‘First Alert’: Babyface Ray Is Putting on for Detroit

Babyface Ray is an on-the-rise hip-hop artist from Detroit who was recently crowned a First Alert by Hip Hop Nation (Ch. 44), a series that highlights breakout artists. To celebrate, we asked him a few questions about his upbringing, his latest song “Spend It” with Blxst and Nija Charles, and his future plans for the year.

Q: How has being from Detroit impacted you as an artist?

A: Being from Detroit has impacted me because of the situations, the things we go through, how we live, our environment, and how we are brought up. All of that impacts me as an artist because I paint a picture of everything, you know what I’m saying?

Q: What inspired your record “Spend It” featuring Blxst and Nija Charles?

A: The record “Spend It” was influenced by Pooh Beatz. He is a producer from Detroit, Michigan. Just like any other night being in the studio working, he had some ideas where Nija was already on a song and he pulled it up. I was kind of hesitant to do it, but I ended up getting it done, and we added Blxst after that. That’s how that went.

Q: What inspired your artist name?

A: That is crazy. Who inspired my name was actually myself. I am just me. Being out and being of age to do things, like go to the club, the casino, and buy liquor, and cigarettes… I always had a baby face that made me look younger. When I was 21, 22, 23, they all thought I was underage, from the clubs to the gas station clerk, and I ended up saying it in a verse before and the name just stuck.

Q: Dream collabs?

A: Some of the dream collabs that I’ve got in mind are some of the people I have listened to the most. Jay-Z, Future, Lil Uzi, and producers like Pharrell Williams, and anyone who is capable of making good music. Drake, you know, of course the top names. It is a lot of fire people out here that’s in the industry, that do music that I would love to collab with. Even the ladies, you know, I f*** with Tierra Whack, I f*** with Tyler, the Creator, I f*** with A$AP Rocky, and the list can go on because I am just a fan of music period you know?

Q: What’s next on your calendar for 2023? Give us the big picture.

A: Next on my calendar for 2023, it’s going to be a big major year for me because now that I understand the industry I’m more intrigued to learn more about the business and being able to help the ones under me. You know what I’m saying? As far as executive producing some albums, signing some artists, signing some producers, and to continue to build other ways other than verbally putting music out over beats. I want to find a way to become one of them ones regardless of putting a tape out.