Houston rapper DeeBaby uses melody, pathos, and gritty detail to tell the story of his life on the streets. Displaying his dedication to his craft, the Mexican-American artist shares Junkie Mode, a 26-track mixtape that explores every aspect of his life. Junkie Mode has already reached as high as #53 on Apple Music’s All-Genre Top 200 albums chart off the strength of a pre-order, and is available on all platforms via Black Diamond Entertainment / Create Music Group.
Adorned by dramatic pianos, twanging guitars, and snapping percussion, DeeBaby’s music takes spiritual inspiration from the historical music of his region, his emotive croon and raw lyricism evoking the Delta blues. The expansive new tape drips with the ambition and relatability that endeared DeeBaby to his legion of fans, as he compares his need to create music to a junkie’s need to get a fix.
“When I’m in ‘junkie mode,’ I can turn everything off around me and go into an overdose of thoughts, pain, & emotions,” says DeeBaby. “I express myself and share my experiences to the world, through the lyrics in my music.”
Junkie Mode kicks off with an emotional ” Junkie Mode Intro,” which establishes a vivid sense of the rapper’s mindset, as he prepares to drown out his pain with substances and music. That deep pain lingers over the project–even on flex-heavy songs like “Never Gon’ End,” DeeBaby dwells on all that he’s lost in his struggle to escape the streets. The new mixtape is home to recent singles like the heartbroken “Anymore” (3.2 million views on YouTube), recent single “Bank Statements & Deposits” (1.4 million video views in just ten days), as well as new highlights like the haunting, harmony-laden “Martian,” the soul-baring “Open Heart Surgery,” the celebratory “Good Day,“ and the anthemic “Tuff Love,” which arrives with a brand new video.
Junkie Mode is the latest step in DeeBaby’s rise from the streets of Houston to the top of his city’s rap game. He started his rap career in 2021, catching fire with his single “Marz,” racking up over 16 million YouTube views and over 6 million streams on Spotify. “Marz” catapulted DeeBaby to the forefront of the Texas rap scene, presaging a series of successful singles, including “Broken Promises” (5.7 million YouTube views) and “ShootOut (Marz 2),” which generated over 2 million streams and earned a Genius Verified, DeeBaby’s soulful drawl, tight rhyming technique, and raw lyricism drew the attention of Kevin Gates, who gave DeeBaby his enthusiastic co-sign, affectionately calling him “the Mexican Gates.”
With Junkie Mode, DeeBaby proves that his hard-hitting, soulful sounds deserve attention far beyond the Lone Star State. Stay tuned for more from the rising rapper, as he continues to follow his muse.
© 2023, Seth "Digital Crates" Barmash. All rights reserved.
