DJ Khaled’s son Asahd Tuck Khaled, who is just six months old, already has a pretty prolific career as a music producer. In March, when he was just four months old, he became the executive producer for Khaled’s new album Grateful, which includes the brand new song “To the Max” featuring Drake.
“He is credited as executive producer, and his attorney has his points or royalties, everything,” Khaled told Jimmy Kimmel earlier this year. He says that Asahd’s role is “listening to the songs with [him], going over the business part of it, [determining] if the vocals are right, if the beats are right, if the energy’s right.”
But Asahd isn’t the only baby with a career in music. Rather, he is just one baby icon among many.
Jay Z ft. Blue Ivy, “Glory”
Before she had two new siblings on the way, and before she was dressing in matching outfits with her mom, Jay Z and Beyoncé’s daughter Blue Ivy was a tiny baby with a fire new feature crying on her dad’s song “Glory.” She was just two days old. What were YOU doing when you were two days old?
Stevie Wonder ft. Aisha Morris, “Isn’t She Lovely”
Not only did Stevie Wonder write this song for his daughter Aisha, she’s also featured crying at the beginning of the song. As an adult she’d go on to perform on his songs “How Will I Know” and “Positivity.”
Jordy, “Dur Dur D’Etre Bebe”
Apologies to Blue Ivy and Asahd, but Jordy is clearly the most iconic musical baby of all time, who was the youngest artist ever to have a #1 charting single. The song, which translates to “It’s Tough To Be a Baby,” is a vulnerable, heart-felt portrait of life as baby with Jordy, clearly drawing from real-life experiences for his songwriting. It is also a total banger.
North and Saint West, The Life of Pablo
While not as prestigious as being executive producers, both North (three years old) and Saint (a little over one year old) were credited as “creative consultants” on dad Kanye West’s album The Life of Pablo. I pray for their solo albums every day.
Aaliyah and Unknown Baby, “Are You That Somebody”
The mysterious cooing baby of “Are You That Somebody” has appeared on a few songs before Aaliyah’s, like Prince’s 1982 song “Delirious” and the Rascals’ 1969 song “Look Around.” Reportedly first culled from a 1960s-era sound effects volume, the identity of the famous baby is still unknown.
Major Lazer and Unknown Baby “T-Pain”
Both Diplo and M.I.A. have used this sample of a crying, autotuned baby that’s ripped from a Youtube video called “Baby T- Pain.”
Mariah Carey, “Supernatural”
The elusive chanteuse’s 2014 song “Supernatural” included a cameo (giggling, singing, and telling Mariah they love her) from her twins with Nick Cannon, Monroe and Morocco. “Dem babies are on the song,” she told press before the album release. “And they were singing this when they were just two.”
Camille Saint-Saëns
While not quite a baby, composing prodigy Saint-Saëns began to first play piano by age two-and-a-half, and could read by age three. Asahd has some time to live up to that, but I’ll be watching him very closely. VERY closely.
DJ Arch Jnr
This insane baby DJ who won Jezebel’s hearts and South Africa’s Got Talent back in 2015 when he was only three years old probably puts all the Brooklyn baby DJs in training to shame.