Michigan rapper and former YouTuber DDG achieved his first number-one album with “blame the chat,” a project largely created through direct audience participation. The 15-track album, released under DDG Music with an exclusive license to Epic Records, currently holds the top position on Apple Music in Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda, Oman, and Turks and Caicos.

In the United States, “blame the chat” peaked at #8 on Apple Music and reached the top 2 on US iTunes, where it currently ranks as the #1 hip-hop album. The project also claimed #1 iTunes positions in Norway and The Bahamas.

Overall, the album has charted in over 50 countries, securing Top 3 positions in more than 15 territories, including Barbados, Gambia, Trinidad and Tobago, and Mozambique. It has also reached the Top 10 in South Africa, Kenya, Namibia, and Botswana.

DDG recorded most of the project during March’s “7 Days 7 Nights: Hit-A-Thon,” bringing various artists into the studio to create music spontaneously. True to its title, the album’s tracklist was largely determined by DDG’s Twitch chat audience, who helped select beats and influenced featured artists.

Notable Collaborations

The album includes several high-profile collaborations, such as “motion” with DaBaby (released as a pre-album single in April), “lemonade” featuring Wiz Khalifa, and “speed” with Ty Dolla Sign and Rich The Kid. “More than a night” features Queen Naija and Rob49, with a surprise addition of vocals from Shenseea, who wasn’t part of the original live stream.

Some tracks were recorded outside the “Hit-A-Thon” sessions, including “fine shyt” with BIA (recorded in February) and the TikTok-viral “pink dreads” with PlaqueBoyMax from late 2024.

Breaking Out of the ‘YouTuber’ Box

Born Darryl Dwyane Granberry Jr. in Pontiac, Michigan, DDG began his content creation career on YouTube in 2014, quickly building a following. Initially known as PontiacMadeDDG to his YouTube audience, he earned thousands of dollars monthly through his videos before transitioning to music. In 2019, DDG signed a deal between his own label, DDG Entertainment, and Epic Records, marking his formal entry into the music industry.

Despite describing his transition into the music industry as “very, very difficult,” DDG has been determined to be recognized for his musical talents. “I feel like I’m blessed to have great music, so when I finally get somebody to take a chance and press play, I feel like it’s a great success rate on making them a fan of the music,” the artist told Girls United last year.

DDG has made deliberate career moves to establish himself as a serious musician, including clearing videos from his YouTube channel to encourage new fans to know him primarily for his music. His persistence has paid off, with the artist now a platinum-selling musician selected for the 2021 XXL Freshmen List alongside artists like Coi Leray and 42 Dugg. His previous projects include 2019’s “Valedictorian” and “Die 4 Respect,” collaborating with producer OG Parker.