Ricco Barrino

Ricco Barrino is a songwriter, producer, and vocalist known for many high-profile featured appearances and his own contemporary R&B recordings. A native of North Point, Carolina, he's the brother of Fantasia Barrino and the nephew of Julius, Nathaniel, and Perry Barrino (collectively known as <a href="spotify:artist:17vNzODpdt1a6PnOplSaUb">Barrino Brothers</a>, who released an album on the <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Invictus%22">Invictus</a> label in 1973). Barrino's career gained traction after "Bubble Gum," a single he released independently in 2006, reached the ears of Jason Geter, who had founded the <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Atlantic%22">Atlantic</a>-affiliated <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Grand+Hustle%22">Grand Hustle</a> with <a href="spotify:artist:4OBJLual30L7gRl5UkeRcT">T.I.</a> This led to some low-profile <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Grand+Hustle%22">Grand Hustle</a>-supported releases as Barrino contributed to label cuts by the likes of <a href="spotify:artist:4OBJLual30L7gRl5UkeRcT">T.I.</a> ("Porn Star"), <a href="spotify:artist:5xUMw9vaS567MBBjsoLslo">Yung LA</a> ("Futuristic Love"), and <a href="spotify:artist:5ndkK3dpZLKtBklKjxNQwT">B.o.B.</a> ("Fifth Dimension"). Barrino was on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Grand+Hustle%22">Grand Hustle</a>'s roster but left on good terms prior to releasing an album. By the end of 2015, he had also worked with the likes of Fantasia, <a href="spotify:artist:5spEJXLwD1sKUdC2bnOHPg">Bone Thugs-N-Harmony</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:2hWr3AjjKOCVmWcwvuT4uM">Angie Stone</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:7iUhmKPNkkPPS6FCQxqtNq">8Ball & MJG</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:3ZooCJzNMTLpmJaIRUEorI">Young Dro</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:1daweWn875YnCp0S9O3pDv">Colonel Loud</a>, and had some mixtapes to his name, including Twenty 12 Play and Musical Evolution. Barrino made strides throughout 2016. He was featured on Nick Grant's "The Sing Along" and <a href="spotify:artist:3crnzLy8R4lVwaigKEOz7V">E-40</a>'s "Somebody," among other tracks, and he also released a pair of EPs: Vibe, recorded with rapper Tigo B, and the solo Ferrari Infidelity. ~ Andy Kellman, Rovi