SPOTLIGHT
Lil Baby: An Atlanta
Rap Star Is Born
L
IL BABY IS one of the year’s biggest breakout stars, scoring 9 billion
streams and a Best New Artist win at the BET Awards. “Every day,
I got a new accomplishment,” says the 24-year-old Atlanta rapper.
Today’s accomplishment: picking up the 10-piece extra-crispy chicken from
his hometown’s American Deli. Lil Baby’s been frequenting the spot since
childhood, where a longtime employee whom Baby calls “Auntie” has his
order ready when he walks in. (“She was a big fan before I started rapping,”
he says.) Lil Baby’s hip-hop career began in 2017, after he spent years in and
out of prison and juvenile detention. Baby quickly distinguished himself
with melodic, aggressive songs about his life in Atlanta (“TSA harass me,
so I took a private plane,” he raps on “Drip Too Hard”). Now Lil Baby is
recording the follow-up to his Top 10 album, Harder Than Ever, at late-night
sessions that usually start after his two sons go to sleep. “I came out [of
prison] with a different mindset that has turned me into who I am today,”
Lil Baby says. “I’m shooting for the sky.” ANGIE MARTOCCIO
Three years ago, the rapper was in prison. Now he’s racking up
billions of streams and getting VIP service at his favorite deli