Lil Baby has been crowned “this generation’s 2Pac” by Benzino.
The former Source magazine executive and Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta personality took to Twitter on Thursday (December 1) to give the 4PF rapper his flowers, praising his positive lyrics and the impact his music has on people.
“I been around Hip Hop since day & 1 out of this generations rappers @lilbaby4PF is the most influential & important at this time,” he wrote. “He like PAC’s influence can help turn around young black men to elevate their lives from the streets to a better life. He’s special trust me I know..
“..he’s really from and wit the shits & talks that street talk but he also raps about positive elevation & change, (like Pac), he never beefs online, helps his people and raps about it and you can see his maturity, not just on the mic but in real life, he’s this generations Pac.”
He added: “This generation needs more Lil Baby’s.”
Benzino also responded to a Twitter user who claimed 2Pac “wasn’t active” by bringing up his shootout with police and the time he spent in prison.
“Pac shot 2 cops, mother did time for the black panthers, he did mad time, ran with many killers, brother gunned down, was in every death row beef when got there but he wasn’t active?” he said. “Nah you ain’t active.”
While Lil Baby hasn’t commented on the 2Pac comparisons, he did liken himself to another rap legend, Lil Wayne, on EST Gee’s 2021 song “5500 Degrees.”
“I’m goin’ too crazy, I’m the Wayne of this new generation, n-ggas fugazi / They can’t fuck with us no type of way, these n-ggas too lazy / I’m cut from a different type of cloth, I don’t know who raised ’em / Every time I pop out, I hear women screamin’, ‘Ooh, Baby,’” he rapped.
Lil Baby released his protest song “The Bigger Picture” in 2020 that showed solidarity with the Black Lives Matter protests, calling for justice against police brutality following the murder of George Floyd. But just months later, he revealed he wanted to distance himself from politics.
“The more I’m seeing what’s up with all that shit, the more I’m like, ‘Let me back up off politics,’ ” he told GQ at the time. “I don’t want to be no Malcolm X or Martin Luther [King]. I stuck my nose in it. I’m good on that.”
The Bigger Picture” was a commercial and critical success, peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and receiving nominations for Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance at the 2021 Grammy Awards.
