DaBaby

Kirk has three daughters and a stepson. In late 2020, he began dating singer and choreographer DaniLeigh, with whom he later had a daughter before the couple separated in early 2021.

Kirk experienced significant family losses during his rise to fame. His father passed away in 2019 shortly after the release of his debut studio album, inspiring the title and cover art of his second album, Kirk. In November 2020, his older brother Glen Johnson died at age 34 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, prompting Kirk to release a tribute EP later that month.

Jonathan Lyndale Kirk was born on December 22, 1991, in Cleveland, Ohio. At age six, he relocated with his family to Charlotte, North Carolina, where he spent his youth. He graduated from Vance High School in 2010 and attended the University of North Carolina at Greensboro for two years before leaving to pursue music full time. Growing up alongside two older brothers, he listened extensively to artists like 50 Cent, Eminem, and Lil Wayne.

Kirk began taking music seriously around 2014 and initially performed under the moniker Baby Jesus. He released his debut mixtape, Nonfiction, in 2015, followed by mixtape series such as God's Work and Baby Talk. He later changed his stage name to DaBaby to prevent his original alias from becoming a distraction.

His career gained traction after he partnered with Arnold Taylor, president of South Coast Music Group. Taylor helped build local and regional buzz for Kirk through Southern club tours and mixtapes. A distribution deal with Roc Nation for the 2018 mixtape Blank Blank sparked wider industry interest, leading to a major-label recording deal with Interscope Records in early 2019.

In March 2019, Kirk released his debut studio album, Baby on Baby, through Interscope and South Coast Music Group. The album reached number 25 on the Billboard 200 and featured the hit single "Suge", which peaked inside the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. That summer, he was selected as part of the XXL Freshman Class of 2019.

Throughout 2019, Kirk emerged as one of rap's most frequent guest contributors, landing verses on Megan Thee Stallion's "Cash Shit", Post Malone's "Enemies", and Dreamville's compilation track "Under the Sun". In September 2019, he released his sophomore album, Kirk, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and featured the hit single "Bop". By the end of 2019, Kirk had placed 22 songs on the Billboard Hot 100, the highest total for any artist that year.

Kirk continued his chart momentum in April 2020 with the release of his third studio album, Blame It on Baby. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and produced the multi-platinum single "Rockstar", featuring Roddy Ricch. "Rockstar" spent seven non-consecutive weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the UK Singles Chart.

In June 2020, Kirk appeared on the remix of Jack Harlow's "Whats Poppin", which rose to number two on the Billboard Hot 100 while "Rockstar" held the number-one spot. This made him the 20th artist in Billboard history to hold the top two positions on the chart simultaneously. Later that year, he contributed a guest verse to the remix of Dua Lipa's single "Levitating", which reached number two on the Hot 100.

In July 2021, during a performance at the Rolling Loud festival in Miami Gardens, Florida, Kirk made onstage remarks regarding HIV/AIDS and LGBTQ+ individuals that triggered widespread public criticism. In the days following the event, multiple music festivals, including Lollapalooza, Governors Ball, Austin City Limits, and Day N Vegas, removed him from their lineups. Several radio stations also pulled his verse from broadcasts of the "Levitating" remix.

Kirk returned to releasing full-length projects in 2022, teaming up with YoungBoy Never Broke Again for the collaborative mixtape Better than You before issuing his fourth solo studio album, Baby on Baby 2. In January 2026, he released his fifth studio album, Be More Grateful, featuring the top-40 single "Pop Dat Thang".

Kirk founded his own record label imprint, Billion Dollar Baby Entertainment, in 2017 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The imprint's roster has included artists and producers such as Stunna 4 Vegas, Rich Dunk, KayyKilo, Wisdom, and DJ K.i.D.

Musically, Kirk is recognized for a rapid, staccato delivery and dynamic cadences. Critics have noted that his forward-leaning flow and comedic music video concepts, often produced in partnership with the directing group Reel Goats, distinguish his approach within modern hip-hop.

In November 2018, Kirk was involved in an altercation inside a Walmart in Huntersville, North Carolina, where a 19-year-old man was shot and killed. Kirk maintained that he acted in self-defense. Felony charges were dismissed in March 2019, and he ultimately pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of carrying a concealed weapon.

Kirk has faced other legal incidents during his career. In January 2020, he was arrested in Miami on a battery charge in connection with a robbery investigation involving a promoter dispute. In March 2020, he was filmed slapping a female fan while walking to the stage in Tampa, Florida, for which he later issued a video explanation and apology. In 2024, he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor simple battery in Los Angeles following an altercation with a property owner.