bbno$ on being a ‘beacon of hope’ (and why he’s fine with fans painting him pregnant)
Mar 06, 2026 [[read-time]] minute read
"I’m never going to be a Frank Ocean, so I’ve kind of checked that one off my list."
There’s a specific kind of freedom that comes from giving up on ‘playing it cool.’ In a world where artists are often taught to build walls of mystique between themselves and their audience, Vancouver-born rapper bbno$ (pronounced "baby no money") has spent his career tearing them down. Instead of disappearing to build hype, he stays in your feed, leans into memes, and treats his fans like a true community.
Now, he’s offering up his most vulnerable release yet. His new single why am i like this? trades the jokes for a gut punch of self awareness and reflection.
We sat down with Alex to talk about this artistic shift, his relationship with the internet, and his hopes for fellow “weird kids” just looking to create great art.
Photo by Olen Quinn
For those of us who grew up online, there's usually that first community or fandom where you ‘find your people.’ Where was that for you?"
bbno$: Do you want the bbno$ answer or the Alex answer?
Let’s go with Alex.
bbno$: I started playing Diablo II pretty early on, then a natural progression into World of Warcraft. It became a real addiction. I would sit online all day with these random people in my guild. It gave me a sense of community.
I was homeschooled, so before I went to high school I didn’t have too many friends. I just kind of played online, met a bunch of random people and traversed the internet. I think that’s why I understand the internet pretty well, even though it’s constantly changing. I’ve adapted to move like a Gen Z-er in regards to content and social media, because I know how much it benefits the music.
What was the ‘bbno$’ answer going to be?
bbno$: bbno$ is a product of the internet. We all are, but he’s kind of an accentuated form of Alex. I'm never going to be a Frank Ocean, so you know, I've kind of checked that one off my list. I’m just a weirdo. I can be weird or goofy and be ok with it, and I’ve been able to give other weirdos the comfort to be themselves too.
One thing that’s so unique about your brand is how much you champion fan subcultures—from shipping to the really niche fan art. You seem to have a lot of respect for that level of fandom intensity. Why make it a point to give those 'weird' corners of the internet a seat at the table?
bbno$: If someone is going out of their way to draw a picture of me, why wouldn't I show some appreciation? I’m not better than them. The truth of the matter is, if someone spent 10 hours making a piece of content about you, it can feel ridiculous. In my opinion, they wasted their whole day [laughs.] But if they’re creatively inspired to go make a painting of me pregnant, then so be it. I like it. It’s funny. I don’t really have a reason to be supportive in these worlds, but it’s just like why not? If people support me, I’ll support them.
I think the landscape of the internet is so free for everyone to use now. Nerd culture is becoming ever more popular. Streamers are some of the most famous people in the world now. I think it’s sick because it just allows more people to be more creative. When I was growing up, playing World of Warcraft and watching anime was deemed weird. Now it's like super normcore.
Out of all the bits and cosplays you’ve done, do you have a personal favorite?
bbno$: I really like doing the Dr. Octopus cosplay. I never really cosplayed prior to 2024. I did drag in 2020 and I was like, "Wow, this was really fun. I look hot as f---."
Ever since then, I’ve just thought dressing up is cool. It’s a nice form of being yourself, but also just being someone completely different for one day. It lets you express weirdness even more effectively. The Dr. Octopus one was a really intense build, too. We got an engineer to build hand grips to hold VTubers in the little screens. It was over-stimulation on 1 billion, but it was sick.
“When I was growing up, playing World of Warcraft and watching anime was deemed weird. Now it's like super normcore.”
I loved that you hired 20+ fan animators for the 'ADD' music video. Most artists just hire a big agency, but you went through the effort of commissioning individual creators from your community instead. Why?
bbno$: I ran a contest on TikTok and saw all these creators who were incredibly talented. I was like, "Okay, I want to enlist them all to create seven seconds of this video each." It was a logistical nightmare for Turner [my creative director], but he did it.
These fans who make videos are great at what they do, so why wouldn’t I want to keep paying them? I get to support them, and it supports my music. Kill two birds, one stone. I remember when I wasn't making money and I was spending $50 a month on food at Costco to get by, living in a dorm room with no windows. I told myself, “‘I’m not bbno$ yet, I’m going to work my a** off to get out of the mud.” And every time I was paid for my work, it incentivized me to keep going.
So, the commissions are a pat on the back from me saying, "Hey, yo, artists, keep doing what you're doing. This is me appreciating you and keep pushing the art world forward."
Photo by Dillon Spencer
Does this interactive approach change how you actually write the music? Like, are you actually writing lines and thinking, 'Okay, this is going to be a perfect loop for a YouTube Short or a fan edit'?
bbno$: I don’t really write specifically for social media, but sometimes I’ll assume what will sound best. I know if you have three to six seconds of "stabby" sounds before a drop, it’ll do better. But at the core of it, I just do what I like doing. I think that’s why my fans like me: I’m just doing me and not taking it too seriously, even though I'm busting my a**.
It’s funny how being 'unserious' can actually be a ton of work. You’ve been at this for a decade and the industry isn’t exactly getting easier, what’s the ‘why' that keeps you going?
bbno$: I have nothing better to do! [Laughs]. No, I mean, if you were given the platform to be a beacon of hope and positivity for people in a world that can be a mess, wouldn't you do that? It’s a no-brainer.
I’m so blessed to be in this position that why wouldn't I want everyone who follows me to be progressive and open-minded? I want them to be willing to learn—even to learn that they might be wrong about something—and just experience positivity in its largest form. My parents always ask me why I do it, too, and I’m just like, I don't know what else I would be doing.
“If you were given the platform to be a beacon of hope and positivity... wouldn't you do that?”
This new track is a lot more personal than what we usually hear from you. What was the catalyst for being more vulnerable right now?
bbno$: I made a TikTok saying, "Give me a million likes and I’ll quit rapping." A lot of people wanted me to stop rapping! [Laughs]. So now I’m making singer-songwriter sad songs.
But honestly, I do think that being a comic is more difficult than being personal. We wrote this song in like an hour. When you write personal, relational, conversational songs, you just have to put yourself in a third person and see two individuals speaking to each other. I’m just excited to put it out.
What do you want the other "weird" kids of the internet to take away from this more honest side of your journey?
bbno$: It’s like Hannah Montana—two different sides of the same cookie. My real die-hard fans know I make this type of music, but it hasn't really passed my fan base ecosystem yet. As soon as it does, people will be like, "Oh, he’s multi-dimensional."
But honestly? My fans are the best. The people who come to my shows are the nicest, sweetest people in the world. Just keep doing you, I guess.