Lil Baby Addresses Critics Who Think He Fell Off: 'Nothing Changed'

Lil Baby isn't concerned about people who believe his career has slowed down, and he doesn't think his success should be measured by whether he's consistently dropping hit records.

During a recent appearance on The New York Times' Popcast, the Atlanta rapper addressed the perception that he's experienced a decline in popularity, explaining why he doesn't consider any period of his career a slump.

"To me, though, I don't have fallow periods," Baby said when asked about his mindset during stretches when his music wasn't dominating the conversation.

The rapper explained that his position in the industry hasn't changed, regardless of how his latest releases perform.

"Nothing changed from that time to 'Dead Fresh,'" he said, referencing his recent single. "So it's like, what would I be in a slump? It don't change if you put out a hit."

Baby went on to explain that reaching a certain level of success has allowed him to operate without feeling pressure to constantly deliver another hit.

"At the level I'm at, if I put out a hit, I don't put out a hit, it don't really change for me," he said.

He pointed to the release of "Dead Fresh" as an example, noting that although the record has generated attention, he's still doing many of the same things he was doing before it arrived.

"Like now, put out 'Dead Fresh' or not, like, I put out 'Dead Fresh' and now I'm doing shows," he explained, noting that he was already performing before the song's release.

While he acknowledged that successful records can provide additional momentum, Baby suggested that their impact isn't something he necessarily feels in his everyday life.

The conversation also turned to his influence on Atlanta's rap scene and how he plans to approach the next chapter of his career.

The Popcast hosts pointed out that Baby helped define Atlanta's sound during the late 2010s before asking whether he would consider expanding his musical range through pop collaborations and other styles.

Baby made it clear that he's open to exploring different sounds moving forward, and he’s confident such collaborations would work.

"For sure," he responded when asked whether those possibilities were on the table.

"Now, I honestly believe I could make any kind of song," he added.