Babychiefdoit: The next big thing in Chicago

Everybody looks for the next big artist to come out of their city. Drake from Toronto, Kendrick Lamar from Compton, and Lil Uzi Vert from Philadelphia are all prime examples. Here in Chicago, we’ve already seen legends emerge—Kanye West, Chance the Rapper, Chief Keef, Lupe Fiasco, and many more. But one artist on the rise who could someday join that list is BabyChiefDoit.

BabyChiefDoit, also known as Jayden Whitter Jones, has taken over both the Chicago drill scene and the broader rap world seemingly out of nowhere. Starting with freestyle performances at open mics across Chicago neighborhoods, he quickly built a following through social media before dropping catchy tracks over hard-hitting beats. What makes him stand out is his storytelling and sharp lyricism. On his breakout 2024 hit “Viper,” from his debut album Animals Only, he raps, “All sharks and piranhas, why the **** would you jump in this water? You know you a fish.” The album received critical acclaim, with Pitchfork giving it a 7.6 rating and praising it as one of the year’s best debuts—an impressive feat for a first full-length project.

Instead of coasting off that early success, BabyChiefDoit kept pushing in 2025. He streamed with Plaqueboymax, worked in the studio with Sexyy Red, and landed a major spot at Summer Smash. There, he brought unforgettable energy and debuted the track that would launch him further into the mainstream: “Went West.” With its fiery chorus, clever punchlines, and self-produced beat, the song became a Billboard Hot 100 hit and cemented his place as one of rap’s brightest young stars. It even earned him the No. 1 spot on Complex’s “Best Teen Rappers” list for 2025.

At just 17 years old, BabyChiefDoit has helped revive Chicago drill while pushing it into a new era. He may not yet be at the level of Kanye, Chance, or Chief Keef, but one thing is clear, he’s well on his way.