeping everyone’s focus on her. In comparison to one year ago, I definitely saw an evolution of her stage presence. She was able to get people to sing along with and dance with her throughout her time. My favorite songs are “Ackee” and “Rosa,” but I am slowly getting through her last album, BARE CHAT, which is currently my favorite.
Paige
As Jovana said, this is our second time experiencing Sadboi live. However, the first time she opened for hyperpop duo Coco and Clair Clair in Detroit. Sadboi’s improvement in performance and comfortability on stage is extremely evident since we last saw her (almost an exact year ago). I was mesmerized by her performance on stage and found that I could not take my eyes off her. It is clear she has found her own ways to interact with the crowd and tie that in with her songs. Her songs have strong themes of independence, confidence and sisterhood. This boded well with the crowd, even if they did not know Sadboi and her music specifically. Overall, it was a hype set, and I am sure it brought plenty of listeners to Sadboi’s discography.
Rico Nasty
Jovana
The first thing I noticed were Rico’s DJ/hype man and guitarist, who appeared before her along with the minimal set design. Behind the group, there were four light up boards that would change color as songs changed. I was especially excited seeing the guitarist and was delighted when I heard a loud electric guitar tear it up as Rico performed her more-metal songs. She started the show with “WHO WANT IT,” and the energy instantly went from 0 to 100. I got chills as the lights started flashing the LETHAL yellow, and she came jumping, kicking and hair flipping all within the first minute of her hour and something show. The first half of her show was filled with songs off of LETHAL, with a few other slower songs mixed in. Towards the middle, she took a seat for the slower songs like “SMILE” and “my way.” After a few minutes, she was back up and giving it her all – I still can’t imagine jumping around and singing like she did for an hour to an hour and a half. This was also when she transitioned to sprinkling in some of her older, more popular songs like “Smack a Bitch” and “Tia Tamera.” Usually at smaller concerts like these, it is easy to see who is only there to see a couple of the artist’s most popular songs performed. To my surprise, the crowd knew as much of “Tia Tamera” as they did her smaller performing songs. I could tell the crowd was dedicated, and there were far and few so-called “fake fans.”
The last 20 minutes of the show was my favorite, as she had saved some of her most lively songs for the end. It was so cute to see her DJ and guitarist jamming out to every song and the smiles on their faces when they saw how engaged the crowd was. At one point, Rico even addressed the crowd to “open the pit” and told everyone who wanted to mosh, to go towards one side of the room. In particular, her song “Rage” never was a favorite of mine in the past, but hearing it live changed my world. In the weeks that have passed between now and the concert, I have replayed the short video I have of “Rage” live much more than the appropriate amount. At the end of the concert, Rico addressed the crowd and confessed that we had made it to her top 3 shows! As a crowd, we did not have a single dull moment. At the same time, she signed someone’s vinyl, got handed a friendship bracelet, and got gifted a homemade vest made of aluminum can tops (which she wore for the last two songs). Truthfully, this performance is in my top five concerts of all time and seeing Rico live reminded me of her versatility and musical talent.
As we took the long hour and a half drive back to Lansing, we enjoyed our boba while relistening to the LETHAL setlist.
Paige
When I first walked into the venue, I was pleasantly surprised by the spaciousness and the crowd. It was one of the most comfortable concerts I have been to. There was little worry about pushing and shoving, and the mosh pit remained surprisingly respectful and tame. An aspect I appreciated most about this concert was the self-expression and vast array of types of people that had come to see Rico Nasty. Rico Nasty brought in a crowd of such creatively dressed people, and it made me so happy to see how everyone went all out for the concert. It was a sea of colorful mohawks, black clothing, leather, chains, fur and fish nets. During the concert, I could hear the varying arrays of passion coming from the crowd. There were some who knew nothing but the hits and some who knew every single beat in every song. It’s so powerful to watch people see their long-time favorite artist live. I could tell how much it means to people, and Rico Nasty did indeed DELIVER a powerful performance. I was captivated by Rico Nasty’s aura as soon as she entered the stage, she looked stunning. She had so much energy on the stage. Her hair was a beautiful accessory to her headbanging performance. Her DJ and guitarist added a whole other level to her performance. I loved watching the guitarist rip it up. The DJ maintained engagement with the crowd. Her movements captured the essence of what the songs felt like to me. Even if I didn’t know some of the songs, I still enjoyed every aspect of them, which made me want to start religiously listening to all the songs I hadn’t yet. Hearing some of the classic nostalgic Rico songs was like experiencing them in their ultimate form; it was so awesome to get the full range of each one. Hearing “Smack a Bitch,” you could feel everyone’s teenage angst resurfacing. I personally loved hearing the songs with more metal aspects and specifically “Key Lime OG” was my favorite song to experience live because it is one of my favorites by her. In the end she talked to the crowd and signed various items, took bracelets, and even took and put on a custom-made bottle tab vest. I thought this interaction with the crowd was so sweet. All of these people put so much thought and love into the things they made for her to show their appreciation, and they honored it. Overall, the show made me a stronger and more passionate fan of Rico Nasty and gave me a nice glimpse of her personality.
