DaBaby’s had an eventful week that included a spat with friend-turned-foe Megan Thee Stallion then publicly inquiring for a verse from Jay-Z before hitting the stage at the BET Awards for an animated performance. Baby’s zany personality and cartoonish visuals have helped him stand out among his peers but it also draws a lot of comparisons. Last week, Lil Duval sent Twitter in a frenzy after declaring DaBaby as the Ludacris of this generation.
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In a recent interview with Billboard at the BET Awards red carpet, DaBaby explained that Ludacris remains an inspiration for his visuals but there are plenty of other artists who helped shape his sound and aesthetic.
“I wouldn’t even say we’re one of the same,” Baby said. “I feel like that’s too commonly used. I think people use that too lightly. I was inspired by Ludacris’ creativity with his music videos. [I was inspired] by a lot of people. Not only people like Ludacris, but people like Nelly. I mean, everybody.”
Along with Nelly, DaBaby also said that Busta Rhymes and even Eminem were people who he drew from. “I feel like as the generations unfolded, people from every era was inspired by somebody from the era before them,” he said. “Even when it boils down to 50 Cent, Eminem, and Mystikal, everybody’s videos used to be crazy. Busta Rhymes’ videos used to be crazy [too]. So I definitely was inspired by Ludacris, Busta Rhymes, and several other artists with their music videos.”