GRAMMY PREVIEW:
DABABY TALK

With three hit albums in 13 months and his monster cut “Rockstar” a seeming shoo-in for Grammy love, SCMG/Interscope’s DaBaby has rapidly established himself as one of hip-hop’s most prolific and high-scoring next-gen stars. The Charlotte-based dynamo hit pause on his busy schedule just long enough to fire off succinct responses to our questions, but only because he thought they were coming from Billboard.

“Rockstar” topped every chart possible this year. Why do you think it resonated so strongly and for so long?
It’s GOOD MUSIC, and good music is gonna stick every time.

You were nominated for a few Grammys last year. What would a win mean to you?
It would definitely be a major accomplishment; I think it would mean even more to the people around me than me myself. I don’t really dwell on wins or losses.

How have you adjusted to creating and delivering your art as your audience, fame and resources have grown?
Absolutely—my last name Kirk. All I do is make adjustments and keep growing; that’s just how I’m set up.

You’ve had a relentless two years, with three albums released within the last 18 months. Have you had a chance to soak in the success?
Not really, especially before the COVID-19 breakout. I’ve had a lot more time lately to realize what I just accomplished over the past 18 months. I’m far from finished, though.