Baka Not Nice

Last updated

Baka Not Nice
Birth nameTravis Savoury
Born (1979-03-06) March 6, 1979 (age 45)
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Origin Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Genres
Occupations
  • Rapper
  • songwriter
InstrumentVocals
Years active2013–present
Labels
Website bakanotnice.ca

Travis Savoury (born March 6, 1979), known professionally as Baka Not Nice, is a Canadian rapper and former security guard. He signed with Drake's record label OVO Sound, an imprint of Warner Records in 2017.

Contents

Career

Baka's career began as part of Drake's security team. He went on to contribute background vocals while working on his own solo music. [1]

He can be heard at the end of "From Time" from Drake's 2013 album Nothing Was the Same . He also provided the outro to Drake's "Free Smoke" and backing vocals on "Gyalchester", both from the 2017 album More Life. [2]

On June 27, 2017, he signed to Drake's record label OVO Sound and Warner Records, signing the contract in front of a crowd. Three days later, he released his first single "Live Up to My Name", co-written by Drake. [3] "Live Up to My Name" peaked at number 77 on the Canadian Hot 100.

In 2024, as part of the Drake-Kendrick Lamar feud, Baka was name-dropped by Lamar in his "Not Like Us" diss track, described as having a "weird case", referring to Baka's criminal history. [4] Baka responded on Instagram and expressed his support for Drake. [5]

Criminal history

In 2014, Baka was arrested and charged with forcing a 22-year-old woman into prostitution and taking her money. In 2015, he pleaded guilty to assaulting the woman and an unrelated weapons charge. He was sentenced to six months, but since he had already spent ten months in custody, he was not required to serve any additional time. [6]

The woman refused to testify which led to the charges for procuring prostitution and human trafficking to be dropped. She was working as an escort and had an on-and-off relationship with Baka. She moved from Toronto by the time the trial was underway. [6]

Baka has prior convictions for armed robbery, assault, discharging a firearm while committing a robbery, and possession for the purpose of trafficking. [7] [6] Upon his release, Drake would post, "A lot of good things happening at once. But this one means the MOST!!! Been waiting for 11 months!! Baka finally home!!!!!" (sic). [5] He would later state "When [he] got out of jail there was a lot of different paths he could've took and he decided to focus on music." [1]

Discography

EPs

Singles

TitleYearPeak chart positions Certifications Album
CAN
[9]
"Live Up to My Name"2017774Milli
"Money in the Bank"—non-album singles
"I Am Who I Am"—
"UP" [12] 2019—

Guest appearances

List of non-single guest appearances, with other performing artists, showing year released and album name
TitleYearOther artist(s)Album
"From Time"
(featuring Jhené Aiko)		2013 Drake Nothing Was the Same
"Free Smoke" [13] 2017 More Life
"Gyalchester" [13]
"Talk Up"
(featuring Jay-Z)		2018 Scorpion

Filmography

Film and television
YearTitleRoleNotes
2019Remember Me, TorontoHimselfShort film by Mustafa the Poet

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References

  1. 1 2 "Longtime Drake Affiliate Baka Not Nice Signs To OVO". Genius. June 28, 2017. Retrieved September 15, 2017.
  2. ↑ "Drake Signs Baka to OVO Sound". Rap-Up. Retrieved September 15, 2017.
  3. ↑ Live Up To My Name – Single by Baka Not Nice on Apple Music, June 30, 2017, retrieved September 15, 2017
  4. ↑ Bennett, Jessica (May 5, 2024). "Kendrick Lamar Drops Fourth Drake Diss, "Not Like Us," Produced By Mustard". VIBE.com. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
  5. 1 2 "What Is Baka Not Nice's 'Weird Case' Kendrick Lamar Refer..." Complex. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
  6. 1 2 3 "Drake entourage member guilty of assaulting woman". Toronto Sun. Retrieved September 15, 2017.
  7. ↑ Powell, Betsy (October 30, 2007). "Deported man faces firearms charges". The Toronto Star. ISSN   0319-0781 . Retrieved February 14, 2018.
  8. ↑ "Canadian Albums: August 18, 2018". Billboard. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
  9. ↑ "Billboard Canadian Hot 100 Chart". Billboard.com.
  10. ↑ "American certifications – Baka Not Nice". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved March 25, 2024.
  11. ↑ "Canadian certifications – Baka Not Nice". Music Canada . Retrieved March 25, 2024.
  12. ↑ BAKA NOT NICE – UP (Official Lyric Video), October 10, 2019, retrieved October 14, 2019
  13. 1 2 "Here Are The Full Credits For More Life". The FADER. Retrieved September 15, 2017.
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