Skilla Baby Claims Detroit Doesn’t Have A Consensus GOAT Rapper

Skilla Baby has build a lot of buzz in the 2020s. The rapper protege of Sada Baby has established a unique sound and delivery. He’s also vocal about being from Detroit, and repping the city’s history of legendary artists. That being said, Skilla Baby does not prescribe to the theory that Eminem is the best the city has to offer. He said as much during a recent appearance on This Is Keke Palmer podcast. He not only pushed back against the Em theory, but articulated a greater issue within Detroit hip-hop.

Skilla Baby had no claiming that Eminem does not have a stranglehold over Detroit hip-hop the way the rest of the country assumes. “I don’t know because if you think number-wise Eminem is the best Detroit rapper,” the rapper posited. “But the gag is nobody would say that in Detroit.” He conceded that he was a fan of Shady when he was younger, but notes that the rapper’s status among younger Detroit artists has faded over time. “I was an Eminem fan as a kid,” he noted. “I’m a fan of Eminem but do we consider him our best rapper? I don’t think Detroit does.”

Keke Palmer knew that her guest was veering into controversial territory, and asked Skilla who his pick for Detroit’s best is. He didn’t named a single artist, but rather a revolving door of them. In Skilla Baby’s estimation the mantle for the city’s best is constantly changing. “Everybody had their turn being Detroit’s favorite rapper,” he theorized. “Sada Baby had his turn, Tee Grizzley had a turn, [42] Dugg had a turn, Babyface Ray had a turn.” Skilla Baby also have love to some of the younger artists who have brought attention to Detroit in recent years. Selflessly, he didn’t include himself.

“Veeze is one of Detroit’s best rappers now,” Skilla added. “Baby Smoove, Big Kizz – a lot of artists had their turn. Rocaine… Everybody had their turn being the best in the city.” The rapper claimed that the lack of a definitive GOAT Detroit rapper is a bug and not a feature, however. “What we lack is consistency,” he asserted. “Nobody’s consistently been Detroit’s best rapper.” Maybe Skilla Baby is one of the artists who can correct this perceived inconsistency.