Hip-hop artist DaBaby is one of the hottest rappers of 2019. Based out of Charlotte, North Carolina, his fame kickstarted in March when he released his album Baby on Baby. The rapper is back with his latest project, KIRK.
DaBaby’s new album features hot artists including Gucci Mane, Kevin Gates, Lil Baby, Moneybagg Yo and more.
There is no doubt DaBaby has made 2019 his year. He has released two albums, hopped on several remixes and been inducted into the year’s XXL Freshman Class. His artistic humor is shown in his goofy music videos, which fans love.
Although he broke into the mainstream fame scene in 2019, DaBaby was working on his rapping dream long before the year. He launched his music career by releasing his debut mixtape, Nonfiction, in 2015, and later released five installments to his Baby Talk mixtape series, which helped him market and eventually perfect his famous style.
DaBaby released KIRK’s opening track, “INTRO,” last week, which got fans hyped and curious about the forthcoming album. In a smart move, the rapper didn’t release any other songs or singles from the album prior to its release, giving listeners more curiosity and excitement. “INTRO” is more of a heartfelt song than what usually comes from DaBaby, but it is admirable of him to show the softer side of himself.
Now that DaBaby is in the mainstream music world with a major label, KIRK seems more calculated than his previous albums, but he owns it well with his excellent hooks and rambling bars.
Jetsonmade and DaBaby collide again after the success of “Suge” to produce “BOP,” which is rightfully, as it is titled, a bop. Flute riffs blend with the beat from the very beginning of the song along with DaBaby’s big-talk lyrics.
On “VIBEZ,” Jetsonmade and DaBaby team up again with 808-heavy beats, while DaBaby expresses his confidence. Furthermore, DaBaby shows listeners he can do any style with “GOSPEL (feat. Chance the Rapper, Gucci Mane & YK Osiris),” which has R&B vibes.
DaBaby gets personal on “GOSPEL” when he raps: “I lost my daddy the same week that they lost Nipsey.” The rapper has experienced a lot of losses in his life, which helps fuel his motivation to make his family proud.
“RAW S--- (feat. Migos)” has a dope piano line blended with the beat, and DaBaby spits throughout the song between Migos’ verses and ad-libs, which are more slow-paced than his. It is an unexpected and difficult combination, but it turns out being worth the risk.
“THERE HE GO,” produced by London on da Track, has DaBaby spitting off lyrics about how far he has come. There are high-pitched voices squeaking along to the beat, which separates the track production wise.
Overall, DaBaby does not disappoint with KIRK. He shows his different sides and styles, all while keeping the album neat and calculated. 2019 is definitely a defining year for DaBaby, and if he keeps the streak going, 2020 can only be better.
