Reason First: Lil’ Baby Continues to Assert His Place in the Hip Hop World

It is rare for an artist to be this successful in what seems to be a rapid pace. Who could have done this? Lil’ Baby did. His now quadruple platinum offering My Turn was the biggest selling playlist in any genre for the year 2020.

He’s got the trophies with ASCAP, BET, and MTV VMAs, and a GRAMMY®, but they don’t pay bills or provide meals. His single “Drip Too Hard” is certified diamond in the United States. All of his tracks from his album It’s Only Me (2020) are currently charted on the Billboard Hot 100, including two more outside of that work. This achievement is massive in the way that it shows the vitality of a young and hungry artist who's famous for detailing his struggle to the top.

In his songs and interviews, Lil’ Baby never hesitates to show that he “came out of the mud.” His rise to rap glory is a portrait of a kid from Atlanta who made good on promises to himself. He told his soul that he would not be mediocre in any way. He told his soul that he would make the best of his talent and earn a spot among the best to ever do it.

Lil’ Baby represents a generation of young people who are still exploring the world in this American landscape. He is also navigating the treacherous waters of the business of music. His productive capacity is so overwhelming that he has decided to not even do features anymore. And he doesn’t have to do them. His own projects generate enough revenue for him to continue working.

Off of the residue of his efforts, he enables himself to become even stronger and a force on the mic. With his goals set ever higher, he seems poised to become a young general in the field of hip hop. His dominance of the game only motivates and inspires other artists who see how he had to fight and claw his way up from the bottom.

A gentleman for all to view, Lil’ Baby has conducted himself in a manner befitting a Southern statesman. His work ethic defines his productiveness. For him to continue to pump out products shows a man of respect for producers. This is not the specific sense of the word in rap circles but the broad idea of those that make and build.

Already hailed as the “best artist of our generation” by his label (who else is going to be honest?) Lil’ Baby is ready to continue his reign. Among names like Drake, Future, and Kendrick Lamar, he is kicking doors down and showing what it means to work out a plan.

The time period when he released Turn was rife with uncertainty and utter bleakness. Kobe Bryant. COVID-19. George Floyd. Breonna Taylor. The Election. The dim days of that year stirred something in Lil’ Baby. He knew he had to cook up something with substance that still had bounce to it.

To this day, he makes tracks that move bodies and expand minds. In all of his trials and travails, he has prevailed to reach levels no one as young as he has done and only the third person overall.

As he continues to march through the beats and flip his vocal chords, Lil’ Baby will forever be known as the rapper who knew that he could accomplish goals.

That’s the spirit of hip hop. The artistry matched with unmitigated hustle determines what kind of person someone will be. Lil’ Baby knows all too well that rappers have short lifespans in the industry and at times, in the streets.

If his track record is any proof, Lil’ Baby has the potential to have a prosperous and rewarding career. May he have the brains to further cement his position in the business of show.