DaBaby

When I started coming on my music the way I was coming on freestyles - just relentless, at your neck, as soon as the beat starts, that's when everything really clicked.

Early on in my life, I got two older brothers; we used to listen to Eminem, 50 Cent, Lil Wayne.

There was so much music growing up. But definitely Lil Wayne was a big influence because I had more of an understanding of what I was listening to when I was getting older.

I was all about touching people and influencing people, I always been that type of person. I was the one teaching people things, I just always had a way with my words and I always spoke with substance.

I don't even listen to peoples' music... I'm really in-tune with my craft, I listen to me all day long.

Everything is organic. I got the wordplay, I got the vocabulary to really, really rap.

He's from Fayetteville. I'm from Charlotte. We got two different upbringings. All in all though, I love J. Cole's perspective and I love his music. I love his approach. It's just two different things.

Charlotte, it's what somebody from New York or L.A. would say is a small town, but it isn't. It's right in between being a small town and a city. It's more of a city.

Anybody that is trying to go into business with me, of course, I'm gon' do my research on them.

Some songs I rap before the beat even play and I enjoy doing that. I like walking the beat down.

My Internet presence was definitely bigger than the music. I'm so good at marketing, so once I knew I had them looking, I turned up with the music. I knew what I was doing - it was premeditated.

I made that a point when I was creating my sound from the beginning, I didn't want to sound like anybody. Once I kind of found my own sound, I mastered it.

People are unpredictable at the end of the day.

It's just the risk that I take and the sacrifice that I make: Putting myself, my career, my family's peace of mind on the line just to do right by my fans. It ain't no gray area: You're either with that and willing to go out of your way to make people who contribute to your dreams coming true happy or you aren't.

My name was originally Da Baby Jesus, but I changed it like two years into my career because I didn't want to offend anyone; although I feel like my purpose in the game is related and still is, I didn't want my name to be a distraction from the music.

I am the type where I don't worry about anything else but how to top what I did yesterday. My main goal is to top what I did before.

I'm pretty sure my expectations are higher than the average person's. It just sets standards.

I'm an early 1990's baby, so I had the pleasure of going through a lot of eras in music.

I love it when you have to perform at a certain level or else. That's when I'm at my best.

I'm a force to be reckoned with.

When you got a sound that don't sound like nobody else and it's brand new, you've got to feed it to 'em. You've got to force it on 'em.

I like to have fun with my videos and performances, that's the most fun part when it comes to the music. I get to show off my character.

No, I wasn't a bad kid. I was always intelligent, and strong-minded, and outgoing, like I am now.

I like pressure.

The music I make, it's so hard. I listen to it 100,000 times before it even drops.