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” (28M+ Streams), and the twisted conflict of love and lust on “My Bitch” (24M+ Streams). “Soldier Love” (24M+ 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 an official release, with the sound being used over 1,000 times on the app. Recent months have also seen him link with Hurricane Wisdom for “On God” (9M+ Streams), the third best performing track from the rapper’s new project Perfect Storm. 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.
Fresh off his recent feature in Passion of the Weiss, his run opening for SahBabii on his headlining Resurrection Tour, and the release of “Goodbyerz”, which was hailed by The FADER in their Songs You Need In Your Life This Week column, Atlanta rap phenom Raq baby has returned with new single “Mental Breakdown” — out now via Santa Anna Records. Fueled by celestial synths, “Mental Breakdown” is a high-octane outing highlighted by airy hi-hats, hard-hitting 808s, and tongue-in-cheek flexes draped in existentialism. The song arrives on the heels of Raq baby‘s viral On The Radar performance, his Childish Gambino-sampling track “Stick Up” (5M+ Streams), “Toy Story”, and his March EP, More Spill. The project reached #8 on Apple Music‘s All Genre Albums Chart and #3 on the Hip-Hop/Rap Chart and served as an extension of his breakthrough 2024 mixtape Spill Season, featuring highly requested viral snippets, such as “Belt Boyz” (18M+ Streams), “Crashed on Camera” (7M+ Streams), and “Check Fox 5”, finally transformed into full-length songs. The 20-year-old rapper just sold out his first ever headline shows in Chicago and Atlanta and is also slated for another headline show in Charlotte on June 27th, which completely sold out in less than 48 hours, as well as a performance at Flex Fest in Denver next month alongside Quavo (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” (24M+ 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 74 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.
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