Rapper Latto recently opened up about how public pressure led her, as a young and impressionable woman, to undergo multiple surgeries that she now regrets.
Born Alyssa Michelle Stephens in Columbus, Ohio, Latto shared her candid reflections with fans on the social media platform X. She discussed how her naivety made her vulnerable to manipulation by the public and industry peers regarding her body image.
“My body was fine. I gained a little weight ’cause I signed my deal when I had just turned 21. I was living a new life, eating out,” Latto explained. “I’m a foodie, and with the money, I indulged. So, I gained a little weight.”
“And everybody on the internet was calling me ‘bad-bodied’ and stuff, so I feel like that played a role,” she continued. “I started being a little insecure about my body.”
Latto described feeling overwhelmed by the constant barrage of insults before her Brazilian butt lift (BBL) and the subsequent criticisms after the surgeries.
“Every time I post a gym picture, people say, ‘Oh, she got a BBL,’” Latto noted, according to Complex. “I’ve been very clear about the BBL I had four years ago. When I was 21, y’all convinced me I needed it.”
Following her surgeries, Latto experienced a revelation: she could shape her body through regular exercise.
“This [body] is all her. Some people are on their third, fourth round by now. I had one BBL four years ago,” she said, according to VIBE. “This is all me now. I get up and go to the gym!”
Latto’s message, underscored by her experience, is one of personal growth and self-acceptance. She advises fans to respect others’ choices and focus on their own lives.
“Moral of the story: I just think everybody should stop worrying about everybody,” she explained, according to VIBE. “Natural girls are winning. Surgery girls … BBL girls are winning. Do what works for you and mind your own business. Make decisions based on what you want, not what others tell you.”