Lil Baby, the Atlanta-born rapper whose real name is Dominique Armani Jones, has two boys, both of whom carry his middle name, Armani. His first kid, Jason Armani, was born on September 9, 2015, when he was just 20 years old. Jason’s mother is Ayesha Howard, a social media influencer and entrepreneur known online as Little Ms. Golden. Their relationship, which began in 2010, ended in 2015, the same year Jason was born.
Things weren’t smooth from the start. The Grammy winner missed the first two years of Jason’s life because he was serving time in prison for a probation violation, a period that forced him to reflect on his own childhood after his father abandoned him. Despite the rocky start, he has since stepped up, sharing moments with Jason on social media, notably taking him on extravagant shopping sprees, including a trip to Icebox Diamonds where he bought the boy a Rolex for his birthday. Jason even showed early signs of following in his dad’s footsteps, with a video of him rapping at just five years old going viral in 2020.
Lil Baby’s second son, Loyal Armani, was born on February 18, 2019, with his then-girlfriend Jayda Cheaves, a successful entrepreneur and Instagram model with over 8 million followers. Jayda, who runs a multi-million-dollar sports apparel brand called Waydamin, dated him on and off from 2016 until their final split in March 2021. Their relationship was complicated, with public ups and downs, including cryptic social media posts hinting at drama.
But through it all, they’ve co-parented Loyal, who’s often seen in adorable matching outfits with his dad, like during their Easter photoshoot in 2023 where fans gushed over their bond. He makes sure to include both sons in his life, whether it’s bringing them to the studio, throwing lavish birthday parties, or comforting Loyal in viral videos where the toddler stops crying the second his dad starts entertaining him.
Lil Baby’s Life With Two Children From Different Mothers
While the rapper is vocal about being a present father, his parenting journey hasn’t been without controversy. In 2020, Ayesha Howard publicly accused him of failing to pay Jason’s tuition, leading to the boy being kicked out of school. He clapped back on Twitter, insisting his kids were “beyond well taken care of” and claiming Ayesha was lying for attention. He revealed he’d bought her a Range Rover but refused to hand it over because he deemed her “irresponsible.”
The drama didn’t stop there. Ayesha later admitted she still carried emotional scars from their relationship, saying it affected how she trusted men. Meanwhile, Jayda has been more low-key about their co-parenting, though she’s occasionally hinted at tension, like when she posted cryptic messages about “everything coming to an end” shortly after their breakup.
Beyond his two confirmed sons, the Atlanta artist has faced paternity rumors. In 2021, a woman named Shi Anderson claimed he fathered her pre-teen child, pointing to the kid’s resemblance to the rapper. He never acknowledged the claim, and fans accused Anderson of chasing clout. Fast-forward to 2024, and Ayesha Howard made headlines again when she welcomed a baby girl on October 14, sparking speculation about the father.
NBA star Anthony Edwards, who’s 15 years younger than Ayesha, filed a paternity suit, though Howard hasn’t confirmed his involvement. The drama unfolded publicly, with Edwards reportedly seeking custody while juggling rumors of fathering multiple children with different women.
The rap icon’s approach to parenting is heavily influenced by his own upbringing. Raised by a single mom in Atlanta’s Oakhurst neighborhood after his dad left when he was two, he’s vowed not to repeat that cycle. In his 2022 documentary Untrapped: The Story of Lil Baby, he opened up about wanting his sons to have the father-son bond he lacked. He even admitted how much it means when Jason says, “Daddy, I want to do everything you do.”
But fame complicates things. On Lil Yachty’s podcast in 2024, the celebrity dad confessed he hates how much his little ones are exposed online, calling the internet “a crazy place.” He’d prefer to keep them off social media entirely, but since their moms post them, he focuses on preparing them for the spotlight, having “real conversations” about handling fame and schoolyard chatter.
Financially, the music mogul ensures his sons want for nothing. From designer gifts to private school tuition, he’s committed to giving them a life he never had. But his legacy isn’t just about money. He’s determined to be emotionally present, whether it’s cheering on Loyal’s first day of kindergarten in 2023 or defending his parenting publicly. Despite the messy breakups, paternity rumors, and social media drama, one thing’s clear: Lil Baby’s children are at the center of his world. And with his career still soaring, as his 2025 album WHAM debuted at number one, he’s got the resources and the resolve to keep it that way.
