Summary
Highlights
The video starts by discussing the long-standing phenomenon of hating specific music or artists, citing Rick Astley's 'Never Gonna Give You Up' and the 'Rick Roll' as a prime example. It then touches on more recent examples like KSI's 'Thick of It' and Iron Mouse's 'Cry for Me,' highlighting how controversies surrounding artists often lead to criticism of their music.
The video introduces Baby No Money (Alexander Leon Gumushian) as the internet's current target of widespread hate. It mentions a viral post where he joked about quitting music if he received 1 million likes, which garnered over 4 million, illustrating the extent of the animosity towards him. The video then sets up the central question: who is Baby No Money, and why is he so hated?
Alexander Gumushian, born in Vancouver, Canada, in 1995, had an unconventional start to his life. Homeschooled for many years, he initially struggled with music theory. His competitive swimming career, which was his initial passion, was cut short by a debilitating back injury in high school. This setback, however, led him to explore other hobbies, including writing poetry and eventually creating music, discovering a new passion at 19.
While studying kinesiology at the University of British Columbia, Alex joined his first band, 'Brokeboy Gang.' His nickname 'Baby Freestyle' was shortened to 'BBN O dollar sign' for a jersey, which he interpreted as 'Baby No Money,' a name he adopted. After the band broke up, he started a solo career on Soundcloud. He gained significant traction in 2016 when a Chinese idol used his song 'Yoyo Tokyo,' leading to viral success in China. He later collaborated with Young Gravy and released albums.
Baby No Money's career took off in 2019 with the release of 'Lalala,' a collaboration with Y2K, which became his most popular song. He attributed its success to platforms like TikTok, explaining his strategy of posting simple content, encouraging fan engagement, and integrating his music into meme culture. He further amplified his reach by making some of his music copyright-free, allowing creators to use it and earn money, incentivizing its widespread use and exposure.
Despite his success, Baby No Money faces considerable hate. One primary reason is the perceived quality of his music, with critics calling it 'NPC music' or 'corny' and claiming his recent releases sound repetitive. While acknowledging music is subjective, the video suggests the hate stems more from his aggressive marketing strategy. His constant presence across social media, collaborations with numerous influencers, and commissioning of artists lead to 'Baby No Money fatigue,' making some feel his music is being 'forced down their throats.'
Another criticism is that Baby No Money is 'performative' or 'Baby No Backbone.' This includes his viral stunt about quitting music. More significantly, his vocal opposition to AI art, while a popular stance, is seen by some as excessive. A major controversy arose from an art competition he held, offering exposure and $1,000 for a song cover. Critics argued he exploited his community for free labor, as only the winner was compensated, contradicting his public support for smaller artists. The video defends him by stating it was clearly a competition and he frequently commissions artists.
The most significant backlash came from his 'Mary Poppins' music video, released in May 2025. It featured a censored streamer, Asmongold, represented by a PNG lizard, with an on-screen message stating Baby No Money was unaware of his 'ethical beliefs' during filming. Asmongold had faced controversy for political comments. The video argues Baby No Money was in a no-win situation; not censoring Asmongold would imply support, but the way he chose to censor him drew more attention and criticism, particularly from those who recalled Baby No Money previously calling Asmongold his favorite streamer. However, Asmongold himself expressed understanding for Baby No Money's decision.
The video concludes by stating that Baby No Money likely doesn't deserve the intense hate he receives. Much of it is attributed to his omnipresent marketing strategy, which, while effective, can lead to audience fatigue. His music is deemed not 'that bad,' and he hasn't engaged in serious controversies to warrant such animosity. The 'Mary Poppins' situation was a lose-lose; he was bound to receive backlash regardless of his decision. Despite the negativity, he has a large supportive fanbase, indicating that the hate, though loud, doesn't represent everyone's opinion.