GRAMMY-Award winning Superstar Lil Baby Hits Us With Album 'WHAM'

Lil Baby is back, keeping his promise to deliver more new music. WHAM dropped on January 3rd and quickly secured its place, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. This marks his fourth No. 1 album, starting this new chapter for 2025 strong. The project has already pulled in 140,000 album-equivalent units in the U.S., including 119.77 million on-demand streams and 50,000 album sales. And just when we thought he was done, Baby dropped a deluxe edition with extra tracks—first exclusive to his website before hitting all digital houses.

The opening track, Listen Up, feels like both an intro and outro—it's a conversation, the tone for the album, demanding our attention as the title suggests. It’s his first message to the world. The 15-track project with time given from Young Thug, Future, GloRilla, and Rod Wave. Dum, Dumb, and Dumber with Thug and Future- three ATL mavericks locking in, synching their energy, bar for bar.

Looking back, Baby's rise was from his hunger to make it. Taking him from the streets to the mainstream, it was all hunger, but the question remains: how does a rapper stay on top once the hunger shifts? I’d argue that hunger doesn’t go away, it just evolves. Early on, it was about survival, about getting the next meal. But now, it’s about refining his craft, evolving his art, taking different risks, trial and error and through his music giving back and inspiring others that they too can shift the hunger type. A person who grew up hungry will always carry that memory, even when their table is full.

The production on WHAM is a catalogue worth studying, a diverse range of talented producers. London On Da Track, Nick Lee, Aaron Paris, Wheezy, Juke Wong, Dj Champ, Southside, Frankie Bash, T9C, King LeeBoy, KrazyMob, DJ Moon, Williiskeating, Hurtboy AG, Emildollaz, ThatBoyDaymon, Elementry, Jacques Webster II, Wesley Glass, BeatzbyTaz, Getro, Andyr, Haze, AyoPeeb, Josh Taylor, Splited Stupid, Dez Wright, 9jay, Zeus Negrete, Juko, 2teflon, Lulescu, Wheezy, D.Rich, Baby Tsunami, James Maddocks and Joe Stanley —these are the minds behind the sound that’s keeping Baby at the top of the game. Study them.

Looking at the album rollout, it was more than just promotion—it was a statement. Billboards plastered with the phrase “Whatever Wham Say Goes,” a shoutout to Young Thug's viral tweet, it wasn't just for show. This was cultural commentary. The album trailer had Baby reflecting on his own 'heart' and 'hustle'—two elements that drove him to success, reminding everyone of what got him here in the first place, a theme that often reoccurs within his music.

Of course, opinions on the album have been divided. It’s layered, evolving, and switches into different lanes. Some listeners appreciate the shift, while others prefer the older formula. That’s always how it goes. People may question the numbers—comparing streaming figures to album sales—but to me, that’s irrelevant. Let the art breathe. As Baby told Clash Magazine, "The only thing I care about is people enjoying my music. I try to leave it at that. If it’s outside of that, I really don’t care to feed into it."

‘Streets Colder’ echos this;

“They might have a lot to say, but ain't gon' never face you                                                                   

You gotta learn to embrace it, don't let it break you (Break you)                                                                

It's hard as hell tryna make it, even hard to save me (Tried to save me)"

The "F U 2x" video, directed by Shaq Simmons with Corie Campbell as assistant director, flips rebellion into art. Shot in bold black and white, it didn't need any complicated backdrop. Quick cuts, tight framing, and minimalistic. Kept the focus on Lil Baby. Simmons and Campbell turn flexing into visual language.

The closing track, My Shawty is a smooth 2-minute 33-second ode to the layers of love. Lil Baby wraps up the project with a reflection on that familiar dynamic—caught between affection and uncertainty, unsure of where you truly stand with someone.

“This feel like it's supposed to be                                                                                                      

Locked my heart and lost the key                                                                                                             

You actin' like you got a spare”

Whether you’re connecting with WHAM or not, there’s no denying Lil Baby is working, working even in his sleep. If you caught his fourth annual Lil Baby & Friends concert at State Farm Arena, you saw it firsthand. The show was sold out, with Baby descending from the rafters on a submarine stage, sharing the spotlight with 42 Dugg, 21 Savage, and Sexyy Red. That wasn’t just a concert—it was a reminder of his heart in Atlanta and the dominant impact he’s made on the culture.

And just when you think Baby is slowing down, he teases the next chapter. He’s already promised more music for 2025, making this quick release of WHAM some would say a risky chess move. Teasing Dominique—02/?/25—with the message, “See y’all again in a couple weeks.” It’s clear Baby isn’t slowing down anytime soon.

At the end of the day, though, it’s not about the numbers, the reviews, or the opinions. Artists create—it’s what they do. But they’re often thrust into an industry where the focus shifts from creativity to numbers: views, comments, what’s trending. Avoiding that pressure feels nearly impossible. Sit down with anyone in the business, and metrics will dominate the conversation—stats, comparisons, why one thing outperforms another.

WHAM is someone’s truth. It’s the product of sleepless nights in the studio, stale take away meals, a “you ate baby?” text at midnight,  thoughts shared, and priceless time spent. Music is subjective - personal taste, emotions, life experiences, and cultural backgrounds all shape how someone connects with a song or artist and while we can talk about it, critique it, or even disagree with it, who really has the right to tear down someone’s art? Food for thought.