Baby Keem first appeared on most listeners’ radars after his song, “ORANGE SODA,” went viral on TikTok. His casual vocal delivery and unique voice made this song a summer hit, and propelled him into the hip-hop spotlight.
The acclaimed hit came from his 2019 mixtape, “DIE FOR MY B****,” one of my favorite projects of the year. The tape saw Keem utilize skeletal instrumentals that often had multiple beat switches, a style that complemented his aggressive lyrical output.
So, it was safe to say that when I heard Baby Keem’s “family ties,” featuring his older cousin and rap legend Kendrick Lamar, I was eager to hear the rest of his debut album, “The Melodic Blue.” The second of two singles that dropped prior to the album’s release, “family ties” was a demonstration of how rappers with tight chemistry can bring their songs to the next level.
The first half of the song has Baby Keem doing what he does best — creating bangers with interesting flows and various beat switches. This is followed by a Kendrick Lamar verse (his first since 2019) in which he switches to a country-like flow, which is arguably the best musical moment this year.
“The Melodic Blue” certainly lived up to the hype that was established by the success of “family ties.”
The album opener, “trademark usa,” projects Keem at his most vulnerable, contemplating the consequences of his newfound fame over a somber soul sample. This is immediately contrasted when distorted 808s come in under Keem’s combative bars. After an on-brand beat change, Rosalía supplies a catchy chorus.
“Pink panties” adds a contemporary love song to one of Keem’s many acquaintances. This cut is in line with Keem’s earlier discography, but is enhanced by the chorus, sampled from Che Ecru’s 2019 freestyle “F*ck Instagram.”
On “Scapegoats,” Keem reflects on the contrast between his present and past over an emotional serpentwithfeet sample. It’s clear Keem wanted to expand past the traditional rap banger he's known for, and accomplishes this on this cut. Unfortunately, the track is only one minute and 17 seconds long, the shortest on the album.
“Range brothers” is more of the same as rap’s newest duo, and feels like a continuation of the fun that was had between Keem and Kendrick during “family ties.” Despite the lackluster production, this song is held up by the amazing performance between the two cousins. The song begins with Keem crooning about his need for a girlfriend, and Kendrick carries the song to half point of the album with a solid verse.
