Who is BabyTron, the Detroit rapper who joined Big Sean as a feature on Eminem’s new single, “Tobey“?
Eminem’s latest release from the upcoming album The Death Of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce), isn’t just a showcase for the self-proclaimed Rap God — it’s a multigenerational display of some of the most notable names from the Motor City. While Eminem represents, in many ways, the generation who helped make rap the global phenomenon it is today, and Big Sean is the contemporary hitmaker keeping that legacy alive, BabyTron is the future of the Detroit sound. A love for truly unhinged wordplay ties them all together.
BabyTron is the definition of a Y2K baby, born in July 2000 as James Edward Johnson IV in Ypsilanti, Michigan. He started rapping at just 13 years old, creating the trio Sh*ttyBoyz in high school with friends TrDee and StanWill. A proponent of so-called “scam rap,” BabyTron’s been putting out mixtapes commercially since 2017, garnering his first big looks from outside his hometown when Lil Yachty released his Michigan Boy Boat tape, putting on various rappers from the Great Lake State — including BabyTron, who appeared on “Hybrid.”
Since then, his star has been on the rise, with a seemingly never-ending stream of new projects released through Empire distribution, most recently, MegaTron 2. He was featured as a XXL Freshman in 2022 and some of his notable tracks have included “100 Bars” and “Emperor Of The Universe” with their Cole Bennett-directed videos, and “Prince Of The Mitten.” Check them out below.