Latto’s first-week sales predictions for her new album, Sugar Honey Iced Tea, have finally been revealed, and the results are, well, a bit of a mixed bag.
Chart Data has reported that the album is set to debut at No. 14 on the Billboard 200 chart. Latto managed to move 29K in album-equivalent units with her new project, which is a bit above the initial predictions from earlier in the week.
According to HITS Daily Double, the album was initially projected to earn just shy of 27,000 equivalent units, which would have landed it at No. 17 on the chart. Therefore, surpassing these predictions can be seen as a small victory for Latto.
The album comes with a star-studded lineup featuring Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion, and Ciara. Despite this, industry experts initially weren’t expecting Sugar Honey Iced Tea to make a significant splash on the Billboard 200. The album’s slightly better-than-expected performance didn’t stop fans of Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice from seizing the opportunity to mock Latto.
Social media was abuzz with reactions. A Nicki Minaj fan account ridiculed, “LMFAOOOOOOO FLOPPED LIKE EVERY ALBUM SHE HAS EVER DROPPED,” while another commented, “that’s it? HELP.” In support of Ice Spice, a third user wrote, “20 songs with big features and not outselling ice?” However, Latto did manage to outsell Ice Spice’s debut album, Y2K!, which moved 28,000 equivalent units in its opening week and peaked at No. 18 on the Billboard 200, four spots below where Latto’s album landed.
The ongoing feud between Latto and Ice Spice seems far from over, with Latto seemingly taking a shot at her rival in her new project. On the track “S/O to Me,” Latto raps, “Bye sis, funny thing about it, you can’t look me in my eye, sis,” referencing Ice Spice’s first name, Isis. She further adds, “Shoutout to myself / Who the hardest out? Bitch, it’s Latto by herself / Ice is just water when it melts / Wipe you down, I got plenty towels on the shelf.”
While Sugar Honey Iced Tea didn’t quite make the splash some hoped for, it still managed to slightly outperform initial predictions. Despite criticism from rival fanbases, Latto’s project has found its place on the Billboard 200, and her lyrical jabs ensure her ongoing feud with Ice Spice remains as icy as ever.
