DaBaby’s ‘Ball If I Want To’ Is A Defiant Declaration Of Excellence

DaBaby is certainly one of the most outwardly confident rappers in today’s hip-hop game. The North Carolina native has shown it on a number of occasions since the release of his debut album, 2019’s Baby On Baby. While some might question it, he certainly has the accolades and achievements to back it up. With that being said, it comes as no surprise that the rapper is holding on to that confidence on his brand new single, “Ball If I Want To.” The effort defiantly declares his self-proclaimed top-notch status while refusing to listen to anyone who tries to pull him away from it.

Another example of DaBaby’s boastful spirits came just a couple of weeks ago when he delivered a strong claim to his Instagram Story. “Best mf rapper & I’m on ALLLAT shit these n****s LIE about,” he said. “I’m him frfr. If a n**** ain’t tryna work with the real thang he SCARED. The best supposed to compete w/ the best These n****s just TALK like they like dat SHUUUUT UP.”

In addition to releasing his new single, DaBaby is set to perform at the 2021 BET Awards. He also recently joined Polo G in a video for their “Party Lyfe” collaboration and teamed up with Yo Gotti for “Drop.”

Go ahead and press play on “Ball If I Want To” in the video above.

DaBaby, Lil Baby, Tyler The Creator, And More Are Performing At The 2021 BET Awards

The 2021 BET Awards are set to air live on Sunday, June 27 at 8 pm ET/PT live from Los Angeles with a truly impressive lineup of the most performers in the last 21 years. Today, BET announced that those will include performances from Andra Day, City Girls, DaBaby, DJ Khaled, HER, Jazmine Sullivan, Kirk Franklin, Lil Baby and Lil Durk, Migos, Moneybagg Yo, Rapsody, Roddy Ricch, and Tyler The Creator, among others. The show will be hosted by Taraji P. Henson and will honor Queen Latifah with a Lifetime Achievement BET Award.

The nominees are led by DaBaby and Megan Thee Stallion, who are each nominated for seven awards, including Best Female Hip Hop Artist for Megan and Best Male Hip Hop Artist for DaBaby. 2020’s Awards featured performances from Roddy Ricch, Public Enemy, Megan Thee Stallion, DaBaby, D Smoke, Anderson .Paak, Lil Wayne, and more, and set the blueprint for how awards shows could flourish without a live studio audience.

This year’s show will be the first with an audience since 2019, the lowest-rated show in BET Awards history, but it seems some of the lessons the network took away from last year’s show stuck; namely, the focus on performances over bells and whistles.

Watch the 2021 BET Awards 6/27 on BET.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Polo G And DaBaby Join Forces To Show Their Lavish Lifestyles In The Video For ‘Party Lyfe’

While Polo G has had a rough past couple of days, the Chicago rapper can keep his head high as his third album, Hall Of Fame, continues to get positive reviews. The project is also projected to go No. 1 and beat out Migos’ Culture III for the top spot on the albums chart. While we’re a few days away from finding out who will claim that crown, Polo G extends the promotional run for Hall Of Fame with a new video for “Party Lyfe.”

The video, which features DaBaby, gives viewers a look into the lavish lifestyles the two rappers enjoy, from riding around in luxury cars to standing in the middle of a packed party.

Polo G’s latest release arrives after he was arrested in Miami following an album release party for Hall Of Fame. The rapper and an officer “ended up in a struggle on the ground” following a traffic stop for suspected possession of weapons. In the end, Polo G was arrested and charged with battery against a police officer, public servant/influence performance threat, resisting an officer with violence, resisting an officer without violence, and criminal mischief. He was later released after posting a $19,500 bond.

You can watch the video for “Party Lyfe” above.

Hall Of Fame is out now via Columbia Records. Get it here.

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DaBaby Claims Rappers Are ‘Scared’ To Collaborate With Him Because He’s ‘The Best’

Two years ago, DaBaby stepped into the mainstream with his breakout single, “Suge,” which was also the highlight of his debut album, Baby On Baby. Since then, the North Carolina-bred rapper has gone on to become one of hip-hop’s most commercially successful rappers. His 2020 album, Blame It On Baby, and its No. 1 single “Rockstar” with Roddy Ricch are both proof of that. And they’ve only made DaBaby more confident as a rapper.

DaBaby took to his Instagram Story to send a message to his competition. “Best mf rapper & I’m on ALLLAT shit these n****s LIE about,” he declared. “I’m him frfr. If a n**** ain’t tryna work with the real thang he SCARED. The best supposed to compete w/ the best These n****s just TALK like they like dat SHUUUUT UP.”

It’s unknown what exactly DaBaby feels people are lying about, but whatever it is, this outburst may join a growing list of his controversial moments. Last week, one of his Billion Dollar Baby artists, Wisdom, was arrested and charged with attempted first-degree murder with a deadly weapon and aggravated assault with a firearm after he shot a man in the calf following a verbal altercation. On a lighter note, he recently joined Yo Gotti for their strip-club friendly track “Drop.”

Yo Gotti Celebrates His Label’s New Deal With ‘Drop’ Featuring DaBaby

Memphis rapper Yo Gotti is a year removed from his most recent album, Untrapped, which also saw the end of his previous record deal with Epic. Today, he’s returned with a new single, “Drop” featuring DaBaby, just a day after announcing his Collective Music Group’s new deal with Interscope Geffen A&M. The deal will see support for CMG’s roster of burgeoning stars which includes 42 Dugg, EST Gee, and Moneybagg Yo, who recently scored his first No. 1 album.

Meanwhile, Gotti’s new single finds him teaming up with one of the biggest artists of the moment, DaBaby, for a strip club-friendly anthem featuring a digitized loop and a head-bopping, skeletal kick-snare combo perfect for inspiring hip-shaking and booty dropping. The two rappers deliver boastful verses about their appeal to the opposite sex littered with punchlines like “Her ass make a whole lot of noise when I f*ck from the back / And it clap, it’s annoying.”

While Yo Gotti has spent much of the past year laying low musically, he has been busy in other areas, like pursuing prison reform alongside Jay-Z. Filing a lawsuit against the state of Mississippi last February, they saw a big breakthrough in August as Mississippi’s Department of Corrections ended its contract with healthcare provider Centurion over insufficient and neglectful practices.

Listen to Yo Gotti’s new single “Drop” featuring DaBaby above.

DaBaby’s Artist Wisdom Was Reportedly Arrested For Attempted Murder

After DaBaby was reportedly detained and questioned by Miami police after a shooting Monday night, one of his Billion Dollar Baby artists, Wisdom, has been arrested for attempted murder, according to XXL. Police reports obtained by XXL describe a shooting near Prime 112 restaurant on Ocean Drive in which two people sustained injuries; one person was shot in the leg, treated, and released, while the other was hit in the back and is reportedly still hospitalized and possibly paralyzed.

21-year-old Wisdom Awute and 29-year-old Christopher Urena were arrested, with Miami Police Department representatives telling XXL, “In less than 24 hours, Miami Beach detectives were able to ensure those responsible for the shooting were arrested and charged. We will now work closely with the State Attorney’s Office to ensure a successful prosecution.” Wisdom was charged with attempted first-degree murder with a deadly weapon and aggravated assault with a firearm and is being held without bond. Urena’s charges include attempted first-degree murder with a deadly weapon and aggravated assault with intent to commit a felony, third-degree grand theft, and firearm possession by a convicted felon. Each man is charged with shooting a separate victim.

According to the police report, an altercation between two groups had escalated, Wisdom pulled out a gun and shot Emerson Delgado in the calf as he tried to run away. Wisdom was arrested at the JV Marriott Marquis Miami Hotel. DaBaby was released and not charged, according to his lawyer.