Cx1DJs We Do Things Different Podcast "Untold Stories of DaBaby" hosted by DJButterrock

Cx1DJs We Do Things Different Podcast "Untold Stories of DaBaby" hosted by DJButterrock

Jonathan Lyndale Kirk[3] (born December 22, 1991), known professionally as DaBaby (formerly Baby Jesus), is an American rapper. After releasing several mixtapes between 2014 and 2018, he signed with Interscope Records in January 2019. His debut studio album, Baby on Baby (2019), spawned the single "Suge", which peaked within the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 a month after its release.

His second studio album, Kirk (2019), debuted atop the Billboard 200 and spawned the hit singles "Intro" and "Bop". That same year, he guest appeared on the singles "Enemies" by Post Malone and "Cash Shit" by Megan Thee Stallion. His third album, Blame It on Baby (2020), also peaked the Billboard 200; its single, "Rockstar" (featuring Roddy Ricch), spent seven non-consecutive weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 in the wake of that year's George Floyd protests. Furthermore, it received quintuple platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and was nominated for Record of the Year at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards.

In 2020, he guest performed on the remix of "Whats Poppin" by Jack Harlow and the single "Levitating" by Dua Lipa, both of which peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100. In the wake of controversies regarding homophobia, he released the collaborative mixtape Better than You (2022) with YoungBoy Never Broke Again, followed by his fourth album, Baby on Baby 2 (2022). Kirk's fifth album, Be More Grateful (2026), included the top-40 single "Pop Dat Thang".

Early life
Jonathan Lyndale Kirk was born on December 22, 1991,[a] in Cleveland, Ohio.[6] He moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, at age six, where he spent most of his early years.[7] He attended Zebulon B. Vance High School, now called Julius L. Chambers High School, where he graduated in 2010.

He attended the University of North Carolina at Greensboro for two years.[8] He did not complete his studies, saying he only went to college for his parents' sake.[9] He grew up listening to Eminem, 50 Cent and Lil Wayne with his two older brothers.[10]

Career
2014–2018: Early mixtapes
Kirk began taking music seriously between 2014 and 2015.[9] In 2015, he started off his music career by releasing Nonfiction, his debut mixtape. He followed this up with his God's Work mixtape series, Baby Talk mixtape series, Billion Dollar Baby, and Back on My Baby Jesus Sh*t. He initially performed under the name Baby Jesus, which he eventually changed out of concern that it had become a distraction.[11]

Kirk got his big break after signing to Arnold Taylor, the president of the South Coast Music Group label, a big radio promoter. Taylor saw Kirk perform around North Carolina clubs at the time he [Taylor] was launching his label. Taylor had been responsible for the early rise of Southern rap stars including Yo Gotti and Future.[9] Once they started working together, the team kept building buzz around the South with mixtapes and club shows, while Kirk was finding his sound.[11]

Through his deal with South Coast, Kirk signed a short-lived distribution deal with Jay-Z's Roc Nation for his Blank Blank mixtape that would prove to be his breakout in late 2018.[11] Thanks to the guidance of Taylor, and following major label bidding wars, Kirk landed a seven-figure recording deal with Interscope.[9]