Is Lil Baby Feeding Off Beef for Streams? A Look at His New Album and the Gunna Situation

January 10, 2025

Source: Astrida Valigorsky / Getty

Lil Baby’s latest album, WHAM, just dropped, and the streets are judging. Fans are speculating whether his ongoing beef with Gunna is fueling those streams. Rap beef has long been a marketing staple, but is Lil Baby relying too much on the drama? Some even question if this could mark the beginning of the end for his career.Lil Baby’s latest album, WHAM, just dropped, and the streets are buzzing—but not just about the beats and bars. Fans are speculating whether his ongoing beef with Gunna is fueling those streams. Rap beef has long been a marketing staple, but is Lil Baby relying too much on the drama? Some even question if this could mark the beginning of the end for his career.

Basement streamer and hip-hop commentator DJ Akademiks added fuel to the fire, suggesting WHAM is “on pace” to sell around 130,000 album-equivalent units in its opening week. With guest appearances from heavyweights like Young Thug, 21 Savage, Travis Scott, Rod Wave, GloRilla, Rylo Rodriguez, and Future, WHAM is packed with star power. But some wonder if Lil Baby’s numbers would hold up without those features—or the added intrigue of his beef with Gunna.

The pressure for Lil Baby to outsell Gunna is palpable, especially considering Gunna’s success earlier in 2024. Back in May, Gunna released his fifth studio album, One of Wun, featuring Offset, Normani, Leon Bridges, and Roddy Ricch. The album debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, selling 91,000 album-equivalent units in its first week. This high bar has added more tension to Lil Baby’s release, but does it really matter? In the grand scheme of hip-hop, numbers are just one part of the equation.

Lil Baby and Gunna were once inseparable, the twinz of Atlanta’s trap scene. Their chemistry gave us hits like “Drip Too Hard,” but the friendship has since soured. The tension between the two is palpable, with subliminal shots and social media shade making it clear that things have changed.

Young Thug, the third corner of this triangle, is currently facing legal challenges, making his absence even more noticeable. Thug was the glue holding the trio together, and without him, the cracks between Lil Baby and Gunna have widened.

With Lil Baby’s new music out, some fans question whether the feud is simply good marketing. In hip-hop, a bit of drama can do wonders for album sales. But here’s the twist—Gunna doesn’t seem interested in participating. While Lil Baby might be stirring the pot, Gunna is sticking to his own lane, making it clear he’s not here for the beef buffet.

Is Lil Baby using the beef for streams, or is this just another case of rap rivalry adding spice to the mix? Either way, fans are eating it up. It’s hard to ignore the bond these two artists once shared, and it’s a shame to see that relationship unravel.

Bottom line is, WHAM reflects where Lil Baby is now—successful, controversial, and undeniably talented. Whether the Gunna drama is boosting his streams or not, one thing is certain: the streets are talking, and Lil Baby is listening.