Photo by Notion
Tampa rapper Big Baby Scumbag has had a very productive 2018. His consistent stream of single releases has kept him in the forefront of the underground, and he’s back again with a music video for his new track, “Metal Gear Solid.” The track borrows its name from the Hideo Kojima PlayStation classic and samples the game as well. What’s ironic about the title is that the Metal Gear series is renowned for its popularization of stealth based gameplay, while Big Baby’s new track is more akin to a full out assault. It’s brash, it’s in your face, it’s unrelenting and it’s fantastic.
“Metal Gear Solid” probably has the darkest and most intense beat that Big Baby has ever rapped over. The legendary Lex Luger fuses the trap stylings he helped popularize with a warped and deranged sample that sounds like the creaking of some monstrous military machine. Sonically it’s apocalyptic, it’s grim, yet even with such a seemingly serious backdrop Big Baby’s personality shines through. His energy is turned all the way up as he shouts through his raps and drops hilarious one liners like, “Hickory, dickory, lickory, swallow me,” that will stick in your head after a single listen.
Metal Gear Solid, I kill ’em on camera
I’m at the opera, I’m in the Phantom
Used to be ugly, but now I’m real handsome
Grant you a wish if you rub on my lantern
Big Baby is still the same dude with the larger than life personality and an admiration for his fan base. But he’s put in the work and gained a lot of traction in the game over the past couple of years and people have noticed. As he notes in the closing refrain, he’s killing his competition in front of an audience now.
Big Baby has made it a point throughout his short career to remain true to himself. He’s still got the same jovial, larger than life personality in his songs. He still interacts with his fans (I’m lookin’ at you Dale). He’s still Big Baby Scumbag. But, he’s gained a lot of traction in the game over the past couple of years and people have begun to notice. As he tells us in the closing refrain, he’s killing his competition in front of an audience now.
You can see how handsome he’s gotten in person when he hits the road with Oliver Francis this fall on the OVERDRIVE tour. In the meantime, check out the video for “Metal Gear Solid” below.