Lil Baby Explains Why He Avoids Speaking About Controversial Topics

BY Erika Marie 6.9K Views
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Lil Baby, The Bigger Picture
He detailed why he felt it was necessary to create "The Bigger Picture" and explained not using political moments for social media posts.

His "The Bigger Picture" single received earned Lil Babydouble-platinum accolade from the RIAA, but the song was more than just another hit for the acclaimed rapper. "The Bigger Picture" was hailed as being an anthem of sorts as it addressed issues of police brutality and inequality, and Lil Baby spoke at length about his Summer 2020 single with MSNBC's Ari Melber on The Beat.

Despite being dubbed the "Song about George Floyd," Baby shared that his hit single was something he created to be much more than a song of the moment. “I wasn’t gonna make just a George Floyd song. I mentioned what kind of happened in the song a little bit, but it was the whole [experience]," he said.

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"It wasn’t just that incident because it was bigger than that incident," Baby added. "Not saying that incident was not bigger than other incidents, but it was just my chance to speak on the whole thing." He uses his voice when necessary, however, he refrains from posting too much about himself and his political views, especially on social media where his every move is scrutinized by the public.

"I don’t really catch what’s going on or what people are saying,” he said, adding that the 2020 protests couldn't be ignored. "I don’t really wanna just speak on situations, especially when I don’t know the whole backstory [because] something I say might get misinterpreted. So, I’m quiet as far as me posting."

“I speak through my art," said Baby. "I’m not gonna be a George Floyd advocate only," because the rapper believes "it’s deeper than that." He added, "I know people, personally, who got killed by the police. That would be fake of me to post about [Floyd] when I ain’t even post about somebody I know who is going through [a similar situation].”

Check out Lil Baby's interview below and hear him speak at length.


About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.

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