Music

Lil Baby Gets Vulnerable In His 2020 AMA’s Performance Of ‘Emotionally Scarred’

Getty Image An emotional track off his 2020 album, ‘My Turn.’ …

Lil Baby released his second album, My Turn, earlier this year, and songs off that release have been keeping him in rotation this year. The first of which, “We Paid,” is a straightforward braggart rap song about accumulating wealth, the second, though, “The Bigger Picture” was released in June of this year during the Black Lives Matter uprising. That song is an emotional reflection on the struggles he faced growing up as a young Black man in Chicago, and how the police violence against his community continues to harm not only him but the entire community.

"PROTECT YOUR MENTAL HEALTH"
Lil Baby with a very important message at the #AMAs pic.twitter.com/greJwyDi2j
— Complex Music (@ComplexMusic) November 23, 2020

For his performance on the AMA’s tonight though, Baby opted to show a more vulnerable personal side on “Emotionally Scarred.” His message of protecting mental health came through loud and clear during the emotionally performance. Similar in tone to “The Bigger Picture,” the downtempo song outlines exactly what has happened in Baby’s life to leave him with some battle scars. As one of the few rappers to take the stage tonight, Baby kept things exciting even on a slower song with a raging guitar solo toward the end of the track. It’s always interesting when rappers embrace rock in their work, and it pays off in a big way here. Watch the video above.

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Artist Spotlight

Kovei ignites a rallying cry with the mighty latest release “Mercy”

Kovei is back with the hard-hitting hip-hop statement “Mercy,” a fusion of bold storytelling and a strong sense of purpose. The Los Angeles-based South Asian American rapper and producer delivers a track steeped in resistance, unity, and community strength, while also embracing rich desi musical influences that make the record its own.

The song starts with an Desi-influenced flute melody that immediately grabs the ear, before a punchy kick drum kicks in to establish its commanding vibe. Kovei’s confident delivery drives each verse with surgical precision, balancing lyrical intensity with ease of flow. Lines like “Mercy, we don’t play fair” set the fearless tone. “we the big dogs, big boss, BET TV famous” reinforces the triumphant spirit, but the song never loses sight of its deeper message.

Nihar and Shivan’s standout appearances add additional depth to the record, reinforcing the communal theme of the song while augmenting Kovei’s vision. Each artist’s contribution doesn’t feel like a separate feature, but instead contributes to one unified performance that raises the track’s anthemic quality.

This release is further enhanced by an official music video directed by Darsh Thakker and produced by Chaotic Neutral Studios. The visual presentation, in addition to the single, takes the song’s bold identity to another level but simultaneously highlights its message of resilience and solidarity.

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Artist Spotlight

C’batch delivers love, reflections and new beginning through “Next Time (I Won’t Be Falling)” (EP)

C’batch’s latest EP, “Next Time (I Won’t Be Falling),“ is a soulful exploration of the never-ending cycle that is love. It’s a release that combines intimacy with looking ahead, blending emotion with cinematic ambition. The EP embraces the ambiguity that follows, instead of providing a clean resolution to heartbreak.

This EP is a sneak peek of C’batch’s upcoming album, “The Vault 4 – Cinematic,” set for release on July 10, 2026, that will go deeper into the emotional universe. The project begins with “Next Time (I Won’t Be Falling),” a nicely balanced, measured balance of strength and openness that captures the emotional tension between self-protection and hope for another chance. “Next Time (I Won’t Be Falling) (2)” gives the same emotional struggle from a more reflective perspective, letting the feelings settle with more maturity and quiet conviction.

“Next Time (I Won’t Be Falling)1a“ tells a different story, with similar emotions reinterpreted with musical shifts, adding to the experience but still resonating with the core message of the EP. The release is completed with the cinematic version of “Next Time (I Won’t Be Falling) Cinematic Version 2,“ a sweeping song with cinematic textures that turns the title track into an immersive sound and offers a glimpse of the creative direction behind “The Vault 4 – Cinematic.“

Another point of connection in C’batch’s expanding catalog, “Next Time (I Won’t Be Falling),“ also supplies the creative inspiration for the two companion versions of “Fluorescent Buzz (You Got Me Falling)“ on the EP of the same name. These releases represent an artist consciously creating a connected musical universe that is growing in emotional depth, storytelling, and cinematic production.