Harlem’s Fergie Baby Talks Cam’ron’s Co-Sign, Major Label Growing Pains & Why The New New York Starts Uptown

“They call me the golden child of Harlem because I’m bringing every generation together, and now it’s my turn to carry the torch.”

Basically since Hip-Hop’s inception, Harlem has served as one of the Culture’s most influential proving grounds. Long before today’s streaming era, the neighborhood helped shape generations of stars, from Doug E. Fresh and Big L to Ma$e, Cam’ron, Jim Jones, A$AP Rocky and countless others. Uptown has always produced artists with distinct personalities, larger-than-life confidence, swag and an unmistakable sense of style. More importantly, each generation has eventually been challenged to carry the borough’s legacy while creating something uniquely its own.

That responsibility now lands on Fergie Baby.

The Harlem native is on fire, spending the past two years transforming from an underground favorite into one of New York City’s rising young stars. His breakout On The Radar freestyle, co-sign by Cam’ron, numerous collaborations across multiple generations of Harlem talent and more…makes it clear he’s the next standard bearer.

When AllHipHop contributor Slops caught up with Fergie Baby at the legendary WonWorld Studios in Times Square, he spoke candidly about his journey and all aspects of being called Harlem’s “golden child.” And, now that he’s on, the frustrations of signing a major deal and how he plans to unite Harlem. Tap in.

AllHipHop: It feels like everybody is discovering you this year, but this didn’t happen overnight. When did everything really start moving?

Fergie Baby: Nah, probably like two years ago. That’s really when everything started unfolding after I did my On The Radar freestyle. But I’ve been around before that. I always felt this moment was coming. It never felt like luck. It felt like something I was building toward.

AllHipHop: What separates somebody grinding locally from somebody suddenly getting played on Hot 97 every day?

Fergie Baby: Consistency. Faith. Sometimes you’ve got to be a little delusional too. There are going to be times where it’s just you on your journey. You’ve got to keep believing when nobody else does. Then you’ve got to build the right team around you. Everybody has to understand their role and have your best interests at heart.

Once all those pieces come together, people start paying attention. They believe in your brand. They believe in your music. And at the end of the day, the music has to be good.

AllHipHop: Your sound is hard to compare because every record feels different. How do you describe Fergie Baby?

Fergie Baby: I’m just a rapper from Harlem.

I bring energy, confidence and storytelling whether it’s good, bad or ugly. I want people to feel where I come from. My roots are nostalgic, but it still sounds refreshing. You might hear something that reminds you of the old days, but it’s still brand new.

That’s really what I’m trying to represent. The rebirth of Hip-Hop. The new New York.

AllHipHop: I’ve always described you as Busta Rhymes’ energy, DaBaby’s aggression and Cam’ron’s Harlem swagger mixed together.

Fergie Baby: (laughs) I hear DaBaby all the time. I hear Busta too. The Cam comparison? That’s fire.

AllHipHop: Speaking of Cam, that’s not exactly an easy verse to get these days. How did that relationship happen?

Fergie Baby: Shout out Suga Duggar. He started supporting me early because I’m from Harlem. He kept posting me and showing love. One day Cam saw it and basically asked, “Who is this?”

Suga told him, “That’s the new guy from Harlem.” Cam checked me out and said, “Nah, he’s him.” Since then we’ve just been building. He actually helped put together both the “Harlem River Drive” remix and “Good Day To Be A Harlem” remix. He really believed in the vision.

That’s love.

AllHipHop: Harlem legends don’t hand out co-signs very often.

Fergie Baby: That’s why I appreciate it.

Cam sees I’m authentic. He knows this is real Harlem. He believes the music is real too.

AllHipHop: It isn’t just Cam. Jim Jones, Max B, A$AP Ferg. Everybody seems to be embracing you.

Fergie Baby: They call me the golden child of Harlem now because I’m bringing generations together. I’m on Max’s album. I’ve got records with Cam.

I’ve worked with A$AP Ferg. Then I got the younger generation too. That’s important because for a while New York had a problem where the OGs weren’t passing the torch. Now they’re looking around asking who’s next.

That’s a beautiful thing.

AllHipHop: Everybody thought you belonged on the XXL Freshman cover.

Fergie Baby: Everything happens for a reason.

I was just happy to even be nominated because that list basically tells you who’s hot in the country. I was the only Harlem artist there. That says enough. If next year comes around? It depends where I’m at. If I’m already past freshman status, maybe I don’t even need it.

AllHipHop: Your debut album feels different from your earlier projects.

Fergie Baby: Those projects were appetizers. The album is everything. It’s the storytelling. The hype records. The pain. The fun. Everything together in one body of work that shows exactly why I’m “God From Harlem.”

AllHipHop: One thing fans don’t realize is how much changes once you sign a label deal.

Fergie Baby: Man… samples.

Before I got signed I could make whatever I wanted. Once you’re with a label, everything has to be cleared. Sometimes they don’t have the budget. Sometimes they just don’t want to clear it.

That shocked me.

AllHipHop: That’s what happened with “Lennox Poppin”?

Fergie Baby: Exactly. They told me I couldn’t officially release it. So I dropped the video anyway. Everybody started asking why it wasn’t on streaming. Chris Brown commented on it.

Then Empire realized, “Alright… we’ve got to clear this now.” I basically forced their hand.

AllHipHop: That’s a pretty bold move.

Fergie Baby: Sometimes you’ve got to trust your instincts. I knew the people would connect with it.

AllHipHop: Has the label process affected your creativity?

Fergie Baby: One hundred percent. Music is supposed to be free. Now you’re pouring your soul into records and suddenly somebody says, “You can’t use that.” Then you’ve got deadlines.

You start over. It’s definitely frustrating. But it’s part of the business.

AllHipHop: You even gave us an exclusive about another record.

Fergie Baby: Yeah. Me and Max B got something crazy. The hook sounds like classic 2007 Max. I’m hoping it makes everything work out because it’s special.

If it doesn’t happen now, maybe it’ll come later. Everything happens for a reason.

AllHipHop: You kept the album almost entirely Harlem.

Fergie Baby: That was intentional. This one is for home. After that, I’ll branch out. But I wanted my first album to represent where I’m from.

AllHipHop: Explain Harlem during the summer to somebody who’s never been there.

Fergie Baby: Everybody outside.

It’s one big block party.

Music everywhere.

Dominoes.

Basketball arguments.

Rap battles.

Baby moms pulling up.

Anything can happen.

But it’s community.

It’s Black excellence.

Black culture.

Everybody just wants to feel good, look good, smell good and enjoy themselves.

That’s Harlem.

AllHipHop: You toured Europe recently. Did that surprise you?

Fergie Baby: Paris was crazy. They love Hip-Hop over there. I’m getting stopped on the street. Red carpets. Fans everywhere. It showed me my music already reaches the world. That changed my mindset. Now I know this thing is worldwide.

AllHipHop: Before the On The Radar freestyle, did you know this was possible?

Fergie Baby: I always believed. But after that… Now I know I’m him. Now it’s undeniable. I just have to keep the torch going.

AllHipHop: You’ve always carried yourself like somebody who was already signed.

Fergie Baby: That’s how I looked at it. nYou have to market yourself like you’re already there.

People like you saw it before everybody else. Now the rest of the world is catching up.

AllHipHop: Before we go… give us your all-time Harlem music Mount Rushmore.

Fergie Baby: No order.

Cam’ron.

Juelz Santana.

Ma$e.

A$AP Rocky.

And I’m cheating with the last spot.

Teyana Taylor and Big L.

Teyana’s bigger than music. She’s always going to matter.

That’s my six.

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