“I know this song from TikTok” – an empowering night with Baby Tate

The unexpected rain created a sense of urgency as fans rushed to get inside Oakland’s Fox Theater on March 27th; shelter-seekers became indistinguishable from those clamoring to hear Baby Tate open for Charli XCX on day two of her “Crash Tour.” Tate took the stage in a black and white leather ensemble with boots to match. Her presence screamed confident and secure, the feeling rubbed off on the audience. While only given a small space in front of the red curtain to perform, the hot pink lighting created a  mesmerizing ambiance and she effortlessly took hold of the stage. The pink lighting served as a reflection of the femininity of her music. As a rapper, vocalist, and producer, she is multi-talented and aims to uplift people through her music.

After learning about Baby Tate from her song, “Beckham” in Season 1 of HBO’s Euphoria, I found that her music made me want to learn every single lyric in order to truly understand all of her original and enthralling thoughts. Despite being in the industry for over 5 years now, she is only beginning to get the recognition she deserves.

Baby Tate started the night performing her 2021 single “Pedi,” as she gets ready to release her dual HipHop/R&B project Mani/Pedi this Spring. In the song, she describes her “petty” tendencies as not something to be ashamed of, but instead as a way to protect herself against the ill will of others. She took the stage showing that she is not just a rapper, but a performer. She was accompanied by her tour DJ Sky Jetta, the two of them going above and beyond to set the mood for the night, continuing the confident vibe. During parts of her performance, it was clear that some of the crowd was not too familiar with Baby Tate’s work, I talked to one fan after her set, and she told me she wished more people would have been hyped up for her performance, with the lack of hype being a reason for not being too familiar with her less popular songs. However, this was not the case when she performed her most recent hit songs “I Am” (feat. Flo Milli) and “Sl*t Him Out” which have become extremely popular through social media platforms, like TikTok, with over 350k uses combined. The upbeat and fun nature of her music made sure that everyone was having a good time and they should feel excited to experience this concert with her.

During one part of her performance, she brought out a ballet barre, using the structure to support her while dancing, leaving the audience amazed as she twerked and rapped at the same time. The audience and DJ hyped her up, and the energy reflected back onto the crowd as they danced alongside her. Fans were in for a surprise as she performed 4 new songs: “Differences,” “Yasss Queen,” “I Do,” and “Dancing Queen” each one bit different than the previous, but all having the same self-assured messages that are in all of her songs. There is something about Baby Tate that captivates, making her someone you want to have as your best friend, life coach, or both. She is unapologetic for who she is and is guaranteed to show you a fun time.

To finish off her set, she explained the story behind her next song, explaining the importance of affirmations. Affirmations are phrases people will often repeat to themselves to incorporate the idea into one’s life. Her song “I Am” is essentially a breakdown of affirmations, stylized into a lyrical format. While this song blew up on TikTok, some people did internalize these messages to better their lives. Her message goes: “I am healthy, I am wealthy, I am rich, I am that bitch”,  with lines like these, it is only a matter of time one recites it to themself in the mirror in the morning. Her music made me feel empowered and self-assured, knowing that someone as interesting and entertaining as her uses these affirmations in her song, and through that, I could be empowered like her.

Article by Riley Collins

Design by Jessie Yang