DaBaby is making it clear he sees himself in hip-hop's top tier, and he's not softening that stance.
During a recent interview with Nadeska Alexis, the Charlotte rapper doubled down on comparisons to Drake, J. Cole, and Kendrick Lamar. Alexis pointed directly to his song "Beneficial," where he raps, "gotta put me there with Cole, Kendrick, Drake." Baby noted that while many artists make similar claims, not all truly believe it.
"A 1000%. A 1000%," he said when asked if he genuinely sees himself on that level.
DaBaby stated that confidence isn't new, as it's been part of his identity since the beginning.
"I always say… I'm the best motherf***ing rapper," he explained. "A lot of people say they the best, but I really mean that. I'm better than these n****s."
He acknowledged that self-belief is common in rap, but emphasized that his mindset goes beyond standard bravado.
"I don't want it to come off like the cliché thing… like 'you should feel like you the best too,'" he said. "That's not what I'm saying. I feel like I have the ability to go anywhere musically."
According to DaBaby, his confidence is rooted in skill more than status.
"If we strip everything away and just go back to being in front of a microphone… I can get in there with the best of them," he added.
While the comments come off as competitive, he also framed them as part of a larger goal. DaBaby said putting that belief out publicly, and backing it up with music, is key to eventually sharing space with those artists.
"It take me saying that type of shit and then putting it on display… for those doors to open," he said, adding that he would welcome collaborations with Drake, Cole, and Kendrick. He also pointed to his freestyle appearances and respect from hip-hop veterans as validation of his claims.
