As the poster child of the Brooklyn hip-hop collective Pro Era, Joey Bada$$ has more than made a name for himself by merging a compulsion for perfection with his undeniable talent behind the mic. Hailing from the same Bed-Stuy streets that gave birth to industry legends like Biggie and Hov, Bada$$' penchant for choosing to spit over gritty boom-bap beats instead of slick, autotuned hooks led to his debut mixtape 1999 making serious waves far beyond his hometown.
Delivering mostly self-reflective bars on his debut studio length album B4.DA.$$, Joey Bada$$ finalized his evolution from a up-and-coming teenager spitting rhymes in his bedroom to a certified rising star. An enigmatic blend of brand-new delivery alongside a rock solid homage to hip-hop's early roots, Bada$$ quickly became New York's best competition against a slew of "Beast Coast" hitmakers.
True to the precociousness that set him apart from his Pro Era collaborators, Bada$$ set his sights on the political injustices plaguing both his community and the nation at large for his sophomore studio effort, All-Amerikkkan Badass. "I think my lyrical prime was probably when I was 17 or 18, but at that time, I didn’t really care if you couldn’t decipher what I was saying; I thought it was cool that it would take you years to figure it out," said Bada$$ of his recent desire to choose mainstream delivery over clever lyricism. "But now I want you to get me. I want you to feel where I’m coming from."
"It’s more about the potency of the line than about it having the most insane wordplay," he continued. "Now I understand who my listeners are, and I want to show them things that I’ve learned. I want to report to them. My last album was influenced by experiences I’ve had, but it’s not just about me. It’s about us. My life is set. Now I want to help other people with their lives, or help them understand what’s right or wrong, or what’s just human."
Wondering what Bada$$ is up to over a year after he dropped his last studio project? Track his movements post All-Amerikkan Badass below.
Everybody's Tour / Ghostwriting
While Bada$$ has laid low on the solo music front following the April 7, 2017 release of his second studio album, the Brooklyn-bred artist teamed up with Big Lenbo to support rapper Logic on the "Everybody's Tour." Aside from cancelling a trio of shows due to his ill-advised decision to look directly at a solar eclipse, Bada$$' high energy set and politically poignant lyrics proved once and for all that he is far more than just a supporting act.
Never forget when Joey Badass looked straight at the solar eclipse & almost went blind. pic.twitter.com/wbLfDaT8Kc
"Y’all have no idea how blessed, how humbled, how grateful, how thankful, how happy, how appreciative… there’s not even enough words to describe how I feel right now man,” said Bada$$ during his set at New York's Barclays Center. “I feel like I’m at the Grammy’s right now. I’d like to thank my mom, I’d like to thank my dad, I’d like to thank my whole family, my friends, my Pro Era squad. This is a real surreal moment.”
“Nothing feels as great as coming into an arena and seeing all the lights up and seeing all the faces in the motherf--king crowd man,” he continued. “There’s really no feeling that compares to that.”
We are collectively, as a culture, sleeping on Joey Badass. Time we woke the fuck up. He just tore down the Barclays, with a live band.
In addition to lighting up the stage alongside Logic, Bada$$ lent a helping hand to Post Malone's breakout hit, "Rockstar" with a feature on the original track (alongside T-Pain) as well as securing a ghostwriting credit.
That’s the original. They took me off. And put 21 on. Me and Joey had it first
"This is facts…I actually co-wrote the song w post :) quietly got my first #1 off that more ghostwriting in 2018," confirmed Bada$$ in a now-deleted tweet.
Mr. Robot
In August of 2015, Bada$$ made his television debut on Sam Esmail's award-winning dystopian hacktivist thriller series Mr. Robot. A nod to his long held dream of becoming an actor, Bada$$' on-screen presence is captivating, as his bubbly pop-culture savvy character, Leon, often operates as a direct foil to the Brooklyn native's stage presence.
"By the time I was 14, 15, I was really committed to becoming an actor. It was just that when I got to Edward R. Murrow, I met all the guys from my [Pro Era] crew, and we were all so interested in music. So I realized in high school that music is my calling," said the "Devastated" rapper of his creative interests. "I decided that, if music works out, acting will be relatively more easy. I could just use music as a leverage to get into acting. But they’re both things that I’m really passionate about. Of course, music being my number one, but I’ve always been passionate about acting."
Now approaching the premiere of the fourth season of the drama, Bada$$' Leon is still a fan-favorite recurring character.
this is gonna be a joey badass on mr. robot appreciation thread pic.twitter.com/AtleDlssN3
Taking Aim At The Current State of Rap
In early 2018, Bada$$ refused to mince words while unloading his controversial opinions about the current state of rap and hip-hop as a whole. A fervent protector of the OG veterans and 90s-era beats, it's no surprise that Bada$$ looks down on the new generation of Soundcloud rappers boasting repetitive bars and obnoxious face tattoos. "Rap is in a very trash state rn with very few exceptions that don't even get the love and attention that they deserve," wrote Bada$$ in a series of now-deleted tweets. "Like where’s y’all n---as souls at??? Music is the most influential force in the world. Pay attention to what’s being over saturated. It says something about the generation. Sound is vibration."
Amerikkkana Tour
From April-May of 2018, Bada$$ went on the road in North America to promote the rolling success of his sophomore album, All-Amerikkkan Badass, supported by West Coast rappers Boogie and Buddy. With a disarming blend of pyrotechnics and lighting displays alongside a high-energy set, it's no surprise that Bada$$' sold-out run was met with a flurry of rave reviews.
Becoming A Father
Soon after dropping the news that his debut mixtape 1999 would be available on streaming platforms in honor of its six-year anniversary, Bada$$ revealed during an appearance on Complex's Open Late that he recently became a father.
"It's amazing, bro. It's a life-changer to see this little human you co-created with someone. She's like my little twin. It's honestly the most heartwarming thing that's ever happened to me. I love it," said the rapper. "Her name is Indigo Rain. She got some hippy parents."