Baby Tate is addressing the critics who have accused her of copying the likes of Nicki Minaj and Lil Kim in the past.
In her new freestyle with On The Radar, published on Wednesday (April 10), Tate clarified that she has been inspired by the two legendary rappers, among others – as she was born in 1996.
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“Hold on, bitch I’m blown/I just got up on the internet, they said I’m a clone/Now I was born in 1996/So of course it’s some shit I done picked up on/They say I blink like Nicki, dress like Kimmy/Get real freaky on the track like Missy/Cocky like RiRi, rough like E-V-E/But I don’t understand why n-ggas won’t let me be me!”
Later on the track, she pays homage to many other women who came before her, including her mom, Dionne Farris of the group Arrested Development. She also calls attention to the fact she’s only being compared to other Black women in rap and not other artists like white women or Black men.
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“It’s none of my concern anymore/’Cause I waited patiently for my turn at the door/So I’ma keep it open for the ones that come after/While I give thanks to the ones from before/Once again that’s Nicki, Kim, Missy, RiRi, Eve, Dionne, Lauryn, Left Eye, Kelis/Unfortunately ‘cause I’m Black that’s all they see!
“But if I wasn’t, what would comparisons be?/Huh, Madonna, Gaga, Gwen Stefani/And since I’m a woman they don’t see Kendrick in me/They don’t hear the Ye and they don’t see the P/Like if you finna do it, do it equally!”
Following the release of her From The Block freestyle on February 8, some Barbz felt that Baby Tate’s animated delivery and her look, which incorporated a wig with bangs, were a direct bite off of Nicki Minaj.
“Sounds like you have potential but looks like you biting Nicki Minaj’s style too much. You’ll always be compared to her if you don’t develop your own look and mannerisms,” one fan wrote.
Tate responded: “Nicki Minaj is not the first or LAST person to blink their fcking eyes, tilt their head, or be in a general sense ANIMATED in rap or any other genre. I am a THEATER GIRL. I am and will forever be animated, silly, goofy, have fun and fully express that the way I so CHOOSE. If you in your limited mind can only see someone else when I do that, it’s not on me. I’m Baby Tate. PERIOD.”
She then added more on Twitter/X after another critic told her she should just pay homage to Nicki.
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“I did. When I first came out. It’s 2024 & I’m on my 9th year in the game babe,” she wrote. “YALL LATE as to who I am and that is not my fault or responsibility to guide you through the education of Baby Tate. Do ur own research, leave me alone!”
