Confident in his assessment, DaBaby asserts himself as a) the hottest in the game and b) the best motherfu*kin rapper. His conviction is unwavering, so much so that you may very well find yourself an instant convert. Upon hearing his music, including his recent album Baby On Baby, DaBaby can certainly walk the walk. At once toeing the line between humorous and no-nonsense, the North Carolina native has established himself as an instant superstar, fueled by a brief yet effective run. With no shortage of vision and energy, DaBaby ducks fleeting trends in favor of trusting his own creative instincts, which speaks to his potential for genuine longevity.
We had the chance to speak with DaBaby during our new season of On The Come Up, which finds the rapper breaking down his rise, his mentality, and some of his future plans. Also, the explanation for "Baby On Baby," though you'll have to watch the episode below for such precious secrets.
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"I was born in 1991, so a lot of the musical influences I had was crazy," explains Baby, exuding a subtle dose of old head energy. "I had people like Busta Rhymes, Nelly, Ludacris. I ain't really recognize it till looking back in hindsight, that's probably where I got a lot of inspiration from, when it come to my music videos fo' sho. That's how it used to be, and a lot of people telling me I'm bringing that back." It's no surprise he ultimately went on to seriously pursue hip-hop as a viable career, explaining that he "don't really play around. I ain't rap to be cool, I rap to take over the game. Off the rip. I was trying to take over."
As he tells it, the creativity was always part of his personality. "I always been creative, I'm just wild," says DaBaby. "I ain't afraid to jump out there, try new shit...You can be too creative, but shit, at the end of the day that's a compliment. If people ain't ready to think on the level you thinking on, shit, I wouldn't ever take offense to that." He explains that the deeper plotting can come after the creative instincts are followed; in other words, don't be afraid to take the plunge. "I like all of it man," he says. "The trial and the error."
Upon reflecting on his rise to fame, DaBaby breaks it down as an inevitability. "I eat sleep and breathe this shit," he says. "I'm looking at it like this exactly what's supposed to be happening. It ain't really moving fast at all to me, it's time for it. I give thanks to God and keep working." For anyone looking to discover DaBaby through a single track, he suggests Baby On Baby cuts "Pony" or "Suge" as an entry point. "Go listen to the whole Baby On Baby, it's a classic. So much went into that project."
Despite his rising status, DaBaby seldom collaborates with others, though they might be eager to hop on a track with him. "When I'm ready to go, when I can feel it that they're ready for music, I'm ready to give it to them," he explains. "I don't like waiting around. I don't take nothing personal when it comes to this business. If they ain't really diggin' what I got going on, if they don't want to jump on one of my songs, I'ma carry the load. It ain't no problem with features, I'm turning em' down." Still, that's not to say he doesn't have big plans, having secured music with Lil Durk and J. Cole in the pipeline.
Check back next week for another episode of On The Come Up, and sate your appetite with our official OTCU Spotify playlist, available beneath.