Skilla Baby on being a ‘XXL’ Freshman: “I think I’m bringing a breath of fresh air to music right now”

Skilla Baby has been making his rounds, featuring in Yung Miami‘s “CFWM (Can’t F*** With Me)” and DaBaby‘s “Judy,” and it’s earned him a spot in the 2024 XXL Freshman Class.

Speaking to the magazine, he says was ecstatic when he got the news. “This is an accomplishment that everybody wants, but everybody don’t get. It solidifies you in hip-hop ’cause only certain people are part of the Freshman Class,” he says. “It’s some big names in there. You got Lil Uzi Vert, you got J. Cole, Kendrick Lamar, you got Megan Thee Stallion. You got people like that, like. They career skyrocketed. So, it’s big for me.”

Skilla likens his inclusion in the XXL Freshman Class to “being a part of the Hall of Fame” and a way to put on for Detroit, which doesn’t often get noticed in the class.

“I think right now is the right time [for me to be an XXL Freshman] because I think I’m bringing a breath of fresh air to music right now,” he says. “I bring a difference to music. I feel like I’m shape-shifting music, changing music, [making] people want to do what I do in music, perform how I perform. So, I feel like this year is the year for me. I think this is my year.”

Skilla Baby is currently working on a project titled Crack Music 3, dropping either late this year or top of 2025.

On the music front, he names Lil Wayne, Anita Baker, Luther Vandross and Meek Mill as inspirations, but when he’s onstage, he is influenced by the late Michael Jackson. “I like how he performed and stuff like that. I’m influenced by a lot of people,” Skilla says.

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