Who was Chubbie Baby? Gunna, Keri Hilson, Questlove, and more lead tributes as acclaimed Ohio rapper passes away

Rapper and music producer Chubbie Baby recently died at the age of 45. So far, the details surrounding his demise remain undisclosed. The Instagram account of The Source Magazine was one of the first to report on his death.

“The culture will miss you Chubbie Baby. Ladies and Gentlemen, another pillar of Hip Hop and the culture has passed away much too soon. From North to South, East to West, Chubbie Baby was tapped in and connected. He was an artist, producer, entrepreneur, A&R, family man and friend to many,” the post was captioned.

“His story should be more widely told and known… He was behind many success stories in the streets and music-induced and he would let you know that too…RESPECT BRO. We send our condolences to his beautiful family. Rest in peace brother.”

In the wake of his death, tributes began to pour in on social media from industry insiders.

Several musical artists, including Gunna, Keri Hilson, and Questlove, shared their tributes on Instagram. Gunna commented on Chubbie Baby’s last Instagram post from September 2024, sharing two folded hands emoji and one flying dove emoji. Likewise, Questlove posted a folded hand emoji in the comment section.

Industry insiders pour in tributes for Chubbie. (Image via Instagram)

Meanwhile, singer-songwriter Keri Hilson took to her Instagram Story and shared a picture with Chubbie. She captioned it, “Damn. RIP @itschubbiebaby.” In a follow-up Story, the songstress posted a screenshot of a DM she shared with the recently deceased rapper and wrote:

“Ma dawg. A good man. We’ll miss you, Chubbie [broken heart emoji.”

DJ and influencer Che Mack also wrote, “Love Chubbie, rest baby,” while rapper Rich the Kid wrote, “Rest up, OG!” Record executive/ producer Kareem Burke also offered his tribute.

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Exploring the life and career of Chubbie Baby

According to his bio on last.fm, Chubbie Baby was born and raised in the Bronx, New York, and was inspired by hip-hop from a young age. He grew up listening to Wu-Tang and Cam’ron and was greatly inspired by Notorious B.I.G.’s debut album, Ready to Die.

However, as a 16-year-old, Baby was incarcerated and spent two and a half years behind bars. After his release in 1999, he moved to Columbus, Ohio. By then, he had developed friendships with Cam’ron and Jim Jones and eventually became a popular name in the Midwest.

As a rapper and producer, he was influenced by York hip-hop and that of the Midwest. He was inspired by Tupac Shakur, who, although hailed from NY, set up his career in L.A. His first mixtape was Chubbie Baby Vol.1, followed by several singles, including Oh Yeah, Leanin’ Low, and Model Thug.

Several artists, including Lil Wayne, Young Jeezy, T.I., and Dipset, performed at Chubbie’s popular Columbus-based nightclub, Redzone. He also had his own radio show titled Diplomat Saturdays on the city’s Power 107.5 station. The rapper collaborated with Juelz Santana, Hell Rell, JR Writer, Funkmaster Flex, and more. He was also friends with LeBron James and knew Jay-Z.

Chubbie Baby owned his production company, Head Banagaz Entertainment, and was signed to Diplomat Records. He had over 112,000 followers on Instagram, where he shared his personal and professional highlights.