Raq baby lives between two worlds. The Chicago-born, Atlanta-based rapper blends the melancholic, gritty sound of Chicago drill with the adventurous and melodic sensibilities of new age Atlanta plugg. He’s been lighting up TikTok and YouTube for the past couple of years with certified street hits, such as the ethereal tale of just barely getting by on “Day By Day” (11M Streams), and the twisted conflict of love and lust on “My bitch” (10M Streams). “Soldier Love” (15M+ Streams), the sample-driven lyrical assault, asserted his spot as a rapper to watch with its witty lines and vivid imagery, while popular projects like 2024’s Abstruse and Spill Season served as detailed glimpses into the psyche of a young artist finding his voice while dealing with past traumas. His newest EP More Spill (out now via Santa Anna Records) sees Raq baby weaving tales of his ascent amidst the struggle, basking in the good fortune of his hard work. Tracks such as the highly anticipated “Crashed on Camera” went instantly viral on TikTok even before it was officially released, with the sound being used over 1,000 times on the app. Every song is true to form, living his raps with complete authenticity.
Fresh off his run opening for SahBabii on his headlining Resurrection Tour, Atlanta teen rap sensation Raq baby has just shared two new singles, “Toy Story” and “Stick Up” — out now via Santa Anna Records. A highly demanded track by fans with over 25K creates on TikTok before it’s even been released, “Stick Up” features a prominent sample of Childish Gambino‘s “3005” and follows Raq baby‘s viral performance of the track on On The Radar, while “Toy Story” arrives alongside an accompanying music video. The tracks also follow March EP More Spill (#8 on Apple Music‘s All Genre Albums Chart and #3 on the Hip-Hop/Rap Chart), which served as an extension of his breakthrough 2024 mixtape Spill Season and featured highly requested viral snippets, such as “Belt Boyz” (7M+ Streams), “Crashed on Camera” (3M Streams), and “Check Fox 5” (2M Streams), finally transformed into full-length songs. The 19-year-old rapper just performed his first ever headline show in Atlanta ahead of the announcement that he’s currently in the running for the fan-voted 10th spot on the 2025 XXL Freshman list and is also slated for a headline performance in Chicago on May 29th (tickets HERE).
Originally hailing from Chicago’s South Side, Raq baby grew up in Atlanta and has steadily built a hyper-online following for his melodic, drill-inspired take on trap. He first exploded onto the scene in 2023 with viral hit “Soldier Love” (15M+ Streams), and after turning heads with projects like Abstruse, November 2024 saw him release Spill Season, which peaked at #15 on Apple Music‘s All Genre Albums Chart and #8 on the Rap/Hip-Hop Chart and currently boasts over 40 million streams to date. The rapper has also earned major co-signs along the way, with collabs with YTB Fatt (“3am”), VonOff1700 (“Daytona”), and Jdot Breezy (“Green Goblin”) already under his belt, in addition to support from Rylo Rodriguez. Now, Raq baby is setting the stage for his next act — and showcasing why he’s an essential artist to watch in 2025.
A studio workhorse and self-proclaimed perfectionist, Raq baby continues to tweak and mature his sound with experience and age, resulting in a project that celebrates his rise — and puts him in the class of the next great street poets.
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