Biography
Born Alva Burton in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, the rapper adopted an acronym spelling out Born Love Allah’s Kingdom for his stage name. Baby Blak fashions a strain of hip-hop that steers clear of both mainstream and underground currents alike, positioning himself instead as “the middle ground” and declaring that he aims to “make adult music for people with responsibilities, people that deal with everyday life.” He first took up the microphone at age fourteen, following an unsuccessful turn at graffiti—vertical surfaces proved unworkable—and a brief attempt at break dancing that ended with a broken leg. His initial foray into recording came as half of the Philadelphia crew ILL Advised, sharing duties with Mr. Lish. Prior to issuing his 2003 debut album Once You Go Blak, the prolific collaborator appeared alongside DJ Babu, DJ Sat-One, Grand Agent, and DJ Jazzy Jeff, the last of whom featured him on four cuts from The Magnificent. Production for the album came chiefly from DJ Revolution, with additional contributions from Evidence of Dilated Peoples, Newcleus, Joey Chavez, Jay-Ski, and Sat-One. On the track “Diamonds (Diemon),” Baby Blak challenged the fixation on ostentatious jewelry typical of “bling bling” rap, asking why performers adorn themselves with gems: “You wear the blood of your people on your neck and your wrist/I said the blood of your people/Ain’t no love for your people/South African government put slugs in my people so ya platinum chain can have a stud you can see through.” The song “Daddy Dearest” recounted an upbringing with an alcoholic father, while “Economix” examined the financial repercussions following the 11 September 2001 attacks on New York’s World Trade Center. The album’s cover art, depicting a nude woman, hints at an inconsistency within his outlook, yet Baby Blak remains, on balance, a compelling and nuanced MC whose work can occasionally tip into self-satisfaction and flatness.
Albums
