Published on November 25th, 2019 | by Dr. Jerry Doby

Meet Rising Star Lil Bike

Back Story – According to the official line, no other option ever existed. Lil Bike always wanted to rap. Even as a turbulent upbringing carried him almost 700 miles from Monroe, LA to Champaign, IL, he resolutely clung to this musical ambition no matter what. The journey eventually landed him a spot among the esteemed TIG Records roster and placed him on the fast track for a rapid come-up in 2019.

“I never wanted to be anything else but a rapper,” he says in his bio. “I’ve been rapping for years and years. I studied it. Doing this and going through my own struggles, I eventually became the artist I was meant to be. I found myself. Now, I’m ready to show the world.”

His first release in 2015, “Do It For You,” went viral and scored 334K plays on Soundcloud as “Drillinois” clocked 284K YouTube views in 2018 with “Ungrateful” and “Spill” both crossing the 100K mark as well. He often wrote verses in his car and recorded them on his Instagram story, attracting a growing viewership. Among that audience, he caught the attention of TIG Records who signed him during late 2018.

He marked his formal introduction by way of the single, “Grind.” Highlighting melodic flows, sharp wordplay, and hypnotic hooks, the song spotlights his dynamic persona, charisma, and confidence.

“It’s a motivational song,” he goes on. “I’m talking about how I stay on my grind, what I’ve been through and how far I’ve come. There’s some flexing in the verse, of course,” he smiles.

Lil Bike’s latest single “Behind Me” is introspective and a vivid story of his journey, leaving behind some who couldn’t keep up or were guilty of hating on his ascension from the streets to the suites so to speak. If THIS joint doesn’t put a fire under your feet for the upcoming decade I’m not sure what will. The joint is melodic but full of lyrical missiles in the vein of real Hip Hop…young dude is slick with it, dead serious.

The Hype Magazine got Lil Bike to weigh in on a few things!

Pushing your music on social media got you over top, did you ever feel like you were the needle in a haystack?

Yes, of course. Coming from a lesser known city and not a big name one like Detroit or Atlanta I definitely felt and still feel like I had to work twice as hard just to be seen on the same level. No other artist has been signed from my city. (Referencing Monroe, LA)

Now signed to TIG, what surprised you the most about the other side of the music business?

Man, there’s a lot of sheep in wolves’ clothing out there. You have to be extra cautious of who you associate with, inside and outside the studio or club.

You were already self-made before signing? What drew you to label life?

Yes, self-made was actually the moniker of my group of friends before I got signed. We were the self-made clique because we worked for everything we had. Label life presented the opportunity to really turn things up and take my music + career to the next level.

What are your passions outside of music, or do you have time for anything else right now?

If and when I do get any free time, I’m all about R + R. I grew up in Louisiana so I actually enjoy chill activities like fishing but I’m very adventurous as well. I’m always down for a good vacation with an even mix of turn up and turn down (laughing).

What’s been your craziest WTF moment thus far in your career?!

On my HBCU Tour I stopped in Florida at Florida Memorial and a girl kicked me in my mouth. Not sure why her feet needed to be near my face, for sure a WTF moment.

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About the Author

Dr. Jerry Doby Editor-in-Chief of The Hype Magazine, Media and SEO Consultant, Journalist, Ph.D. and retired combat vet. 2023 recipient of The President's Lifetime Achievement Award. Partner at THM Media Group. Member of the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture, the United States Press Agency and ForbesBLK.