{"id":2400557,"date":"2026-05-03T21:03:09","date_gmt":"2026-05-03T21:03:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2400557"},"modified":"2026-05-03T21:03:09","modified_gmt":"2026-05-03T21:03:09","slug":"dababy-says-hes-on-same-level-as-drake-j-cole-and-kendrick-lamar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/dababy-says-hes-on-same-level-as-drake-j-cole-and-kendrick-lamar\/","title":{"rendered":"DaBaby Says He\u2019s on Same Level as Drake, J. Cole, and Kendrick Lamar"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div data-article-body=\"true\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-yga=\"{\" ylinkelement=\"\" class=\"link \" href=\"https:\/\/www.complex.com\/tag\/dababy\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:DaBaby;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\">DaBaby<\/a> is making it clear he sees himself in hip-hop&#8217;s top tier, and he&#8217;s not softening that stance.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">During a recent interview with Nadeska Alexis, the Charlotte rapper doubled down on comparisons to <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-yga=\"{\" ylinkelement=\"\" class=\"link \" href=\"https:\/\/www.complex.com\/tag\/drake\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:Drake;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\">Drake<\/a>, <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-yga=\"{\" ylinkelement=\"\" class=\"link \" href=\"https:\/\/www.complex.com\/tag\/j-cole\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:J. Cole;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\">J. Cole<\/a>, and <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-yga=\"{\" ylinkelement=\"\" class=\"link \" href=\"https:\/\/www.complex.com\/tag\/kendrick-lamar\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:Kendrick Lamar;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\">Kendrick Lamar<\/a>. Alexis pointed directly to<a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-yga=\"{\" ylinkelement=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=rxzAQX3W0lI\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:his song &quot;Beneficial,&quot; where he raps, &quot;gotta put me there with Cole, Kendrick, Drake.&quot;;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \"> his song &#8220;Beneficial,&#8221; where he raps, &#8220;gotta put me there with Cole, Kendrick, Drake.&#8221;<\/a> Baby noted that while many artists make similar claims, not all truly believe it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;A 1000%. A 1000%,&#8221; he said when asked if he genuinely sees himself on that level.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">DaBaby stated that confidence isn&#8217;t new, as it&#8217;s been part of his identity since the beginning.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-yga=\"{\" ylinkelement=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/www.complex.com\/shop?utm_source=yahoo&amp;utm_medium=syndication&amp;utm_campaign=shop2025\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:COMPLEX SHOP: Shop the brands you love, anytime and anywhere. Uncover what's next. Buy. Collect. Obsess.;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \"><b>COMPLEX SHOP:<\/b> Shop the brands you love, anytime and anywhere. Uncover what&#8217;s next. Buy. Collect. Obsess.<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;I always say\u2026 I&#8217;m the best motherf***ing rapper,&#8221; he explained. &#8220;A lot of people say they the best, but I really mean that. I&#8217;m better than these n****s.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">He acknowledged that self-belief is common in rap, but emphasized that his mindset goes beyond standard bravado.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;I don&#8217;t want it to come off like the clich\u00e9 thing\u2026 like &#8216;you should feel like you the best too,'&#8221; he said. &#8220;That&#8217;s not what I&#8217;m saying. I feel like I have the ability to go anywhere musically.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">According to DaBaby, his confidence is rooted in skill more than status.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;If we strip everything away and just go back to being in front of a microphone\u2026 I can get in there with the best of them,&#8221; he added.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">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.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;It take me saying that type of s**t and then putting it on display\u2026 for those doors to open,&#8221; 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.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"mb-4 text-lg font-bold\">Related News<\/h3>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\"><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"ct:story;elm:img;itc:0;\" class=\"stretched-box\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/entertainment\/celebrity\/articles\/dababy-responds-fan-painting-daughters-193958268.html\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"relative\"><\/div>\n<p><\/a><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p><span>DaBaby Responds to Fan Painting of His Daughters, Sets Boundaries<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\"><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"ct:story;elm:img;itc:0;\" class=\"stretched-box\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/entertainment\/music\/articles\/dababy-reveals-show-rate-went-184246311.html\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"relative\"><img alt=\"DaBaby.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"527\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/0lRpcm7RF2vjlgoyJC_HBA--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTUyNztjZj13ZWJw\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/complex_131\/aed9c23c99bf2ab238803058ccf071de\"\/><\/div>\n<p><\/a><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p><span>DaBaby Reveals Show Rate Went From $300,000 to $30,000 After Homophobic Comments<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\"><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"ct:story;elm:img;itc:0;\" class=\"stretched-box\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/entertainment\/music\/articles\/dababy-takes-hilarious-trip-newarks-220212552.html\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"relative\"><img alt=\"DaBaby performing on stage, wearing a New England Patriots jersey and a white cap, holding a microphone.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"539\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/2v2SSTs7qMJyGKoFszR7.Q--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTUzOTtjZj13ZWJw\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/complex_131\/457a88a118da0ea2b6973667765f8a88\"\/><\/div>\n<p><\/a><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p><span>DaBaby Takes Hilarious Trip Through Newark&#8217;s Terminal C in Ski Mask<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"mb-4 text-xl font-bold md:text-2xl\"><b>Related News<\/b><\/h2>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><b><i><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-yga=\"{\" ylinkelement=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/entertainment\/music\/articles\/joe-budden-predicts-drake-shots-161206841.html\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:Joe Budden Predicts Drake Will Take Shots at J. Cole, LeBron James on \u2018Iceman\u2019\u00a0;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\">Joe Budden Predicts Drake Will Take Shots at J. Cole, LeBron James on \u2018Iceman\u2019\u00a0<\/a><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><b><i><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-yga=\"{\" ylinkelement=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/entertainment\/celebrity\/articles\/xzibit-reveals-1m-tax-debt-224636569.html\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:Xzibit Reveals Over $1 Million in Tax Debt and $66,000 Monthly Income in Divorce Case;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\">Xzibit Reveals Over $1 Million in Tax Debt and $66,000 Monthly Income in Divorce Case<\/a><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-yga=\"{\" ylinkelement=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/www.complex.com\/shop?utm_source=yahoo&amp;utm_medium=syndication&amp;utm_campaign=shop2025\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:COMPLEX SHOP: Shop the brands you love, anytime and anywhere. Uncover what's next. Buy. Collect. Obsess.;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \"><b>COMPLEX SHOP:<\/b> Shop the brands you love, anytime and anywhere. Uncover what&#8217;s next. Buy. Collect. Obsess.<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-yga=\"{\" ylinkelement=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/www.complex.com\/newsletters?utm_source=yahoo&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=newsletter_cta5\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:Making Culture Pop. Find the latest entertainment news and the best in music, pop culture, sneakers, style and original shows.;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \"><b>Making Culture Pop.<\/b> Find the latest entertainment news and the best in music, pop culture, sneakers, style and original shows.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><em> \u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em> \u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.yahoo.com \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>DaBaby is making it clear he sees himself in hip-hop&#8217;s top tier, and he&#8217;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 &#8220;Beneficial,&#8221; where he raps, &#8220;gotta put me there with Cole, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2400558,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[25177],"tags":[347095,25844,317429,37703,468702],"class_list":["post-2400557","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-celebrities","tag-dababy","tag-drake","tag-j-cole","tag-kendrick-lamar","tag-nadeska-alexis"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/DaBaby-Says-Hes-on-Same-Level-as-Drake-J-Cole.jpeg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2400557","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2400557"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2400557\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2400559,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2400557\/revisions\/2400559"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2400558"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2400557"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2400557"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2400557"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}