How much is a feature from DaBaby?

How Much Do Rappers Charge For Features?

Image via YouTube/Lil Wayne & Polo G

It costs a lot of money to make your favorite collaborations—and we’re not just talking about studio and production expenses.

Guest verses have become a very lucrative business in rap. Some artists trade verses amongst collaborators for free, but others have used features as an opportunity to cash out. Rappers were once tight-lipped about their feature rates, but over the last few years, some artists have been more transparent about how much money they’re bringing in. According to their lyrics and interview soundbites, it’s safe to say they’re raking in a lot of cash. If you want a verse from any major rapper right now, from Nicki Minaj to J. Cole to Lil Baby, it will likely cost you more than six figures.

A rapper’s guest verse rate is a sign of relevance, and as their popularity grows, so does their rate. DaBaby, for instance, went from charging $5,000 to $300,000 in a matter of three years. A higher price tag also means higher expectations, though. If an artist is charging six figures for a guest verse, it better translate to a big bump in sales or critical acclaim.

We compiled a list of what some of the biggest artists in the industry are charging for guest verses, according to their past lyrics, interviews, and collaborators. Of course, these are just the numbers they claim they charge. There’s an incentive for artists to exaggerate and inflate the figures in song lyrics and interviews, so you can decide for yourself how accurate they seem. Rates can change quickly, too. Just because Kendrick Lamar was charging one rate a few years ago doesn’t mean he hasn’t raised it by now. With that being said, here are the closest publicly available figures we could dig up.

Drake said it best on his 2014 cut, "0 to 100 / The Catch Up," when he spit the bar, "Know yourself, know your worth." Rappers have clearly been taking heed to the seven-year-old lyric when it comes to how much they'll charge for a verse. Of course, the amount ranges based on skill, tenure, whether or not the artist is in high demand and the list goes on. Either way, a number of your favorite hip-hop artists have named their price and it's a pretty penny. Brace yourselves and your wallets.

Back in February, DaBaby revealed that it'll cost six figures to get him on a record—$300,000 to be exact. Then, on a snippet from an unreleased track that the rapper shared via Instagram on April 22, he said it'll cost $250,000 for a verse. So, it's safe to say the range is probably between the latter and the former, but no less than $250,000. Either way, Baby's price has clearly gone up. How much? Well, in 2019, he said during an L.A. Leakers interview on Power 106 that a feature from him will be at least $100,000. This all came after the success of the Charlotte, N.C. rhymer's Baby on Baby album, which houses the former XXL Freshman's hit record, "Suge."

Baby notes that the rap game is one in which you have to pay to play. He's also unbothered by those who might be a little perplexed by or just oppose his price for a verse. "I don’t give a fuck if they get offended or not because I use to pay to play," he said during that L.A. Leakers interview. "You just gotta respect the game, man."

Amid the pandemic, other rappers such a Lil Baby shared his price for a feature, too. In June of last year, the Quality Control Music artist shared via Twitter that his price is also in the six-figure range: no less than $100,000. At first, the 4 Pockets Full head honcho said his feature price was a firm $100,000. Then, he let it be known not to short change him because he'd actually be offended if he was offered anything less.

Take a look below to find out the prices other rappers such as YoungBoy Never Broke Again, Nicki Minaj and various others are charging for a verse over the years.

Any guesses on dollar amounts before you look?

DaBaby is one of the most successful hip-hop artists in the world right now and these days, fans are always expecting quality whenever he drops something. His projects over the last three years have racked up hundreds of millions of streams, and it is no wonder why many other artists are clamoring to work with him. Even the pop world has taken notice of DaBaby, as he now has songs with the likes of Dua Lipa and even Camila Cabello.

The laws of supply and demand dictate that whenever there is a high demand for something, the price goes up. With DaBaby, this is certainly true as he recently took to Instagram to announce that if you want a verse from him, well, you better have $300,000 laying around.

This is a huge upgrade for the rapper who also noted that he used to only charge $5,000 for a verse. Over a year ago, DaBaby spoke to L.A. Leakers about how much he charges, but never actually gave a concrete number. “It’s six digits,” DaBaby said at the time. “God is great. It’s six of ’em. It’s six digits at least.”

While this is definitely a hefty pricetag, a DaBaby feature typically means your song is going to be a hit, so the return on investment is probably very high. Regardless, it’s obvious that DaBaby is getting paid, and you can’t help but be happy for him.