LIL BABY

BY: Alexis Eichelberger

In recent years, Lil Baby (Dominique Jones) rocketed onto the rap scene to make a name for himself as a leader in the genre. As he continues to release new music that climbs the charts, he redefines trap music along with similar artists.

Jones, an Atlanta native, made a standout first impression when his mixtape Perfect Timing dropped in early 2017. It featured other trending hip-hop figures like Young Thug, Lil Yachty and Gunna and established him as a prominent trap music figure.

Since that first release, Jones has been prolific, dropping multiple mixtapes and two full-length albums in the next few years. His first full-length studio album Harder Than Ever was released in May 2018 and debuted at number three on the Billboard 200, making him one of the hottest new rappers. The album’s tracklist included the punchy, popular single “Yes Indeed,” which rocketed to number 6 on the Hot 100 thanks in part to a Drake feature.

Jones’ upward projection continued in late 2018 with the release of another mixtape, Drip Harder, in collaboration with Gunna. The record’s lead single, “Drip Too Hard,” would soon become Lil Baby’s most famous song. It reached number four on the Hot 100, is certified RIAA Platinum and earned Jones a Grammy nomination for Best Rap/Sung Performance.

Last year, Jones scored a role in the stoner film How High 2 and collaborated with Future and DaBaby. He also released two singles for his second studio album. One song was included in Melina Matsoukas’ crime drama Queen and Slim. 

So far, in 2020, Lil Baby released his second album, My Turn, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. He’s also had two more singles hit the Hot 100. The first, “Sum 2 Prove,” is a synthy, bass-heavy tune that appears on My Turn. The second was a surprise inspired by the Black Lives Matter protests following the killing of George Floyd. “The Bigger Picture” has more depth and message than any of Jones’ previous releases, exploring heavy topics that include police brutality and systematic oppression. It has recently become a prominent anthem of rebellion and outrage that’s often associated with racial justice.

Despite many cancellations, Lil Baby has two live performances still scheduled for 2020. And since he continuously satisfies our cravings for new music, something is sure to be on the way.