“Everybody f*** up, but I’m one of the ones that can keep it 100 at all times. I don’t care what position you in, I’m still gonna keep it 100.” Flint rapper Babyfxce E’s definition of real isn’t rooted in glamour or praise; realness to him comes from honesty and service. Adopting the title Da Realest for his latest album, that label isn’t about bravado or branding—it’s a responsibility.
That commitment—to self-assurance, to craft, to the people around him—runs through every corner of his new album Da Realest, a project built on storytelling, Flint‑bred wordplay, and the relentless pace his fans have come to expect. Sitting with Newsweek, the Michigan musician broke down his latest album, his artistic process and philanthropic efforts.
A Hobby That Became a Lifeline
Before music became a career, it was simply a way to pass the time. Babyfxce E recalls stepping into the studio “just playing around,” only to realize people weren’t just listening—they were convinced he could tap into something more. “Everybody was telling me my music was hard. It kind of was a hobby at first,” the 23-year-old says. But the shift came when he noticed real support building behind his budding lyricism. “I realized I could make money, a legal way to get some money,” he adds, explaining how music served as an escape from other illicit activities.
The Michigander credits support from his closest friends and family as the catalyst for his rise in the world of hip hop. Babyfxce E credits the people closest to him as the ones who kept him going when he had nothing. “My brother and his mans, D-Law, they was helping me with video shoots or getting outfits,” he recalls. “I spent all my money on my studio, they kind of helped me pick up the rest.”
Driven by the Fans
Since then, the witty musician has become the go-to artist for the Michigan rap scene, being tapped for features from some of the Mitten’s most accomplished emcees. Babyfxce E’s work ethic isn’t rooted in competition or industry pressure—it’s a testament to the people listening. Since his debut project Life of a Reaper in 2022, the “PTP” hitmaker has released a project almost every year, something he attributes entirely to fan energy.
“It don’t even be about me no more. It be about my fans,” he says. “I want to drop two, three projects a year. I be wanting to give them the music.” Even their critiques motivate him. “If they say he could’ve did better, ‘OK bet’—I’m going back to the drawing board,” added the Vehicle City native.
Punching In With Precision
A hallmark of Babyfxce E’s creative process is his punch‑in method—recording line by line instead of writing lyrics. According to the emcee, he struggled early on sorting through the wave of ideas as they flowed extemporaneously. “I’d be having so many different routes all on one line,” he recalls. It was fellow Flint rapper Louie Ray’s manager, Los, who told him to stop overthinking: “Just say what you got to say right here, if you don’t get everything, say it on the next one.”
That advice pushed him toward a more instinct‑driven approach. “Sometimes my best music is when I just get in there and don’t think,” he reveals. His background in freestyling sharpened that reflex: “When you freestyling, you gotta be thinking of that next lyric while you getting that lyric off.” The real challenge, he jokes, is pronunciation—sometimes saying a single word multiple times in various ways until it lands perfectly.
Fans and peers alike have praised Babyfxce E for his witty and layered lyricism—a skill he believes many overlooked early on. “At one point I feel like people wasn’t really catching on but I just didn’t care,” reflected the rapper, who was recently touted as one of the 10 best new lyrical rappers by Complex. Over time, he trusted listeners to come around: “One day people gonna dissect it and be like, oh s***—that’s what he said.”
His snappy lyricism runs the gamut across the album’s 16 tracks, malleably navigating references to reality TV and deep-cut athletes while weaving narrative-driven street tales. His bars often hinge on double entendres that reward listeners who run them back. “It be going over people heads but hopefully somebody catch it,” the “Trackhawk” rapper laughed.
Flint’s DNA—and Its Distance
Babyfxce E’s sound is inseparable from Flint. The city has built a unique regional sound that often hinges on absurdist punch lines rapped in a deadpan matter-of-fact manner. “Everybody really just focusing on they careers for real,” he says, adding that he felt that the era of constant collaboration had cooled. Babyfxce E hopes to return to the halcyon days of the city’s collaborative efforts, and he’s taking the strides to do so: “I kind of brought everybody back together with the Flint Flow song.”
Still, he’s clear-eyed about the challenges within the city and the music industry. Flint’s rap scene is small, insular and often fractured behind the scenes, but to him, it’s home—and one to which he actively gives back.
Giving Back to a City That Raised Him
Shining light and supporting the city through philanthropic efforts isn’t a checklist for Babyfxce E; it’s instinct. His giving nature is hardwired into his DNA, down to feeling beholden to his fans to release music more often. That sense of duty is magnified tenfold when it comes to supporting his hometown. Recently, the rapper partnered with Charlotte Hornets star point guard LaMelo Ball to supply a number of Flint-area schools with new basketball shoes.
“The city always showed me love,” he says, recalling a moment early in his career when a crowd sang his lyrics even though he had only “two, three songs out.” That memory is forever ingrained in the rapper’s mind, spurring him to support the city as much as it supported him. “Flint so messed up, I feel like I’ve been put in a position to help. It’d be crazy for me not to,” he said.
The acclaimed emcee has gone from underappreciated to highly anticipated as he prepares to head out on Da Realest Tour in May in support of his celebrated LP. The 20-date tour marks his first-ever headlining run, and the proud Great Lakes State representative is starting it off with a home-field advantage by kicking off in Detroit, a short drive from his hometown.
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