Lil Baby isn’t bothered by critics who believe his career has lost momentum. The rapper also doesn’t believe his success should be judged by how frequently he releases hit songs.
During a recent appearance on The New York Times’ Popcast, the Atlanta rapper addressed claims that his popularity has declined, explaining why he doesn’t view any stage of his career as a slump.
“To me, though, I don’t have fallow periods,” Baby said when asked about his perspective during periods when his music wasn’t dominating conversations.
He went on to stress that his standing in the music industry remains the same, regardless of how well his latest releases perform.
“Nothing changed from that time to ‘Dead Fresh,'” he said, referring to his recent single. “So it’s like, what would I be in a slump? It don’t change if you put out a hit.”
Baby further explained that reaching his current level of success has given him the freedom to work without constantly feeling pressured to deliver another chart-topping record.
“At the level I’m at, if I put out a hit, I don’t put out a hit, it don’t really change for me,” he said.
Baby used the release of “Dead Fresh” to illustrate his point, explaining that despite the attention the track has received, much of his routine remains unchanged.
“Like now, put out ‘Dead Fresh’ or not, like, I put out ‘Dead Fresh’ and now I’m doing shows,” he explained, pointing out that he was already performing live before the song dropped.
Although he acknowledged that hit records can give an artist an extra boost, Baby suggested that the difference isn’t necessarily something he notices in his day-to-day life.
The discussion also explored his impact on Atlanta’s hip-hop scene and what fans can expect from the next phase of his career.
The Popcast hosts noted that Baby played a major role in shaping Atlanta’s rap sound during the late 2010s before asking if he would be interested in broadening his musical style through pop collaborations and other genres.
Baby expressed enthusiasm about experimenting with different sounds and made it clear that he’s open to such opportunities.
“For sure,” he responded when asked if he would consider those possibilities.
“Now, I honestly believe I could make any kind of song,” he added.
