Even in the present moment, BabyChiefDoIt stands out, and his earliest raps were a wild, stitched-together experiment born from borrowed lines. He laid a verse over Playboi Carti’s Whole Lotta Red instrumental, borrowing cadences from 22Gz’s “Suburban,” then previewed the track to a circle of impressed friends. He knew the words weren’t his, yet the response was exactly what he sought. Yet something more rewarding emerged than the art of deceit. “I remember replaying it and simply enjoying hearing my voice over this beat,” he recalls. “And that feeling never faded.” Neither did his audience’s reaction.
Since breaking out with tracks like “EBGDITB” in 2024, BabyChiefDoIt has blended brisk, kinetic delivery with a hint of playfulness, becoming Chicago’s most colorful figure in drill music. Songs such as “Went West” and “The Viper” have amassed more than 140 million Spotify streams collectively, and last year he earned a spot on XXL’s Freshman list. The most recent ascent arrived a few days before our Google Meet chat, when the teenage sensation performed before tens of thousands at Rolling Loud Orlando. “I’d never heard so many voices or seen so many people,” he says. “Was it my biggest show? I’m not sure,” he admits. “But it’s unquestionably my favorite.”
Looking ahead, BabyChiefDoIt is poised to discover a new favorite as he prepares to tour for RAMBO, an upcoming project meant to cement his status in rap. The title nods to a Sylvester Stallone movie, but the acronym points to something more substantial. “Rise Against My Broken Odds basically captures everything I’ve overcome in life—coming from Chicago, enduring the things I endured, and rising above all of that,” he explains.
Narratively, BabyChiefDoIt inhabits both the middle phase of a typical rap ascent and the aftermath of a downturn. The usual arc follows a fledgling rapper who blends the city’s historical sounds with its present, navigating Chicago’s challenges to become a star who inspires his community. By 2025, he had checked off those conventional milestones. Then arrived the less glamorous chapter of the rap fable: the Fall. A temporary one, at least.
Riding the momentum toward the end of 2025, BabyChiefDoIt did what many prudent teenage rap stars do with their success: celebrate every weekend. Alas, he paid the metaphorical price. “I got comfortable and started focusing more on what the success brought than on the music itself,” he confides. “When I hit my lowest point, there was nobody there. I was alone, almost lifeless.”
Seeking renewal, he moved from Chicago to Atlanta. He’s been living there for about six months, noting a shift in the creative atmosphere. “People in Atlanta are eager to collaborate and grow together,” he says. “Back in Chicago, gatekeeping and everyone doing their own thing was more the norm.”
At home, he describes himself as someone who lounges by the window, plays video games, and watches biopics. He’s stepped out less than before, and for now that pace suits him. When he’s not in his apartment, he’s focused on mending a relationship that matters to him.
Before 2025, Pandemic-era Rapture TikTok represented BabyChiefDoIt’s most impactful spiritual moment. Yet fame’s isolation taught him that he needed more than TikTok scripture to sustain his soul.
“There’s a real difference between believing in God and truly knowing there’s a God, and then having a personal, face-to-face relationship with God,” he says. “I got caught up in distractions—partying every weekend and other stuff—and my relationship with God slipped, and my career began to derail.”
To reorient himself and repair his spiritual bond, he says he began the first three days of each month with fasting, Bible study, and continuous prayer—and then he makes music.
BabyChiefDoIt explains that he’s spent a year crafting RAMBO, making it the longest project he’s ever dedicated to. Yet, for him, some of it predates this moment: he wrote “Game Six” as a high school freshman, and three of RAMBO’s 17 tracks date from long ago. He’s cautious about praising his own work, but he’s not shy about acknowledging RAMBO’s significance. “This project feels like a declaration: you pulled off your biggest move with this one,” he confesses.
His description isn’t mere marketing. He states that he usually comes up with an idea quickly and then returns to refine it. He notes that “Game Six” includes live instrumentation because he wanted it to feel expansive. He produced or co-produced several tracks on the LP. He believes his songwriting has grown in depth, even as he maintains an energetic sound. While his catalog has often carried a playfully menacing edge, a shift toward vulnerability—partly inspired by fans’ reactions to YoungBoy Never Broke Again’s L.A. show—has pushed him to open up.
“What really clicked for me is realizing that many listeners connect so deeply because the music stems from a truly vulnerable place,” he says, recalling a time when he rocked a 38 Baby phone case years earlier. “I think that kind of honesty can heal others, so I’ve embraced vulnerability in my music.”
“I feel like God gave me a second chance at life to make this project,” he adds. “So I had to give it everything I had.”
COLD AS ICE
Drake – “Make Them Pay”
Many critics have pointed to Drake’s pettiness, but I’m a fan of Petty Drake. When he’s in peak form, he can be brutally exact, a trait he frequently showcases on his acclaimed new album Iceman. The entire set of “Make Them” tracks is strong, yet this Overkast-produced standout finds Drake at his most vindictive.
Vince Staples – “Blackberry Marmalade”
A Vince Staples rock album wasn’t on my radar, but Big Fish Theory proved to be incendiary, so I’m trusting the direction. This track, along with “White Flag,” feels full of potential.
Meek Mill – “In My Eyes” Freestyle
Meek Mill at his finest: raw, determined, intimidating, with a touch of melodic nuance. This one feels deeply personal, almost like you’re peering straight into his eyes.
Veeze – “Malice In The Palace”
Veeze often carries himself with the aloofness of a lounge-wizard, yet his bars are sharp and vicious. His latest leak tape, Y’all Won, especially “Malice in the Palace,” underscores that if he’d pursued academia, he’d likely have a master’s in Slick Talk: “When I was a kid, True Religions on my robberies / I can’t love no ho, that’s dead—like my heart doesn’t beat.”
Loe Shimmy – “Body So Dangerous”
Loe Shimmy was one of my favorite threads on Drake’s Habibti, so I’m glad he capitalized on the momentum with this track—another luminous, feverish piece that sounds like a high from the outer reaches of space.
Lucki – “No Stars In Maybachs” (Feat. Veeze & Rylo Rodriguez)
Every cut on Lucki’s latest release is solid, but I keep returning to this one—the vibe feels like a stylish, foggy exchange among D‑boys.
Max B & French Montana – “Go Ladies”
A throwback to Coke Wave vibes—fun, funky, and a touch odd. The retro sample is playful and energetic, with a dash of weird. It’s entertaining, even if Max B’s voice still sits a little jagged after his prison term. I’m not sure I’ll ever get completely used to it, but this track works.
Isaiah Rashad – “Boy In Red” (Feat. SZA)
Isaiah Rashad might drop once in a blue moon, but when he does, it’s typically blazing. The consistently strong It’s Been Awful continues the streak. “Boy In Red,” featuring SZA, feels calm, a touch spectral, and meditative, with both artists riding a steady, in-the-zone groove.
JPEGMAFIA – “Pop This Heat”
Pretty much everyone’s fussing about JPEGMAFIA’s album title and the notion that it’s not all that avant-garde, given the name. But I’m taking the opposite stance: Experimental Rap is pretty cool. I’m digging the Skrillex-infused moments, and this warped take on a classic Big Pun sample is superbly strange.
DaBaby – “Pop Dat Thang (Remix)” (Feat. GloRilla, YK Niece, & Yung Miami)
DaBaby’s finest track in years gets a top-tier remix. YK Niece is on her game, GloRilla has been present, and Yung Miami has shared the stage with them for longer than either. The beat remains wild, and there’s a real chance this becomes the Song of the Summer.
