Lil Baby Expresses Openness to Crossover Record With Pop Star Sabrina Carpenter
Lil Baby revealed during a recent interview that he is open to stepping outside his comfort zone to collaborate with pop singer Sabrina Carpenter. While noting that the once-dominant pop-rap crossover trend has become increasingly rare, the Atlanta artist expressed confidence that he could make a joint track succeed. The conversation comes ahead of his scheduled Nov. 6 album release, which remains focused on hip-hop guests.
Lil Baby is signaling a willingness to expand his creative horizons beyond traditional rap boundaries. According to reporting by Billboard, the Atlanta rapper expressed genuine interest in teaming up with pop star Sabrina Carpenter during a recent appearance on The New York Times' Popcast. The 4PF artist reflected on his artistic range and shared that while he still operates largely within his established lane, he is actively looking at wider possibilities for musical partnerships.
During the interview, as documented by Billboard, Lil Baby addressed his evolving mindset toward studio collaborations. "I'm still in that box a little bit, but I'm more open to stepping out of the box," he said. He further explained that his perspective continues to broaden with experience, remarking, "The box is bigger. As I step out a little bit, the box gets bigger."
Baby made specific reference to Carpenter when discussing how such an unexpected cross-genre link-up might materialize. According to Billboard, the rapper admitted that while he does not currently hold a ready-made track tailored for her, he remains completely receptive to building something from scratch. "Even a Sabrina Carpenter — just say, for instance, in my head, I don't have a song on my hard drive to send to her," Baby explained. "But if we sit there and create something, or she sends me something, I feel like I could make it work."
The prospect of such a partnership arrives at a moment when joint efforts between mainstream hip-hop artists and pop vocalists have dwindled across the music landscape, Billboard noted. While high-profile crossover records once served as constant fixtures on commercial radio and streaming charts, industry observers highlight that the formula has largely receded in recent years.
There have been occasional efforts to revive the momentum. Billboard pointed out that singer Camila Cabello pursued the crossover formula on her 2024 album C,XOXO, tapping Drake for the tracks "Hot Uptown" and "Uuugly," alongside enlisting Playboi Carti for "I Luv It," which reached No. 81 on the Billboard Hot 100. That project ultimately debuted at No. 13 on the Billboard 200. Similarly, Dua Lipa teamed up with DaBaby for a remix of "Levitating" in 2020, achieving significant commercial traction when it climbed to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2021.
Carpenter herself is not entirely new to rap collaborations. As reported by Billboard, she previously joined forces with Saweetie on the song "I Can't Stop Me," which appeared on her 2019 release Singular Act II.
For now, listeners should not expect any pop crossovers on Lil Baby's immediate release schedule. Billboard confirmed that the rapper's upcoming album, titled Fresh, is scheduled to arrive on Nov. 6. The tracklist remains firmly anchored in hip-hop, featuring guest appearances from Future, Young Thug, and Rylo Rodriguez rather than pop contemporaries. Whether Baby's openness to teaming up with Carpenter leads to studio sessions after Fresh debuts remains to be seen.