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The East Side princess gives us a glimpse into her Atlanta upbringing, path to rapping, and love of indie sleaze.
October 8, 2026
After parking nearly a mile from the venue on the West Side of Atlanta, I approached a backstreet lined with unfinished homes, a church, and an indistinguishable warehouse. I questioned whether I was at the correct address, but the line of girls dressed in ripped fishnet and buckle boots walking in the same direction assured me that I was. Following these girls to an obstructed pathway, I was greeted by Hellcats that were almost as loud as the security guards in front of them: “Ladies to the right, and guys to the left!” As we lined up to be patted down, roaring engines echoed through the skinny alleyway.
After successfully passing through security, I learned that the unadorned venue was called The Wxillxm (pronounced “William” after its benefactor, Marietta-raised producer Mike WiLL Made-It). While waiting for Bby Kell to arrive, I managed to catch colorful vignettes of the inside of the warehouse, as people shuffled in and out of the side door. In the “backyard” were more cars and trucks, each sparkling with the same glimmer as trophies. On astroturf, guys with iced-out Jesus chains and freshly cut fades played arcade basketball while girls clacked their kitten heels and chatted over Henny Coladas from Hennessy (who sponsored the event). Seeing streamers clipfarming, statuesque models straight out of a Rick Owens runway galavanting, and hipsters adjusting their piercings and half-zipped charcoal jackets, it was abundantly clear that I was in the heart of the city.
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Alongside Bby Kell, rappers Sk8star and Zukenee were set to take the stage. The excitement of the night was microcosmic of the broader young Atlanta rap scene. Towards what may be the tail-end of the rage revolution spearheaded by the likes of Destroy Lonely, Ken Carson, and Che, these emerging artists are bridging the busy BPMs of the 2020s with more laid back verses that call back to the mixtape era of Gucci Mane and OJ da Juiceman, all while maintaining the alchemic manipulation of melodies that is inseparable from an Atlanta accent.
Bby Kell builds fluidly on this tradition. With a raspy timbre and contortionist-like flows, she shares the laid back demeanor of fellow East Sider Young Nudy, and is working towards an evolution of the blown-out-bass sound pioneered by Glokk40spazz and LAZER DIM 700. Her music is feminine, fun, and as she later calls it, “cute.” But make no mistake, it’s still hard.
Bby Kell took the stage shortly after midnight. In between the strobe lights, afterimages began to stain my mind: a rainbow-like face of makeup, puffs of smoke diffusing from the tips of her bubblegum pink nails, and the highest of grey-strapped heels all decorated the young rapper while her homegirls partied alongside her on stage. With each subsequent song, the remnants of the previous track’s bass reverberated in my ear, inebriating me into playful folly. But this transient joy was only a pitstop on a continuous uphill trek towards the climax—her final song of the night, “BabyK.”
When the beat dropped, girls in the audience began to scream. Fellas started to emote, and the seperation by gender was left at the entrance. The darkened warehouse digitized into the screen of an arcade game from the early 2000s. In harmony, chiptune sounds boomeranged from wall to wall. All the while, Bby Kell stood up on stage: “This shit easy peasy, I lemon squeeze.”
After leaving the stage, the party continued. She greeted fans backstage, rolled up, and twerked with her homegirls. Pictures were taken. Makeup was reapplied. Bangs were combed out.
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Bby Kell’s songs and personality are time machines to a more pleasurable past—one filled with the freedom to be oneself and embody the “sleaze” or “tackiness” that make a person unique. Though she dropped her first single on SoundCloud in 2022, it wasn’t until September of 2025 that she started to pursue rap. On her debut EP, STRAIGHT POP, I can easily picture Princess Peach surfing through Rainbow Road in her Daytripper with “DAS A M” blasting in her speakers. Then, the vibe shifts to a darker tone on the Playboi Carti-indebted “POP OUT.” One of her more popular records, “2019,” demonstrates how much of a natural she is. With a lazy-flow over a looped sample of Usher’s “U Don’t Have to Call,” Kell is endearing without trying, sprinkling laugh-out-loud non sequiturs throughout, such as misremembering who in her family loves Obama before rolling a 3.5 blunt. Her most recent album, GIRLY POP, takes all of her assets from STRAIGHT POP and polishes them. With an amalgamation of bass-heavy plugg production that punches down the walls of your soul, lighthearted lyrics about partying, and her raspy yet soft delivery that ties it all together, the tape is imbued with pure joy.
Much like her discography, Bby Kell is a girl of variance. Born Rahkell Badie, the rapper is a multi-hyphenate, and she wants it to be known that rap is not her first—or last—talent. In fact, it was her nail tech abilities that catalyzed her rap career. Bby Kell spent hours in the studio doing the nails of rappers like Sk8star and Pradabagshawty before she started seriously rapping as a solo artist herself.
But at her core, Bby Kell is just a girl. The day after the show, I go to interview her on the East Side. After parking in a rather nice residential neighborhood, I walk into a two-story man cave—the home-studio of Chicagoan producer, Bugg, who made the beat for “i bleed, you bleed,” the opening track on GIRLY POP. In walks Rahkell. She arrives shortly after her homegirls, bare-faced, with flared jeans, a yellow flowy tank top, minimalist jewelry and rings, and silver spiked Vans—a simple yet cool girl aesthetic that is reminiscent of the 2010s her sound reminds me of. We relocate upstairs to the studio where muted Fortnite is being played on the largest mounted flat screen display I’ve ever seen. Bugg and Bakkwoods play a selection of beats for her. She sparks up, hums some melodies, and punches in with her favorite adlib: “Yo!”
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Where in Atlanta did you grow up and how did music play a role?
I grew up in Stone Mountain, Georgia. My mom played the violin and my dad was a rapper as well. But let me tell you why I feel so ‘GIRLY POP.’ That's going to play into why I make the music that I make. I've always been into pop culture. My favorite era of pop was probably 2013. It was so fun. I love having fun, and that's really why I started making music.
On SoundCloud, your first song I could find was released in 2022? You released another song or two in 2024, and then it seems like last year is when you really started taking music seriously. So, what changed?
It's like 2 or 3 songs that I dropped in 2022. I recorded them at my friend's house. I think I recorded one at the studio. I bought a session for, like, 4 hours and I made 2 songs. Then, for my 20th birthday, my bros got me an interface and a mic, and some headphones. I didn't even use it. I still have never used it.
But the day of my birthday, I had a party, and two of my friends got in a car accident, and they were the main ones saying to me: ‘You really need to make music, like, you're already swagged out, twin. Just do it. You got it.’ Bryce, Rick, and Carson, they all put that shit together and got that shit for me for my birthday. My friends are my biggest push within all of this. They keep me going, for real.
Yeah, I saw that last night when you were fixing your homegirl's hair.
Yes, I love them so much. Christ, I love them.
When I talked to people about you, they called you a neighborhood hero and said that you have a lot of talents. For example, I heard you used to do Sk8star’s nails...
I'm a nail tech. I used to want to do videos, and all types of shit. I loved to go to the studio and do nails for people. That was my favorite place to go. And I be like, damn, I’m with them, they making music, I'm doing their nails, they listening to their music, I'm like, ‘This is fire. I love this.’ I love the environment of the studio, honestly.
What other things do you do creatively?
I am a painter as well. I haven't painted maybe in like a year, but I’m into art. I used to have a clothing brand as well. And I used to do videography. I know how to sew, I know how to crochet. I'm really good with my hands. I'm creative, all around. I like to model. I love clothes.
Somebody told me you used to throw parties, too. Do you still?
That's funny you say that. I had a Halloween party and a Christmas party, and that's when ‘Terp’ started taking off. But yes, I used to throw parties. I only did two. I wanted to do so many of them.
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You’ve been curating this GIRLY POP aesthetic. What does GIRLY POP mean to you?
GIRLY POP! Haha! GIRLY POP is my everything! That's how I feel as a person. I feel like I'm girly, but I'm gonna pop my shit. GIRLY POP is literally just me. Any girl that feel like they straight pop, like popping yo’ shit, don't matter what nobody say. That's how I feel.
And what would you say GIRLY POP looks like?
GIRLY POP looks like unicorns holding glocks in the Chanel store.
That reminds me of something 6LACK said about your music. He described you as gritty, but pretty. Would you agree?
Yeah, fuck, yes. Most definitely.
You mentioned earlier that 2013 is your favorite year for pop culture, but obviously you have a song called ‘2019.’ So why did you choose 2019 and what's the difference between 2013 and 2019 for you?
I was just in the flow when I said, ‘Comme de Garçons, shit feels like 2019.’ Carti and everybody was having, striped Comme de Garçon shirts and fucking mom jeans. That was the girl swag. So, no, it wasn't no big thing behind that.
Okay, so then what about 2013? What pop culture references inspire you?
I love all the indie sleaze shit. One of my favorite photographers is Cobra Snake. He's so fucking fire. He caught the indie sleaze and all that on camera. It was so beautiful. I just want to bring that back. It was just fun. I feel like the underground is not the same as what that was. Everybody was just a little more together. It's not like that anymore, it’s too many sides.
Why do you think that is?
Ego. That's all. People just have egos. People want to be on top.
Would you say you try to recreate that indie sleaze? I feel like your Instagram kind of gives that vibe.
Yes, I love indie sleaze. I'm also real laid back. I’m real chill. When they see me in person, I got on a little dress, some little cute little heels on, it's just so cute. Very girly; I'm very cute.
What's your favorite piece of clothing in your closet?
I have two right now. I got these teddy bear shoes like two years ago. They're so uncomfortable, but I don't care. And I have this neon Balenciaga bomber. I just got it recently. I can put on anything; I don't care if it match. I'm low-key a little tacky. But I feel like it works because I'm cute. I still feel confident with what I got on. But I will say I do do some little crazy ass shit when it comes to what I wear.
What do you think got you into fashion?
Definitely my childhood, seeing my auntie get ready to go to work and stuff. And really, I used to watch a lot of music videos. They used to be quirky. I love all types of quirky shit. YouTube. I was watching a lot of Lady Gaga. I love her so much. Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj, all the old YouTube videos. What was it? Vevo? All of those. I was on those heavy. Definitely Maroon 5. I was into so much little cute stuff.
GOAT music video?
My favorite music video is ‘Terp.’ I can always watch that music video and be like, ‘I love that girl.’ I really do. I really do look at myself and be like, ‘I love you girl, thank you.’ One that isn’t mine is ‘This is What You Came For’ by Rihanna and Calvin Harris. That's a good video. I love shit like that. Another one is a Björk video: ‘Venus is a Boy.’ I love all of her videos, but that one is super cute. And then another one, ‘7/11’ by Beyoncé. I'm gonna just say that one.
That’s a great music video, very GIRLY POP, actually.
Yes, yes, yes.
It seems like you have a diverse taste in music, so I'm curious, then, who are some of your favorite artists or artists that inspire you?
Definitely Tame Impala.
Favorite Tame Impala songs?
‘Elephant.’ That's my favorite Tame Impala song. Another one of my favorite artists. I love people that simply are just being themselves. Steve Lacy is one of my favorite artists. Yes! Just themselves. I love people that can step away from the music and have a personality that is lovable.
Are there any artists that you think you draw more direct inspiration from in terms of making your music?
That's a good question. I feel like where I'm from [the East Side], and any artist from there, has played a part into the sound that I make. So, I wouldn't say that it's any specific person, but it’s definitely an East Side sound. A lot of rappers have it, and I like it. And I’m tryna put some girly shit on it because I feel like it hasn't been girl-ified.
Lucki posted you and called you, “princess of the universe.” How did that relationship come about?
Simply just off of loving my music. Just being like a fan, loving my music.
I really like your adlibs, especially your ‘Yayo.’ Besides your own, do you have any favorite adlibs or favorite adlib from another artist?
Uzi’s adlibs, fire. It's not a specific thing that he’s saying. It's the adlibs in general. I love when Lucki be not having too much else to say. So he's going to ‘Mmmm,’ and then laugh. I love that. I love hella adlibs. And my favorite adlib that I like to do is ‘Yo.’ I really like to start every song like, ‘Yo.’
How does that make you feel?
Like I’m finna get to it. I’m finna start flowing. Most definitely, I love when people do little cute stuff on the beat. Veeze is an artist that just be talking before the beat is playing. I love that.
Do you think there's a difference in what people would expect when they see you versus when they hear your music?
No, I think it all makes sense. It's all cohesive. They get it. I don't think all the music that I've made, or want to make, is gonna sound the same. I don't think there's one sound that I am just going for. I kind of get bored with it, so I like to switch it up. I don't like to just stay in one thing. That's why I've been trying to make music with other people or why I want to make music with different types of artists, like singers because I'm not trying to stay inside a box of just trap music.
What do you want to make people feel with your music? What are you trying to inspire?
I want them to be themselves, because that's all that I am in my music. I don't care. I don't feel like I can sing, but I'm still gonna sing. I just want people to know that anything they be doing is worth it. I don't think music is the end for me, either. I feel like it's a stepping stone. I want to take it further than music. I like party music. I like to make music that's going to make somebody feel happy and turn up and want to keep playing it over and over again.
What's further than music?
I want to be a model. That's one of my biggest goals. And I would love to be a beauty guru, like, just be cute and do cute stuff.
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If you could walk for three fashion brands, what would those brands be?
I really wish I could time travel if I’m being honest. If I could go back to 2004 Celine, and if I could go back to 2009, Dolce & Gabana. I'm not really a fashion geek, I just love clothes. I would try to find brands that are embracing twenty-year-olds and girly stuff. I feel like all of the older collections that these brands used to do were way more fun. So, It's hard for me to say what three brands. One brand that I want to walk for is 424. But I want them to do a Bby Kell collection.
And what would the Bby Kell collection look like?
The things that I miss, all the fashion that is no longer here and no longer being produced. It isn't just one thing, if I'm being honest. So much. So many things that's just lost. I don't like the minimalism. I guess in like 2020, they tried to make things minimal. The minimalistic era is so lame to me. Like the simple stuff, the stone walls and just a bed, I don't like that. I love patterns and fun things that make you feel good. I love cute coffee tables, like Oreo shaped coffee tables. Just cute stuff. I don't know. I'm just... I'm just a girl.
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