Rico Nasty on jumping into the unknown when creating forthcoming album, 'Lethal': 'It was super scary at first'

The cover art for Rico Nasty's upcoming album, Lethal, features an image of her getting acupuncture, which she likens to the process of making the project.

"First time I ever did it I was like, Hell no. I don't want to do that. ... How is that therapeutic? Obviously, I had to get them actually done for the cover. So, I don't know, it wound up being a very relaxing, easy experience. And I kinda just felt like that is life, and that was making this album," she tells XXL. "It was super scary at first, found my footing and found what I wanted to say, but once I said it, there was nothing to be afraid of."

Lethal arrives May 16 and will mark Rico's first release under Fueled by Ramen. The label represents Fall Out Boy, Panic! at the Disco and other alternative bands, but Rico clarifies she will always "be a rapper at heart," as her love of rap led to her love of music.

"I feel it does a disservice to rap music when people say, 'Once I get to this part, I'm not a rapper. Once I get to this s***, I'm not a rapper, n****, I'm an artist.' But you're a rapper and you rap very well. You rap so well that you're up against people that don't even make rap music," Rico says. "Own it. Own what made you who you are. And you can still do other things," she continues. "And just because I call myself a rapper doesn't mean I don't have a screamo track on my album or a pop record on my album. Music is not meant to define you. I think certain labels are ... to show where you come from and I come from hip-hop."