Joe: Atlanta’s Lil Baby has taken over 2020, as one of the hottest artists in the game.
His February album ‘My Turn’ has been the most streamed project so far this year.
Baby has been at it for just three short years and speaks few words, but when it comes to
rap he delivers head spinning flows.
So how did Baby get to this point?
Lil Baby: I put my all into this, till everything I got.
Every 24 hours I get go into this.
I done seen so much so quick.
In the streets, dealing with my bros, hoes, like all of it.
That shit broke my heart, but I aint quit though.
Joe: Baby’s introduction to music isn’t that far off from other rappers' rags to riches
stories.
He began in the streets and eventually made his way to the booth.
But according to Lil Baby’s label Quality Control founder Coach K, he saw Baby’s potential
early on.
Coach K: I just used to always be on him, like, ‘Man, I’m telling you dog, if you
would rap, I think you got it.’
But he’s a street guy…
His whole thing was, ‘That ain’t what I’m doing.’
He ended up going to prison, and then when he came home from prison, he used to come
to the studio and kick it.
Joe: Even after he turned to rapping, Baby still hesitated, dipping in and out of the
studio.
He ultimately went all in.
In 2017 Baby tapped fellow ATL icon Young Thug and future “Drip Too Hard” collaborator
Gunna to assist him in learning how to rap.
Lil Baby: I done paid Gunna to write my songs.
I never put the songs out but, when I first started to rap.
That's how I used to practice. Try to get it right. Cause I just started rapping out of nowhere. Just like, I rap.
Joe: It didn’t take long for the 4 Pockets Full label boss to find his nimble flow as
he went on to drop his debut mixtape ‘Perfect Timing.’
Shortly after that, Baby found his breakout track in “My Dawg.”
Lil Baby: When I’m in my mode, I’ll knock it out quick. 20, 25 minutes. 30 minutes.
But with this particular song, I felt this song.
As soon as one of my bros came in the studio I told him I got one.
Joe: Just like the title of his inaugural mixtape, Baby’s ascension as an artist couldn’t
come at a better moment.
Although he had a strong hold of melody, Baby’s high pitched flow was unique in comparison
to his fellow Atlanta counterparts like Future and Young Thug.
But being groomed by QC and the Migos, Baby absorbed their approach and made it his own.
Lil Baby: The Migos, anybody I’ve ever been in the studio with had an influence on my
rap.
Cause like I kinda take this from him and him and him, and then put it with myself and
make it work like that.
Baby’s fresh flow paired with his extreme work ethic helped catapult him more into the
mainstream.
After the release of ‘Perfect Timing,’ Baby flooded the market with music, dropping
three more projects that same year, and followed that up with even more.
Baby earned some lower level Top 100 hits by himself in early 2018, but that same year
he also landed the coveted Drake co sign - something Genius covered in late 2019.
Joe: With their track “Yes Indeed,” Baby earned his first top 10 Hot 100 hit.
In May 2018, Lil Baby dropped his debut album ‘Harder Than Ever,’ peaking at No. 3 on
the Billboard 200 albums chart.
Joe: Despite 2018 being a true breakthrough year for Baby with the commercial success
of “Yes Indeed,” and the platinum selling collaborative project with Gunna 'Drip Harder,’
he stayed relatively quiet in 2019.
Baby returned in 2020 with a sharp pen focusing more on storytelling in his rhymes.
Joe: Both of those tracks would anchor the aforementioned ‘My Turn,’ his second studio
album with 20 tracks that painted a more vivid picture of who Baby is an artist.
And just two short months after the original release of ‘My Turn,’ Baby served up a
deluxe with six new songs, launching the album back to the No. 1 spot in mid June.
Joe: In 2020 Baby got back in his bag, returning with the prolific work ethic that fans had
come to expect.
If it wasn't his own releases, Baby shined on numerous features throughout the year.
Collabing with Lil Durk, 6LACK, Moneybagg Yo, the late Pop Smoke and many more.
Joe: In June 2020, Lil Baby released the protest anthem "The Bigger Picture," tackling police
brutality and the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Rayshard Brooks and more.
Joe: For the track Lil Baby put his personal experiences with police on wax.
In an interview he said quote: “I just rap about my life — all my songs
are basically about me.
It was at a point where I felt I needed to say something.
Now, this shit counts, You gon’ hear me.”
Joe: His message was definitely heard, the song debuted at No. 3 on the Hot 100 and is
the highest-charting hit of his career so far.
Baby’s pen game has always been strong, but now it seems fans are taking notice more
than ever.
Whether it's addressing race, flexing his latest diamonds, or diving into his relationships,
Baby has grown tremendously as an artist in a relatively short amount of time.
Now that he’s reached that superstar level, the only competition that Baby sees is in
the mirror.
Lil Baby: I got a passion for music, like I love listening to music.
I wanna be able to make music that I can ride to all day.
I wanna be on a verse, where I know on this song they won't skip my verse. Cause I'll skip a verse.
I compete with myself.
Like I know that was good, but that wasn’t my best.
I can go harder than that.
Joe: I’m Joe Ali for Genius News, bringing you the meaning and the knowledge behind the music.