Biography

Jonathan Lyndale Kirk (born December 22, 1991), popularly known by his stage name DaBaby, is a talented and passionate American rapper and songwriter.

After releasing numerous mixtapes between 2014 and 2018, he rose to fame in 2019 with his debut studio album titled Baby on Baby, which peaked at number 7 on the Billboard 200. In contrast, his second studio album, Kirk, debuted at number 1.

DaBaby‘s career as a rapper has remained successful. He has been nominated for six Grammys, earned four MTV Video Music Award nominations, and won three ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards.

DaBaby
DaBaby: History • Bio • Photo
Wiki Facts & About Data
Real Name:	Jonathan Lyndale Kirk
Stage Name:	DaBaby
Born:	22 December 1991 (age 32 years old)
Place of Birth:	Cleveland, Ohio, United States
Nationality:	American
Height:	1.72 m
Parents:	N/A
Siblings:	Glen Johnson
Wife • Spouse:	Not Married
Girlfriend • Partner:	DaniLeigh (ex.), Latoia Danet (ex.), MEME (ex.), Slim Danger (ex.)
Children:	Ashley, Nova
Occupation:	Rapper • Songwriter
Net Worth:	US$6 million

Early Life

DaBaby was born in the city of Cleveland, Ohio, on December 22, 1991. In 1999, he moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, where he spent most of his early years. 

He grew up listening to and idolizing Eminem, 50 Cent, Lil Wayne, and his two older brothers. One of his brothers is named Glen Johnson.

DaBaby‘s father died in 2019, shortly after releasing his debut studio album. His second album served as a tribute to his last name and contained a picture of his father on the cover. 

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His brother, Glen Johnson, died in November 2020, at age 34, from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. 

Education 

DaBaby attended Vance High School (now known as Julius L. Chambers High School), where he graduated in 2010. 

Then he attended the University of North Carolina at Greensboro for just two years but did not complete his studies, stating he only went to college for his parents’ sake.

Career 

In 2015, DaBaby‘s career in music experienced a remarkable turn when he released his debut mixtape titled Nonfiction. However, it was deemed amateurish and thus failed to attract music lovers. Not disheartened by the poor reception of his debut mixtape, he continued to work on his next project, another mixtape.

DaBaby also did not have any prior on-stage experience. Charlotte, North Carolina, where he lived, did not have a great rap music scene either. Thus, he tried looking for better options. In the spring of 2015, the young American moved to Austin, Texas, to participate in the annual South by Southwest Music Festival. He proved his talent by performing live on many of his tracks from his mixtapes.

DaBaby gained positive vibes at the festival and then released another mixtape in 2016 titled God’s Work: Resurrected. He managed to bring the renowned Boosie Badazz to collaborate with him.

The mixtape God’s Work: Resurrected worked better than his debut mixtape, earning him a lot of needed attention. In the absence of a record label, he usually released his singles and albums independently on online platforms such as ‘SoundCloud,’ where he developed a significant fanbase over the years.

In the following months, DaBaby released a couple of mixtapes, such as Back on My Baby Jesus Sh!t Again and Billion Dollar Baby. With each new single, he gained more popularity. He also gained fame with his Baby Talk series of mixtapes.

Furthermore, he released the first instalment of his Baby Talk mixtape in January 2017; it is arguably his most successful tape. The same year, the fast-rising rapper released three more instalments. All were successful. He also participated at the South by Southwest Music Festival that year, where he performed live.

Of all his singles from his mixtapes, one stood out the most; it was titled Light Show, a single released in 2016 and became immensely successful. The single became immensely popular on platforms such as Datpiff, SoundCloud, and YouTube, making DaBaby an internet sensation.

In June 2018, DaBaby released Baby Talk 5, the last instalment of the ‘Baby Talk’ series. In November of that year, he released yet another mixtape titled Blank Blank, fairly successful.

Notwithstanding, a huge career breakthrough came his way in early 2019 when he announced to the delight of well-wishers that he had signed a deal with one of the biggest music labels in the country called Interscope Records.

DaBaby also disclosed working on his debut studio album titled Baby on Baby. The album was officially released in March 2019 and had 13 tracks. As guests, it featured several popular artists, such as Rich Homie Quan, Offset, and Rich the Kid.

The album became an instant success. It debuted at the 25th spot on the ‘Billboard 200’ chart and eventually rose to the seventh spot. A single from the album, entitled Suge, became particularly popular amongst listeners and claimed the eighth spot on the US Billboard Hot 100.

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On July 27, 2020, DaBaby released a new single opposite his signee Stunna 4 Vegas, No Dribble. It was added to the deluxe edition of Blame It on Baby, which was released on August 4, 2020. On November 20, 2020, he released his debut EP titled My Brother’s Keeper (Long Live G). It aimed at paying tribute to his late brother Glen Johnson and features appearances from Polo G, and Meek Mill, among others.

On January 15, 2021, DaBaby released a new single called Masterpiece, featuring a music video for the track directed by Gemini Visions. And on February 19, 2021, DaBaby released a remix to SpotemGottem‘s single titled Beat Box and a music video. 

Awards & Nominations

DaBaby is a spectacular rapper who rose from the bottom to become an iconic celebrity. He has been nominated for six Grammys, including Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance for “Suge” in 2020, Best Rap Performance for “BOP” in 2021, and Best Rap Song, Best Melodic Rap Performance, and Record of the Year for “Rockstar” in 2021. 

In addition, the American star has earned four MTV Video Music Award nominations; Song of Summer for Suge in 2019, Rockstar in 2020, Best Hip-Hop for BOP on Broadway in 2020, and Artist of the Year in 2020.

DaBaby clinched three ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards in 2020, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Song for Suge and Winning R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for Baby Sitter and Cash Shit. He has also received 11 BET Award nominations, winning Best Male Hip Hop Artist in 2020 and he won a BET Hip Hop Award for Best New Hip Hop Artist in 2019. 

He earned eight “Billboard” Music Award nominations in 2021, with “Rockstar” taking home the Top Rap Song and Top Streaming Song prizes.

Social Media 

DaBaby has fast become fans’ favourite, attracting more followers to his social media accounts. 

The Cleveland-born star now has over 2.5 million followers on Instagram, coupled with over 3.6 million likes on his Facebook page. He is also available on Twitter.

• Instagram: @dababy
• Twitter: @DaBabyDaBaby
• Facebook: DaBaby

Personal Life 

DaBaby is a young artist with great swags and a remarkable physical appearance. He is 5 feet 8 inches (173 cm, 1.73 m) tall and weighs about 72kg (159 Ibs). 

He is healthy-looking with body measurements 39–12.8–31(Chest – 42 in or 99.5 cm, Arms and Biceps – 13.5 in or 35 cm, Waist – 34 in or 88 cm). His hair is dark black, whereas his eyes are dark brown. 

DaBaby has three children, the firstborn in 2017. He dated an American singer named DaniLeigh, in 2020. However, they split in February 2021 after lyrics in her song- “yellow bone that’s what he wants”, stirred controversy. 

Months after the split, it was reportedly confirmed that DaBaby had fathered a child with the singer after an incident between the pair was recorded and posted on Instagram.

He has been in relationships with DaniLeigh (2020-2021), Latoia Danet and MEME (DaBaby‘s baby momma) (2014).

DaBaby has had an encounter with Slim Danger. He is a father; DaBaby is the father of Ashley and Nova.

Controversies

DaBaby was involved in an incident in Huntersville, North Carolina, where a 19-year-old man was shot in the abdomen and died soon after. He, however, confirmed his involvement in the shooting and said he acted in self-defence. 

Notwithstanding, the most serious charges were dropped in March 2019, even when he pleaded guilty to carrying a concealed weapon, a misdemeanour.

In January 2020, the rapper was detained and questioned in Miami in connection with a robbery investigation. However, he was later arrested after authorities discovered he had an arrest warrant out in Texas stemming from a battery charge. 

According to several media publications, his crew members allegedly jumped and robbed a music promoter who only paid Dababy the sum of US$20,000 of the US$30,000 he was owed for a performance in Miami. 

Reports that he and his associates allegedly took US$80 cash, a credit card, and an iPhone 7 from the promoter. DaBaby was subsequently charged with battery but released from Miami-Dade County jail 48 hours later.

During DaBaby‘s 2020 “Up Close N Personal” tour, he allegedly slapped a female fan on his way to the stage for a performance in Tampa, Florida. The annoyed crowd responded by booing. Thus he left the venue without performing any songs. He, however, later disclosed while apologizing that he struck her because she placed her phone too close to his face while taking a video with the flash on. 

In February 2022, the American rapper and his crew assaulted DaniLeigh‘s brother Brandon Bills at a bowling alley in the Los Angeles area.

Net Worth 

DaBaby is an established American rapper and songwriter who has earned an estimated net worth of US$6 million. 

In 2019, he paid US$2.3 million for an 11,300 square foot apartment located in the small town of Troutman, North Carolina. 

The mansion includes five bedrooms, 8.5 bathrooms, a home theatre, and a wine cellar, and the nine-acre property also features concrete walls, guard towers, and stadium lighting. 

Discography

• Baby on Baby (2019)
• Kirk (2019)
• Blame It on Baby (2020)