Baby Boy Sheds His Antlers on BUCK*

Earlier this year, Baby Boy released a solo project entitled BUCK*. It’s a soulful exploration of his experiences and an ode to his roots. The title of the album and the themes explored within it are closely intertwined. “Once a year, a buck will shed its antlers. This is me doing that—getting everything off my chest,” he says. Baby Boy characterizes the creation of his songs as a sort of release: a way to meaningfully express and release his feelings, so he can eventually move on. BUCK* also sheds light on aspects of Baby Boy’s personal identity and creative identity. Through embracing vulnerability and leveraging the art of storytelling, he was able to craft a beautiful project that integrates elements of his past and present selves.

Baby Boy’s upbringing and early experiences significantly influenced not only his personal philosophy, but also his musical identity and creative approach. He describes himself as a half-Black, half-Filipino kid from the Bay Area in California. He was born in Oakland, and raised by his mother and grandmother in Antioch. When asked about his life growing up, he acknowledges that life was hard but sweet. He notes that he feels as though he won the lottery in life. “I never wanted for anything, but I was still taught the importance of working hard to build a better life,” he says. In addition to alluding to his family’s influence on his values and work ethic, he also discusses their influence on his musical journey. Because his mother and grandmother had very different music tastes, he was able to cultivate a genuine love and appreciation for various artists and genres. His grandmother loved the classics, country, and Michael Bublé, whereas his mother loved reggaeton and R&B. Rather than limiting himself to a singular genre or style, he was able to craft a more fluid and diverse musical palette. 

Baby Boy’s been making music for over ten years now. Before that, he had very little background in music. He played saxophone in elementary school, but he didn’t stick with it very long. Over time, he realized that music seemed to provide him with an outlet for his emotions and an escape from some of life’s difficulties. “Making music was fun. Life was hard. I needed that contrast at the time,” he says. Baby Boy’s first foray into song making was born out of pure boredom. Using sheer determination and Premiere Pro, a tool that is very rarely, if ever, used for music production, he created his first song at the age of fifteen. He continued making songs in Premiere Pro for a few years until he eventually met a producer. 

He regards his time on the internet as another influential factor in the development of his creative identity. As an only child, growing up, he had a lot of free time to explore the computer. At the age of twelve, he discovered Odd Future and Frank Ocean, the latter of whom he regards as his first love. Some of his other major influences include Zack Villere, Daniel Caesar, Kendrick Lamar, Rex Orange County, and Jazmine Sullivan. BUCK* serves as a sort of full-circle project that pays homage to Baby Boy’s past and present perspectives, experiences, and influences. “I love singing. When I first started making music, I was singing, so I wanted to honor that in my latest project, BUCK*. I’d hope that when you listen, you can hear those influences throughout” he says.

BUCK* explores themes of love, loss, yearning, and release. “Every song is about an ex, I can’t lie,” he notes. He acknowledges the highs of loving and the lows of navigating heartbreak. Although heartbreak and disappointment may initially seem insurmountable, it’s important to not give up on love or a sense of belonging. “I want people to know that heartbreak sucks, but keep loving. Do not deny yourself that. The only way to love is wholeheartedly. Easier said than done, I know, but I truly believe that.” Baby Boy also suggests another slightly optimistic perspective regarding love and heartbreak: they’re often the subject of some of the world’s greatest songs. 

The art of storytelling is incorporated throughout BUCK* in a number of ways. The songs on the project tell stories, in and of themselves. The accompanying visuals further communicate those stories and illustrate the album’s major themes. Baby Boy’s creative endeavors initially began with photography and film. As a result, he characterizes his creative process as a very visual one. “While I’m writing or working with producers on instrumentals, I like to add or think of elements that are more akin to a movie script—describing the world around me and imagining where everything is taking place.” Similar to how listeners may construct visual worlds or scenes when listening to music, Baby Boy does the same and conceptualizes the visuals for his songs. He notes that doing so makes the actual process of creating the music videos much easier. 

BUCK* is also somewhat different from the joint projects that Baby Boy usually creates within AG Club. The creation of a solo project differed from the creation of a joint project in a variety of ways. There was less instantaneous feedback and collaboration. Furthermore, there was less emphasis on external opinions, and more emphasis on Baby Boy’s personal perspectives and creative direction. He found the change to be equal parts terrifying and freeing. Ultimately, he adapted to the change and discovered that it was a truly valuable and enjoyable one. He looks forward to continual growth, momentum, and evolution in that direction. 

Baby Boy truly embraces vulnerability and growth on BUCK*, and in doing so, he helps to establish a sense of connection and understanding with the audience. He hopes that listeners are able to see him and themselves when listening to BUCK*. In terms of the future, Baby Boy isn’t sure what comes next, but he does know that it will be beautiful.