Jonathan Lyndale Kirk, known professionally as DaBaby, is an American rapper and songwriter born on December 22, 1991.
He rose from Charlotte, North Carolina’s mixtape scene to become one of hip-hop’s most commercially successful artists of 2019 and 2020. His single “Rockstar” spent seven non-consecutive weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
Who is DaBaby?
DaBaby built his name through relentless mixtape output before breaking into the mainstream with Interscope Records in 2019.
His debut studio album, Baby on Baby, reached number seven on the Billboard 200 and produced the top-ten hit “Suge.” He followed it with Kirk, his first number-one album, later that same year.
Beyond his own catalog, DaBaby has appeared on major hits by other artists, including Dua Lipa’s “Levitating” remix and Megan Thee Stallion’s “Cash Shit.” He also runs his own record label, Billion Dollar Baby Entertainment, which he founded in 2017.
Early Life of DaBaby
DaBaby was born in Cleveland, Ohio. His family relocated to Charlotte, North Carolina when he was around six years old, and Charlotte is where he spent most of his childhood and teenage years.
He has said he attended the University of North Carolina at Greensboro for a period before leaving to pursue music, though he has not confirmed completing a degree there. DaBaby has kept most details about his parents private and has not publicly named them.
His father died in 2019, shortly after the release of Baby on Baby. DaBaby’s second album, Kirk, is a tribute to his father and features a cover photo of his father holding him as an infant. In November 2020, DaBaby’s older brother, Glen Johnson, died by suicide at age 34.
DaBaby released the EP My Brother’s Keeper (Long Live G) later that month in tribute to him, and in 2024 he launched a nonprofit initiative called DaBaby Cares focused on youth mental health, named in his brother’s memory.
In November 2018, DaBaby was involved in a fatal altercation at a Walmart in Huntersville, North Carolina, during which 19-year-old Jalyn Domonique Craig was killed. DaBaby was not charged with a crime connected to the shooting.
DaBaby Age
DaBaby is 34 years old as of 2026, born on December 22, 1991. His zodiac sign is Capricorn. He is currently touring behind his fifth studio album, Be More Grateful, released in January 2026.
DaBaby Ethnicity and Nationality
DaBaby is an American citizen and is African American. He has spoken publicly about his Christian faith, once stating, “I’m blessed. I’m covered by the blood of Christ.”
His North Carolina upbringing, particularly his years in Charlotte, is frequently reflected in his music and public persona.
DaBaby Height and Weight
DaBaby stands at 5 feet 8 inches, or about 1.73 meters. His weight has been reported at around 159 lbs, or roughly 72 kg, though this figure is not independently confirmed by current sources.
He is known for a high-energy, physical stage presence built around rapid, staccato delivery.
DaBaby Musical Style and Influences
DaBaby is known for a fast, percussive rapping style. Rolling Stone writer Charles Holmes described his flow as a “staccato, precise, and brutal rapping style” that creates the illusion of breathlessness.
His early mixtapes leaned into a harder, street-oriented sound that gradually became more melodic and radio-friendly by the time of his 2018 mixtape Blank Blank.
DaBaby Education
DaBaby has said he attended the University of North Carolina at Greensboro for roughly two years before leaving to focus on his rap career full time.
He has stated in interviews that he pursued college mainly to satisfy his parents rather than out of personal interest in a degree. No specific high school has been verified through reliable current sources, so that detail is omitted here.
DaBaby Career
Early Career
DaBaby began releasing music in December 2014 under the name Baby Jesus, putting out his first mixtape, Nonfiction, the following month. He performed at South by Southwest in 2015 despite having no prior stage experience.
In 2016, he changed his stage name to DaBaby, explaining the switch in the intro track to his mixtape God’s Work Resurrected.
Between 2016 and 2018, DaBaby released a steady stream of mixtapes, including the Baby Talk series and Billion Dollar Baby.
His 2018 mixtape Blank Blank, distributed through a deal with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation, triggered a bidding war among major labels. That led to a seven-figure recording contract with Interscope Records in January 2019.
Breakthrough Album and Hit Songs
DaBaby’s debut studio album, Baby on Baby, was released in March 2019 and reached number seven on the Billboard 200. Its single “Suge” became a top-ten hit on the Billboard Hot 100.
His second album, Kirk, followed in September 2019 and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, spawning the singles “Intro” and “Bop.”
In April 2020, DaBaby released his third album, Blame It on Baby, which also debuted atop the Billboard 200.
Its lead single, “Rockstar,” featuring Roddy Ricch, spent seven non-consecutive weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and later received diamond certification.
That same year, he appeared on the remix of Jack Harlow’s “Whats Poppin” and on Dua Lipa’s “Levitating” remix, both of which reached number two on the Hot 100.
In July 2021, DaBaby made homophobic and HIV-stigmatizing remarks during a performance at the Rolling Loud Festival in Miami.
The comments led to his removal from several major festival lineups, including Lollapalooza, Governors Ball, and Austin City Limits, and the end of his partnership with the fashion brand BoohooMAN.
DaBaby has since stated in interviews that the fallout cost him well over $100 million in lost bookings and deals.
Recent Work
DaBaby continued releasing music through the following years, including the 2022 collaborative mixtape Better Than You with YoungBoy Never Broke Again and his fourth album, Baby on Baby 2.
On January 5, 2026, he announced his fifth studio album, Be More Grateful, describing it as a more reflective project touching on family and personal growth.
The album was released on January 16, 2026, through South Coast Music Group and Interscope Records, and includes the single “Pop Dat Thang,” which reached the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100.
DaBaby Discography
- Baby on Baby (2019)
- Kirk (2019)
- Blame It on Baby (2020)
- Baby on Baby 2 (2022)
- Be More Grateful (2026)
DaBaby Awards and Recognition
DaBaby has received multiple Grammy nominations without a win to date. At the 62nd Grammy Awards in 2020, he was nominated for Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song for “Suge.”
At the 63rd Grammy Awards in 2021, he earned four nominations, including Record of the Year for “Rockstar.”
He also won Hip-Hop Song of the Year and Best New Hip-Hop Artist at the 2020 iHeartRadio Music Awards.
He has additionally received nominations from the MTV Video Music Awards, American Music Awards, and BET Awards over the course of his career.
DaBaby Tours and Concerts
DaBaby announced the Be More Grateful Tour in February 2026 to support his fifth studio album.
The tour began on March 29, 2026 at the House of Blues in Houston and wrapped on May 14, 2026 at the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles, covering 18 cities across the United States with support from Zeddy Will, H3adband, and Bri3.
He has also continued performing individual shows through mid-2026, including a June 19 concert at the Clarksburg Amphitheater in West Virginia.
DaBaby Relationship Status
DaBaby’s current relationship status is not publicly confirmed. He was previously in an on-and-off relationship with rapper and singer DaniLeigh between 2020 and 2021, and the two share a daughter together.
He has also been linked in the past to entertainer B. Simone, though no relationship between them has been officially confirmed by either party.
DaBaby Children
DaBaby is the father of several children, though he has kept most details about them private.
He has a stepson, Caleb, born in 2014, from a past relationship with his former partner known as MeMe, who is also the mother of one of his daughters. He shares a daughter with DaniLeigh as well.
One of his daughters, known publicly as Twin, has appeared alongside him in recent music videos and is featured on his 2026 single “Don’t Insult Me.”
DaBaby has described his children as a central influence on his more recent, more reflective material.
DaBaby Net Worth
DaBaby’s estimated net worth is $8 million as of 2026. His income has come primarily from album sales, streaming royalties, touring revenue, and his Billion Dollar Baby Entertainment label.
Past brand partnerships, including deals with Adidas and BoohooMAN, also contributed to his earnings before the latter ended its relationship with him in 2021 following his Rolling Loud comments.
DaBaby Social Media
DaBaby is active on several major platforms. He posts on Instagram as @dababy, where he shares music updates, tour news, and family moments. He is also active on X, formerly Twitter, as @DaBabyDaBaby.
He maintains a YouTube channel under the handle @dababy for music videos and visual releases, along with a TikTok account under the same handle for shorter promotional clips.
The Bottom Line
DaBaby built one of the fastest commercial rises in modern hip-hop, topping the Billboard 200 with both Kirk in 2019 and Blame It on Baby in 2020. “Rockstar,” his collaboration with Roddy Ricch, spent seven weeks at number one on the Hot 100 and remains his signature hit.
Charlotte shaped his sound and his identity, and personal loss, including the deaths of his father and brother, has repeatedly surfaced in his music.
His 2020 EP My Brother’s Keeper and his mental health nonprofit DaBaby Cares both trace back to his brother’s death in 2020.
He released his fifth studio album, Be More Grateful, in January 2026 and spent the following spring touring 18 U.S. cities behind it.
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