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”, and the twisted conflict of love and lust on “My Bitch”. “Soldier Love”, 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. Recent months have also seen him link with Hurricane Wisdom for “On God”, 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 of being featured as the latest artist for XXL‘s The Break series, rising Atlanta-based rapper Raq baby has just released his new highly-anticipated project I NEVER GAVE AF — out now via SantaAnnaRecords, along with an Audio Exhibit live performance video for the intro track “DoorDash (OMG)”. Across its 18 tracks, I NEVER GAVE AF boasts select features from G Herbo, Toosii and FattMack, and blends Raq baby‘s southern music style with his Chicago upbringing –– highlighted in the album trailer by his care-free personality and roots in both cities. Serving as an extension of the sample-heavy, melodic sound that he’s been building since the release of his first album, Maniac Baby in 2023, I NEVER GAVE AF is the follow-up to March’s More Spill, which featured fan-favorites like “Belt Boyz” (26M+ Streams) and “What They Told Me” (10M+ Streams), continuing to build on the viral energy of his 2024 mixtape Spill Season, and capping off a breakout year for Raqbaby, which found him supporting SahBabii on the Resurrection Tour, and continuing a steady stream of releases that preceded the new release, including “Goodbyerz” (highlighted by The FADER who drew comparisons to “prime Lil Uzi”), the Childish Gambino-sampling “Stick Up” (14M+ Streams) and “Switch Crowd” (feat. FattMack). With Raq baby now at the forefront of the new-age ATL sound, the cover of I NEVER GAVE AF finds him rocking the iconic Maison Margiela H&M Belt jacket, paying homage to Atlanta legends like Playboi Carti and Lil Yachty, who have also famously donned the jacket. At just 20 years old, Raq baby has drawn attention for his playful, sample-heavy sound, sold out his first headlining shows in Chicago, Atlanta, and Charlotte, and effectively positioned himself as a captivating, rising voice in Atlanta’s next generation.
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 the Trap sound. He first exploded onto the scene in 2023 with viral hit “Soldier Love”, 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, gearing up to capitalize on the momentum he’s been building towards all year with the forthcoming release of I NEVER GAVE AF.
Rising Atlanta-based rapper Raq baby has just shared a new music video for “DoorDash (OMG)” –– out now via Santa Anna Records. “DoorDash (OMG)” serves as the intro track to Raq baby‘s new project I NEVER GAVE AF, released earlier this week and already charted at #3 on Apple Music’s Hip-Hop Albums Chart, and #8 on the All Genre album Chart. The new video flexes Raq baby‘s charisma and carefree personality showcased across I NEVER GAVE AF, as he plays the role of a delivery driver before having to leave the shoot early after receiving a call that his baby was about to be born. Boasting select features from G Herbo, Toosii and FattMack, I NEVER GAVE AF arrives on the heels of a breakout year for Raq baby, who was the latest artist for XXL‘s The Break series, supporting SahBabii on the Resurrection Tour, and continuing a steady stream of releases that preceded the new release, including “Goodbyerz” (highlighted by The FADER who drew comparisons to “prime Lil Uzi”), the Childish Gambino-sampling “Stick Up” (14M+ Streams) and “Switch Crowd” (feat. FattMack). Across its 18 tracks, I NEVER GAVE AF blends Raq baby‘s southern music style with his Chicago upbringing, and serves as an extension of the sample-heavy, melodic sound that he’s been building since the release of his first album, Maniac Baby in 2023. As the follow-up to March’s More Spill, which featured fan-favorites like “Belt Boyz” (26M+ Streams) and “What They Told Me” (10M+ Streams), continuing to build on the viral energy of his 2024 mixtape Spill Season. With Raq baby now at the forefront of the new-age ATL sound, the cover of I NEVER GAVE AF finds him rocking the iconic Maison Margiela H&M Belt jacket, paying homage to Atlanta legends like Playboi Carti and Lil Yachty, who have also famously donned the jacket. At just 20 years old, Raq baby has drawn attention for his playful, sample-heavy sound, sold out his first headlining shows in Chicago, Atlanta, and Charlotte, and effectively positioned himself as a captivating, rising voice in Atlanta’s next generation.
