Today we’d like to introduce you to Baby Rhiii.
Hi Baby, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’m from Portsmouth, Virginia, and music has always been something I loved, but I didn’t start seriously pursuing it until I was around 20 years old. My journey into music wasn’t necessarily traditional because, at the time, I already had a lot going on in my life. I was in college, working in healthcare, dancing, and trying to build a future for myself while also discovering who I wanted to be as an artist.
I originally started recording as part of a duo called 21 Times Love. That experience introduced me to actually making music and helped me become more comfortable with recording and performing. Eventually, I realized I wanted to branch out on my own and figure out what my individual sound, image, and story looked like. That was really the beginning of Baby Rhiii.
When I went solo, I made the decision that if I was going to do music, I was going to take it seriously. I didn’t have a label behind me or someone funding everything for me, so a lot of what people see today was built from me investing in myself. I worked, danced, went to school, paid my bills, and still found ways to put money back into my career. I paid for studio time, videos, promotion, travel, performances, and everything else that comes with trying to establish yourself as an independent artist.
One of the biggest things I did for my career was consistently travel from Virginia to New York City. There were times I would drive around seven hours just to attend an event, perform, network, or put myself in a room where I felt like an opportunity could happen. Sometimes I would make the trip and turn around and come right back home. It was exhausting, but I understood early that nobody was going to discover me sitting at home waiting. I had to put myself in the places where the industry was moving and introduce people to Baby Rhiii myself. I genuinely believe those trips played a huge role in getting me to where I am now.
Over time, those sacrifices started creating opportunities that I used to only imagine. I’ve been able to perform in different cities and share stages and spaces with established artists and entertainers. I’ve opened for artists including ScarLip, Sukihana, and Queen Key, and I’ve had opportunities to be onstage or at events with artists like Rae Sremmurd and Bobby Shmurda.
I’ve also been able to meet and connect with so many people throughout the entertainment industry, from artists and DJs to personalities and people behind the scenes. I’ve been invited backstage with Cardi B and her team, been in sections with Young M.A, and had the opportunity to work in the studio with DJ Drewski in New Jersey. Experiences like those have allowed me to see the industry from a completely different perspective. Every room has taught me something—whether it turned into an immediate opportunity or simply helped me understand how the business works.
As my career continued to grow, my music started reaching larger platforms as well. I’ve been featured on platforms such as WorldStar, Redmic, and 4ShootersOnly. I’ve also released records featuring artists including ScarLip, Skilla Baby, and S3nsi Molly. Those moments have been important to me because I remember when I was simply trying to get people to listen to my music at all. Being able to look back and see the progression reminds me that the work has been adding up, even during times when it didn’t feel like it.
One of the things I’m most proud of, though, is that music isn’t the only dream I’ve continued pursuing. While building Baby Rhiii, I was also building an entirely different career in healthcare. I worked in healthcare for years, including phlebotomy and later surgical assisting in dermatology, while continuing my education. I earned my associate degree, then my bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Sciences, and I’m currently pursuing my master’s degree in Surgical Assisting. To become a Surgical First Assist in Cardiovascular Surgery/Open Heart Surgery.
Balancing graduate school and an independent music career is definitely not easy. There are days when I’m studying anatomy, physiology, surgical techniques, and medicine, and then I have to switch my brain completely and become Baby Rhiii—recording music, creating content, handling business, traveling, or performing. But I’m proud that I never felt like I had to limit myself to being only one thing. I can love science and surgery and still be passionate about music and entertainment.
There have also been plenty of moments throughout this journey where things didn’t happen when I wanted them to. I’ve had opportunities I thought were going somewhere that didn’t, people who promised things that never happened, periods where I questioned whether all of the money, traveling, and sacrifice were worth it, and times when I felt like I was extremely close to something changing only to have to keep waiting. Being an independent artist teaches you very quickly that nothing is guaranteed.
But every time I felt discouraged, something reminded me why I started. I kept recording. I kept traveling. I kept performing. I kept networking. I kept investing in myself. And little by little, the rooms became bigger, the connections became stronger, and more people started recognizing the name Baby Rhiii.
I also feel like I’m entering a different stage of my artistry now. As I’ve grown personally, I’ve wanted my music to show more sides of me. I still love making records that are fun and confident, but I also want people to hear the more vulnerable parts of my story. One of the most meaningful songs I’ve created is “Danielle,” which is dedicated to my childhood best friend who passed away from cancer at a young age. That record is extremely personal to me because it isn’t about numbers or trying to make a hit—it’s about making sure someone I loved is remembered, which is coming out October 13, 2026. I also want it to connect with anyone who has experienced the pain of losing somebody they love.
When I look at everything together, I think my story is really about persistence. I’m a girl from Portsmouth who decided to take a chance on herself. I’ve worked multiple jobs, danced, worked in healthcare, gone to college, driven hours for opportunities, invested my own money, earned degrees, experienced disappointments, and continued building my music career through all of it.
And I still don’t feel like I’ve reached the part of my story that people are ultimately going to know me for.
Everything I’ve accomplished so far feels like the foundation. I want Baby Rhiii to grow into something much bigger than where I am today. I want to continue reaching new audiences, working with artists I admire, performing on bigger stages, and creating records that people remember. More than anything, I want people who discover me to understand that whatever they see happening for me didn’t happen overnight. There were years of work, sacrifice, rejection, traveling, studying, and believing in myself behind it.
I’m still building, still learning, and still hungry. I feel like my story is really just beginning.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. One of my biggest challenges has been doing so much of this independently. As an independent artist, I’ve had to fund my own music, videos, promotion, travel, and everything else that comes with building a career. I’m from Virginia, and one thing I realized early on is that there isn’t a huge music industry here or the same type of support system for upcoming artists that you see in places like New York, Atlanta, or Los Angeles. There are so many talented artists here, but sometimes it feels like you have to leave Virginia and start getting recognition somewhere else before people at home really start paying attention.
That was something I had to figure out for myself—how do you make it big when you’re starting somewhere that doesn’t necessarily have a clear path for you? Seeing someone like Pharrell come from Virginia has always been a reminder that where you come from doesn’t have to determine how far you can go. A lot of the opportunities I’ve pursued have required me to travel back and forth between Virginia and places like New York. There were times when I was spending money I really didn’t have on travel, studio sessions, performances, videos, and promotion simply because I believed in myself enough to keep going.
Another huge obstacle has been the amount of hate I’ve received online. And when I say hate, I mean thousands of comments at times. People have judged me for being white and making rap and hip-hop music, the way I look, having small lips, my appearance in general—the list honestly goes on and on. People on the internet will find anything they can to pick apart about you. In the beginning, it did bother me. I’m human, so of course seeing thousands of people criticizing you can get to you, especially when you’re putting something you care about out into the world.
Eventually, though, I learned how to embrace it instead of letting it destroy my confidence. I started realizing that some of the people who claimed to dislike me were also the ones watching me the most, commenting the most, and keeping up with everything I did. I stopped looking at every negative comment as something I needed to defend myself against. Now, when I start getting hate, part of me looks at it as a sign that what I’m doing is reaching beyond the people who already support me. You’re not going to be for everybody, especially when more and more people start seeing you.
A lot of people have actually wondered how I kept going after receiving that much hate. The answer is really just that I’ve wanted this too badly to stop. I’ve invested too much of myself into Baby Rhiii—not only financially, but emotionally and creatively. I’ve spent so much of my own money trying to make this happen, traveled for opportunities, dealt with rejection, heard false promises, and kept working even when there was no guarantee that any of it would pay off. After everything I’ve put into this, quitting because strangers on the internet don’t like me just isn’t in me.
There’s also the pressure that comes with social media itself. You’re constantly seeing numbers, views, followers, streams, and other artists’ success, and it can make you feel like you should be further along than you are. I already put a lot of pressure on myself, so I’ve had to learn that somebody else’s timeline doesn’t have anything to do with mine.
On top of all of that, I’ve had to balance music with the rest of my life. I finished my bachelor’s degree while pursuing music, and now I’m in graduate school while still building my career as Baby Rhiii. There have been times when I’ve had exams, assignments, studio sessions, performances, content to create, and trips all happening around the same time. It can be exhausting, but I’ve never wanted to feel like I had to choose between my education and my music.
I’ve also learned that as you grow, relationships and friendships can change. Not everybody is going to understand your vision, support you the way you expected, or continue with you into the next chapter of your life. That has been another hard lesson, but it has taught me a lot about myself and about who genuinely belongs around me.
The road definitely hasn’t been easy, and there have been plenty of reasons I could have stopped. But I think that’s also what makes me appreciate everything that happens for me now. I started recording at 20 with no guarantee of where any of this would take me. I’m still figuring things out and I still have a long way to go, but I know how badly I want it. The hate, rejection, money I’ve invested, traveling, balancing school, and all the times I questioned myself have only made me more determined. At this point, I’ve come too far to stop. I’m still here, I’m still creating, and I’m still betting on myself.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a hip-hop artist, but I also create alternative music, and one of my favorite parts about being an artist is having the freedom and excitement to experiment with different genres for people to enjoy. I don’t want to be put into one box. I can rap really fast and give you bars, and then I can turn around and sing my heart out on a completely different type of record. I love being able to surprise people and show different sides of myself through music.
One song that means more to me than I can really explain is “Danielle.” I created it in remembrance of my childhood best friend Danielle, who passed away from leukemia. I made it for her, for her family, and also for anyone who has experienced losing somebody they love. The message behind the song is that even when someone passes away, somehow they’re still here with us. Their physical presence may be gone, but the love, memories, and pieces of them that they left with us are still alive. I wanted to create something that could comfort people dealing with loss while also making sure Danielle’s name and memory continue to live on. That’s why this record is so personal to me and something I’m extremely proud of.
I’m also incredibly proud of how far I’ve come in such a short amount of time without a label, a major team behind me, or anyone handing these opportunities to me. Everything I’ve accomplished as Baby Rhiii has come from me believing in myself enough to invest in myself and make things happen.
I’ve had the opportunity to open for artists and entertainers including BellyGang Kushington, ScarLip, Sukihana, Queen Key, Natalie Nunn, and more. I’ve met people I grew up watching and listening to, including Cardi B, Teyana Taylor, Rae Sremmurd, Bobby Shmurda, and so many others. I’ve been onstage alongside Bobby Shmurda and Slim Jxmmi from Rae Sremmurd, and I’ve also had opportunities to meet and perform around personalities from Baddies, including Natalie Nunn, Rollie, Tesehki, Jela, and Ahna Mac.
Those experiences mean a lot to me because I come from Virginia, where there isn’t always an obvious path for an upcoming artist trying to break into the industry. I’m proud that I didn’t allow my location or lack of industry connections to determine what rooms I could get into. I traveled, networked, invested my own money, took chances on myself, and created opportunities that once felt extremely far away.
I’m especially proud of being able to release records featuring artists like Skilla Baby and ScarLip. Those collaborations weren’t handed to me through a label. I independently funded and made those opportunities happen myself. When I look back at everything I’ve accomplished already, that’s probably what makes me the proudest—not just who I’ve met or what stages I’ve been on, but knowing how much work, sacrifice, money, and determination went into putting myself in those positions.
And then there’s a completely different side of my life that I think really sets me apart. While building my career as Baby Rhiii, I earned my bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Sciences, and I’m currently in graduate school training to become a surgical assistant, including training for procedures as complex as open-heart surgery. It’s definitely not the background people expect when they see or hear me as a rapper. One day I can be studying cardiovascular physiology and surgical techniques, and another day I can be in the studio, shooting a video, traveling, or performing onstage.
I think that combination represents me perfectly. I’ve never felt like I had to choose one version of myself. I can be educated and still be an artist. I can rap fast and give you bars, then sing my heart out on an alternative record. I can be in a surgical environment and still walk onstage as Baby Rhiii. I want people to see that you don’t have to fit into one category to be successful.
More than anything, I’m proud that I created this journey for myself. I had no label making the calls, no major machine financing everything, and no guaranteed path to follow. I just knew what I wanted and kept finding ways to get closer to it. I still have so much further I want to go, but when I look at how much has happened in only a few years, it reminds me that betting on myself was worth it.
What matters most to you?
What matters most to me is making something meaningful out of my life and being able to look back one day and know that I really went after everything I wanted. I’ve always been someone who dreams big, and I don’t want to live my life wondering what could have happened if I had just tried harder or believed in myself a little more.
The people I love matter tremendously to me too. Losing people throughout my life has made me realize how quickly things can change and how important it is to appreciate people while they’re here. Losing my childhood best friend Danielle especially gave me a different perspective on life. She didn’t get the opportunity to experience so many of the things that I have, and that makes me want to experience life fully and not take my time here for granted. It’s part of why “Danielle” means so much to me. Keeping her memory alive is bigger than just releasing another song.
Helping people also matters to me, which is something I think connects both sides of my life more than people might expect. Through healthcare, I have the opportunity to physically be there for people during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives. Through music, I can connect with people in a completely different way. Somebody might hear one of my songs and feel confident, understood, motivated, or, with a song like “Danielle,” a little less alone in their grief. Both allow me to leave an impact on somebody.
My family and being able to create a better future for the people I care about are also huge motivations for me. Success to me isn’t only about money, streams, followers, or recognition. Of course I want to be successful, but I also want the freedom that comes with it. I want to be able to take care of the people I love, experience the world, create without limitations, and eventually be in a position where I can give opportunities to other people.
Most importantly, I want my life to mean something. Whether someone remembers me because of a song that helped them through something, because I helped take care of them as a surgical assistant, or simply because I inspired them to go after something people told them they couldn’t do, I want to leave something positive behind.
I’m still young and figuring out exactly where all of this is going to take me, but I know I don’t want to live small just because dreaming big comes with risks. I would rather know that I gave everything I had to the things and people I care about. At the end of the day, being able to say I truly lived, loved the people around me, helped others, and turned the opportunities I was given into something meaningful—that’s what matters most to me.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/babyrhiii?stkn=MTNucGI0ejVjeGF2&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1CaQnki2wA/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@babyrhi?si=OINTL5oZdDU5syXH
- Other: https://linktr.ee/babyrhiii?fbclid=PAVERFWAUnpbpleHRuA2FlbQIxMABwZG9mAmZkaWQWUPTAP3RPQ8ug4s_3r8dqUdHxhybiTXNydGMGYXBwX2lkDzEyNDAyNDU3NDI4NzQxNAABpxl-6hus3IKRgpag3tWWsl6VCs_uC5yqd0yD66el8UgVh_2cU8PWy3P4ROpV_aem_aMJOgW7rbLiq91i7eBNlxQ
