ALYSSA “LATTO” STEPHENS
Age: 25 • Rapper
Before Latto brought the “Big Energy” to her 31 million monthly Spotify listeners, she was DIY’ing tours in her hometown of Atlanta. Starting at age 10, Latto performed in local talent shows and open mics, posted flyers on stop signs and handed out mixtapes of her best raps in Walmart parking lots. Her 2019 breakout hit, “B*tch from da Souf,” was the lead single on her EP Big Latto and landed her a deal with RCA Records. For the self-managed rapper, control means maximizing gains— she says she charges an average of $300,000 for an appearance. Between those appearances, revenue from music royalties, brand deals with the likes of Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty, a tour with Lizzo and a quick acting stint on the TV sitcom Grown-ish, Latto claims she’s on track to earn $12 million in 2023 (up from $3 million in ’22). Her cardinal rule is to earn a profit of at least 50% with every venture. “My mind is working around the clock when it comes to me as a product because at the end of the day, we are products as artists,” she says. With two Grammy nominations—including one for Best New Artist in 2023—and performances at festivals including Coachella, Latto cryptically tells Forbes that she’s launching a business venture in 2024. “Music doesn’t last forever,” she says.
MUSIC
Gracie Abrams, 24
Musician
Julien Baker, 28
Phoebe Bridgers, 29 Lucy Dacus, 28
Musicians, boygenius
Lucas Barbosa, 29
Label Lead,
Rimas Entertainment
Andre Benz, 26
Founder, The Nations
Bktherula, 21
Rapper
Ethel Cain, 25
Musician
Shelby Durkin, 25
Brand Partnerships Manager, Salxco
Dominic Fike, 28
Musician
John Geraghty, 29
Cofounder, rogue.
David Greenstein, 29
Cofounder, Sound.xyz
Jasper Harris, 25
Producer
Alec Karageorges, 29
Music Partnerships Manager, TikTok
KBeaZy, 22
Producer
Ranya Khoury, 29
U.S. Streaming Director, Spinnin’ Records
Steve Lacy, 25
Musician
Latto, 25
Rapper
Laura Les, 29
Musician
Kristina London, 27
Founder,
Amplify Her Voice
Madison Love, 28
Songwriter
Lizzy McAlpine, 24
Musician
Megan Moroney, 26
Musician
Julie Nguyen, 28
Artist Manager,
Jet Management
Peso Pluma, 24
Musician
Reneé Rapp, 23
Musician
Trippie Redd, 24
Rapper
Ice Spice, 23
Rapper
John Summit, 29
DJ
Cesar Toirac, 29
Director of Marketing Services, Warner Music Group Latin America
Kali Uchis, 29
Musician
Armani White, 29
Musician JUDGES: Blu DeTiger, musician; Conan Gray, musician; Michelle Jubelirer, CEO, Capitol Music Group; Kevin “Coach K” Lee, founder, Quality Control Music