All-Time Best Joey Bada$$ Songs

Pro Era is the hip-hop collective that Joey Bada$$ founded in 2011 with his Brooklyn friends, including rappers like Capital STEEZ, CJ Fly, and Nyck Caution. Beast Coast is the larger umbrella collective formed in 2012 that includes Pro Era along with other NYC groups like Flatbush Zombies and The Underachievers. They're all part of the New York underground hip-hop revival movement.

Joey Bada$$ made his acting debut in 2016 when he was cast as Leon in the second season of the hit USA Network series 'Mr. Robot' alongside Rami Malek. The show's creator Sam Esmail praised his 'raw and honest' acting style. Since then, he's appeared in multiple TV shows and movies, including 'Power Book III: Raising Kanan,' and he's become known as much for his acting as his music.

Joey Bada$$'s breakthrough was his debut mixtape '1999' released in 2012 when he was just 17 years old. The mixtape got massive critical acclaim for its old-school 90s boom-bap sound and mature lyricism. It put him on the map and showed that despite being born in 1995, he could perfectly capture that classic 90s hip-hop essence. Many people thought he was actually a 90s rapper when they first heard it.

Joey Bada$$ intentionally crafts his sound to pay homage to 90s East Coast hip-hop, particularly artists like Nas, Big L, and A Tribe Called Quest. He uses classic boom-bap beats, jazz samples, and conscious lyricism that defined that era. He's said he believes that style of hip-hop was the purest form of the genre, and he wants to bring back that lyrical complexity and substance to modern rap.

Joey Bada$$'s biggest hit is probably 'Devastated' from 2016, which was his most mainstream successful track. Other popular songs include 'Paper Trail$' featuring his late friend Capital STEEZ, '95 Til Infinity,' 'Waves,' and 'Land of the Free.' His song 'Survival Tactics' with Capital STEEZ is also considered a classic among hip-hop heads.

Capital STEEZ (Courtney Jamal Dewar Jr.) was Joey Bada$$'s close friend and Pro Era co-founder who tragically died by suicide in December 2012 at age 19, jumping from the roof of the Cinematic Music Group building. His death deeply affected Joey and Pro Era, and Joey has frequently honored his memory in his music and interviews. STEEZ was considered an incredibly talented lyricist who could have been one of the greats.

Yes, Joey Bada$$ is still actively making music. His most recent album '2000' was released in 2022, and he continues to tour and release new tracks. However, he's also heavily focused on his acting career now, appearing in shows like 'Power Book III: Raising Kanan.' He's successfully balancing both his music and acting careers, similar to how artists like Will Smith and Mark Wahlberg transitioned between both industries.

Joey Bada$$ has released four studio albums: 'B4.Da.$$' (2015), 'ALL-AMERIKKKAN BADA$$' (2017), and '2000' (2022). He's also released several influential mixtapes including '1999' (2012) and 'Summer Knights' (2013). His album titles are pretty creative - 'B4.Da.$$' is pronounced 'Before Da Money' and represents his values before fame and wealth.