It feels like yesterday that a teenage kid from Bed-Stuy was lighting up the internet with a dusty, boom-bap flow that sounded like it was ripped straight out of 1994. But time moves fast in the rap world. If you're wondering how old is Joey Bada$$ right now, the answer is actually a bit of a milestone. Born on January 20, 1995, Jo-Vaughn Virginie Scott just turned 31.
Honestly, it’s a weird number to process. For those of us who grew up bumping 1999 in our headphones back in 2012, Joey has always been the "young prodigy." He was the kid who founded Pro Era at 17 and carried the torch for New York hip-hop when everyone else was chasing Southern trap sounds. Seeing him enter his thirties feels like the end of an era and the start of something much more mature.
The Early Days: 17 and Already a Legend
When Joey dropped 1999, he was literally a high school kid. He was a student at Edward R. Murrow High School, supposedly focusing on acting before the music thing just totally exploded. It’s wild to think that "Survival Tactics" was recorded by someone who couldn't even legally buy a beer.
Back then, the industry didn't know what to do with him. You had this skinny kid with crazy lyrical dexterity making music that sounded "old," but he was doing it with a modern energy that felt fresh. He wasn't just some nostalgia act. He was a teenager with the soul of a 40-year-old jazz musician.
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A Timeline of the Big Milestones
- 2012: Released 1999 at age 17. The world stops.
- 2015: B4.DA.$$ drops on his 20th birthday. It hits #5 on the Billboard 200.
- 2017: ALL-AMERIKKKAN BADA$$ shows he’s ready to get political at 22.
- 2022: The album 2000 releases, a sequel to his debut, finding him at 27.
- 2024: Mayor Eric Adams declares December 20th as "Joey Bada$$ Day" in New York.
- 2025: Celebrated his 30th birthday with the track "Sorry Not Sorry."
How Joey Bada$$ Changed the Game in His 20s
Most rappers burn out by the time they hit thirty. They lose the hunger or they stop evolving. Joey did the opposite. Instead of just staying in the "rapper" box, he branched out in ways that actually made sense.
You’ve probably seen him on screen if you aren't a big music person. His role as Leon in Mr. Robot was arguably the best part of the later seasons. He didn't just play a "rapper who acts"; he was genuinely compelling. Then he went and starred in Two Distant Strangers, which ended up winning an Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film. That’s a heavy resume for someone who hasn't even hit his mid-30s yet.
The Impact of ImpactMENtorship
One thing people often overlook when talking about his age and career is his philanthropy. In 2023, he launched ImpactMENtorship. Basically, it’s a program that provides free career guidance for men of color. It’s not just a tax write-off or a PR stunt. He’s been really vocal about how mentorship changed his life as a kid in Brooklyn, and now he’s paying it forward.
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Last year, he even served as the Artist-in-Residence at NYU’s Clive Davis Institute. Imagine going from a high school dropout at 17 to teaching college kids at 29. It’s a pretty incredible arc.
Why "Lonely at the Top" is a Turning Point
If you’ve been following the news lately, you know Joey isn't slowing down. His latest album, Lonely at the Top, which dropped in late 2025, feels like his most "adult" work yet. There was a bit of drama with his label, Columbia, which he addressed pretty bluntly on the track "Dark Aura."
He’s frustrated with the industry, sure, but he’s also clearly in control of his craft. The "Dark Aura Tour" that ran through the end of 2025—featuring Rapsody and Ab-Soul—proved that he’s still one of the best live performers in the game. He isn't chasing TikTok trends. He’s making music for people who actually like lyrics.
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What’s Next for Joey in 2026?
Now that he’s 31, the conversation around Joey Bada$$ is shifting. He isn't the "new kid" anymore. He’s a veteran. He’s the guy the younger generation looks up to. There are rumors of a Big L biopic in the works, which Joey has been vocal about wanting to lead. Given his track record in Power Book III: Raising Kanan as the character Unique, he’s got the acting chops to pull it off.
Honestly, the coolest thing about Joey’s age is that he has survived the "prodigy" curse. So many artists who blow up at 17 are irrelevant by 25. Joey managed to grow up alongside his fans. When we were 18, we were listening to 1999. Now that we’re in our late 20s and early 30s, we’re listening to him talk about fatherhood, mental health, and the weight of success.
If you want to keep up with what he’s doing next, the best move is to check out his recent "Dark Aura" visuals. It’s a masterclass in how to stay relevant without selling out. You can also look into his ImpactMENtorship program if you're interested in how he's spending his time off-stage. He's proving that being 31 in hip-hop isn't about getting old—it's about getting better.