Baby Keem

Baby Keem
Birth nameHykeem Jamaal Carter Jr.
Also known as
  • 2 Phone Baby Keem
  • Booman
  • Black Brad Paisley
Born2000 (age 23–24)
Carson, California, U.S.
OriginLas Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Rapper
  • singer
  • songwriter
  • record producer
Years active2014–present
Labels
Relatives
Websitekeem.science

Hykeem Jamaal Carter Jr. (born 2000), known professionally as Baby Keem, is an American rapper and record producer. Raised in Las Vegas, he gained recognition in the late 2010s with his contributions to Black Panther: The Album by his cousin Kendrick Lamar, as well as Redemption by Jay Rock, Crash Talk by Schoolboy Q, and The Lion King: The Gift by Beyoncé. As a lead artist, he first became known for his 2019 sleeper hit single "Orange Soda", which was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Keem signed with PGLang, in a joint venture with Columbia Records, to release his debut studio album, The Melodic Blue (2021). Met with positive reviews from critics, it peaked at number five on the Billboard 200 and was certified platinum by the RIAA; its single "Family Ties" won Best Rap Performance at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards. His collaborations with Kanye West on Donda (2021) and Lamar on Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers (2022) earned him two nominations for Album of the Year at the 64th and 65th Annual Grammy Awards, respectively.

Early life

[edit]

Hykeem Jamaal Carter Jr. was born in 2000, in Carson, California.[1] His mother struggled with substance abuse and alcoholism,[2] while his father, Hykeem Carter Sr., was not an active parental figure.[3] Carter was raised in Las Vegas, Nevada by his grandmother until the age of eight, and considers her to be his second mother.[4] Much of his childhood was spent in music studios as he watched his aunts and uncles burn CDs using LimeWire.[5] Carter also underwent eviction and was reliant on food stamps.[6]

Carter was brought up around a musically talented family, where all of his uncles and cousins were rappers.[7] His older cousins include rapper Kendrick Lamar and basketball player Nick Young;[8][9] he may also be related to rapper Tanna Leone.[10] He always expressed an interest in rapping, but was not confident with his naturally high-pitched voice and chose to wait until it was developed.[4] When he was thirteen, Carter began producing music using Apple software on his computer.[11] At fifteen, he borrowed $300 from his grandmother and purchased a small recording setup for his bedroom on Craigslist.[11] Carter expressed disdain for his hometown where "everybody [knew] everybody", and cited its obsolete music scene as a key factor in his decision to move.[4] He[12] spent much of his teen years playing video games and "cooking up" in games such as Geometry Dash, Fortnite and PUBG. He used to post and livestream Minecraft and FIFA gameplay on YouTube and Twitch.[13] Baby Keem attended school and produced music in his Las Vegas bedroom until his breakthrough mixtape, Die for my Bitch, was released. He subsequently moved to Los Angeles to pursue a full-time career in music. [14]

Career

[edit]

2014–2018: Career beginnings

[edit]

Carter made his first song, "Come Thru", during his freshman year of high school; it was removed from the Internet and he hopes "nobody will ever find it."[7] His first extended play (EP), Oct, was independently released under his birth name on November 7, 2017, but was removed from major streaming media services shortly after its release.[15] According to RapTV, the 9-track EP showed traces of Carter's future musical style by "featuring a mix of bouncy, hard beats and slower, emotional cuts."[15] He released his second EP, Midnight, on January 16, 2018. Although it showcased the same production as Oct, RapTV noticed that Carter's delivery was "more confident and loud."[15] In an interview with Complex, he admitted that Midnight did not have any real artistic direction, and described the project as "just nine songs in my stash that I liked and put out."[7]

After emailing a sample of his production to independent record label Top Dawg Entertainment, Carter contributed to the soundtrack album for the superhero film Black Panther (2018) as a producer.[7] During the summer, he released two EPs, No Name and Hearts and Darts, and produced two songs on Jay Rock's third studio album Redemption.[16] He considers Hearts and Darts, which was his first project under his stage name Baby Keem, to have personality that Midnight lacked.[7] In October 2018, he released his debut mixtape, The Sound of Bad Habit, through the Orchard and Sony Music.[4] The mixtape was executive produced by Cardo.[4]

2019–2020: Die for My Bitch and breakthrough

[edit]

Keem produced two songs on Schoolboy Q's fifth album, Crash Talk (2019).[17] On July 19, 2019, he produced a song for singer Beyoncé's soundtrack album The Lion King: The Gift and released his second mixtape, Die for My Bitch.[18][19] The alternative hip hop mixtape carried strong pop-punk and alternative rock elements,[20] and received significant media attention.[21] Its lead single, "Orange Soda", became a sleeper hit and helped Keem make his first appearances on the Billboard 200, Billboard Hot 100 and Emerging Artists charts.[22] He supported the mixtape with his first concert tour, the Die for My Bitch Tour, which visited select venues across the U.S. from November 12 to November 20, 2019.[23]

Keem's partnership with creative services company PGLang, founded by Kendrick Lamar and filmmaker Dave Free, was announced through his appearance in the company's visual mission statement on March 5, 2020.[24] He was included on XXL's annual Freshman Class list in August.[25] Upon signing a recording contract with Columbia Records, Keem released the single album "Hooligan / Sons & Critics" on September 18, 2020;[26] the latter song confirmed his familial relation to Lamar after rumors began to emerge.[27]

2021–present: The Melodic Blue

[edit]

Keem was featured on Kanye West's song "Praise God" alongside Travis Scott for the former's tenth album, Donda (2021).[28] The Melodic Blue, his debut studio album, was released on September 10, 2021.[29] He co-produced 14 of the album's 16 standard tracks.[30] It received generally positive reviews from music critics, with praise towards its ambitious nature and Keem's growing potential,[31] but criticism towards its "half-baked" production.[32] The album debuted at number five on the Billboard 200, becoming Keem's first top-10 album in the U.S.[33] Two of the album's four singles, "Durag Activity" with Scott and "Family Ties" with Lamar,[34] enjoyed critical and commercial success.[35] Keem embarked on the Melodic Blue Tour, which visited cities in North America and Europe from November 2021 to July 2022, and appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to promote The Melodic Blue.[36] A B-side to the album was released on September 22, 2021,[37] while the deluxe edition was released on October 28, 2022.[38]

At the 64th Annual Grammy Awards (April 2022), "Family Ties" won Best Rap Performance.[39] Keem produced two songs and was featured on Lamar's fifth album Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers (2022),[40] and served as the co-opening act on the accompanying Big Steppers Tour.[41] He also appeared on the tour's film companion.[42] On May 30, 2023, Keem and Lamar surprise released "The Hillbillies".[43] They headlined the first night of the 2023 Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival as the superduo of the same name.[44] Keem made his acting debut in the short film adaptation of The Melodic Blue, which was released on December 5, 2023.[45] He executive produced the film through his in-house company, Eerie Times.[46]

Artistry

[edit]

Influences

[edit]

One of Keem's favorite artists and main musical influences is Kid Cudi.[4] He was heavily inspired by his cadences and emotional connection, particularly on the single "Immortal" (2013).[4][47] As a child, Keem recalled listening to Kanye West's 808s & Heartbreak (2008) during a rare snow day in Las Vegas and being inspired by the album's cinematic quality.[5] He has admitted that he will "never say anything ill" about West, and credits him for consistently challenging music genre boundaries.[48] Keem self-identifies as part of the Mike Will Made It and Metro Boomin generation of record producers, and derives inspiration from both artists.[48]

Discography

[edit]
Main article: Baby Keem discography

Studio albums

Filmography

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Film

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2022 Kendrick Lamar Live: The Big Steppers Tour Himself [49]
2023 The Melodic Blue Short film; also executive producer [45]

Tours

[edit]

Headlining

  • Die For My Bitch Tour (2019)
  • The Melodic Blue Tour (2021–2022)

Supporting

Awards and nominations

[edit]
Award Year Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
BET Awards 2022 Best New Artist Himself Nominated [50]
Video of the Year "Family Ties" (with Kendrick Lamar) Won
Best Collaboration Nominated
Billboard Music Awards 2022 Top Gospel Song "Praise God" (Kanye West featuring Travis Scott and Baby Keem) Nominated [51]
Top Christian Song Nominated
Grammy Awards 2022 Best New Artist Himself Nominated [52]
Album of the Year Donda (credited as featured artist and songwriter) Nominated
Best Rap Performance "Family Ties" (with Kendrick Lamar) Won
Best Rap Song Nominated
2023 Album of the Year Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers (credited as featured artist, songwriter and producer) Nominated [53]
2024 Best Rap Performance "The Hillbillies" (with Kendrick Lamar) Nominated [54]
NME Awards 2022 Best Collaboration "Family Ties" (with Kendrick Lamar) Nominated [55]
XXL Awards 2022 Song of the Year Nominated [56]
Video of the Year Nominated

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Thomas, Fred. "Baby Keem Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More". AllMusic. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  2. ^ Rosenberger, Ryan (September 20, 2021). "Baby Keem flashes serious potential on The Melodic Blue". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  3. ^ Levy, Piet (April 2, 2022). "Baby Keem proved at sold-out Milwaukee show he'll be a huge star, just like his cousin Kendrick Lamar". Journal Sentinel. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Setaro, Shawn (July 31, 2019). "Baby Keem Has Arrived". Complex. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  5. ^ a b Pack, The Rap (May 28, 2021). "Baby Keem On His Journey, His Relationship W/ Kendrick Lamar, Working W/ Drake + More | The Rap Pack". YouTube. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
  6. ^ Kelly, Chris (November 28, 2021). "Resonating with his crowd, Baby Keem seems ready to reach for something more". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  7. ^ a b c d e Isom, Eric (July 14, 2018). "Meet Hykeem Carter, The Mysterious Artist Who Has Credits on Multiple TDE Projects". Complex. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  8. ^ Tucker, Tristan (September 13, 2021). "Baby Keem pops off, delivers big in debut album". Technician. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
  9. ^ Palladino, Paul (October 31, 2012). "Interview: Nick Young Talks Style, His Cousin Kendrick Lamar and His Experience With a Fire Extinguisher". Complex. Retrieved May 11, 2018.
  10. ^ Mckinney, Jessica (April 28, 2022). "Meet Tanna Leone, the New Signee on Kendrick Lamar's pgLang". Complex. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  11. ^ a b Lamar, Kendrick (October 19, 2020). "Kendrick Lamar in conversation with Baby Keem". i-D. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  12. ^ Baby Keem: Influence of Kendrick Lamar, Childhood, and the Women in His Life | Apple Music. Retrieved April 21, 2024 – via www.youtube.com.
  13. ^ "First Appearances - BET Hip Hop Awards 2022". BET. October 3, 2022. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  14. ^ "Baby Keem: Career Evolution, Friendship with Kendrick, and Travis Scott Collaboration". Youtube. Apple Music. June 12, 2021. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  15. ^ a b c "Baby Keem: The Full Profile". RapTV. February 4, 2021. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  16. ^ Draughorne, Kenan (June 18, 2018). "Review: Jay Rock's "Redemption" Quietly Unlocks A Career Milestone". HipHopDX. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  17. ^ Williams, Kyann-Sian (April 26, 2019). "ScHoolboy Q – 'CrasH Talk' review". NME. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  18. ^ Petridis, Alexis (July 19, 2019). "Beyoncé: The Lion King: The Gift review – superstar shows impeccable taste". the Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  19. ^ Ivey, Justin (July 18, 2019). "Baby Keem Delivers "DIE FOR MY BITCH" Project". HipHopDX. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  20. ^ Galil, Leor (November 1, 2019). "Rapper-producer Baby Keem has fun switching up his styles on his latest mixtape". Chicago Reader. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  21. ^ Pierre, Alphonso (September 25, 2020). "Baby Keem Has a Lot of Hype—But Is He Any Good?". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  22. ^ Zellner, Xander (December 17, 2019). "Beyonce & Kendrick Lamar Collaborator Baby Keem Debuts on Emerging Artists Chart". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  23. ^ Jefferson, Devon (November 13, 2019). "Baby Keem Drops Wild "Orange Soda" Video". HipHopDX. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  24. ^ Strauss, Matthew (March 5, 2020). "Kendrick Lamar and Dave Free Launch New Company pgLang". Pitchfork. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
  25. ^ Cline, Georgette (August 11, 2020). "XXL 2020 FRESHMAN CLASS REVEALED". XXL. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
  26. ^ "hooligan / sons & critics - Single by Baby Keem on Apple Music". September 17, 2020. Retrieved September 17, 2020 – via Apple Music.
  27. ^ Skelton, Eric (September 23, 2020). "It's Baby Keem Season. Pay Attention". Complex. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  28. ^ Bloom, Madison; Strauss, Matthew; Yoo, Noah (August 29, 2021). "Kanye West Finally Releases New Album Donda". Pitchfork. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
  29. ^ Triscari, Caleb (September 7, 2021). "Baby Keem to release new album 'The Melodic Blue' this week". NME. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  30. ^ Minsket, Evan; Monroe, Jazz (September 6, 2021). "Baby Keem Releasing New Album The Melodic Blue This Week". Pitchfork. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
  31. ^ Skelton, Eric (December 1, 2021). "The Best Albums of 2021". Complex. Archived from the original on May 25, 2023. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  32. ^ Svetz, Josh (October 5, 2021). "Baby Keem Shows Potential But Delivers Half-Baked Songs On PgLang Debut 'The Melodic Blue'". HipHopDX. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  33. ^ Caulfield, Keith (September 19, 2021). "Drake's 'Certified Lover Boy' Spends Second Week at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  34. ^ Renshaw, David (August 27, 2021). "Baby Keem and Kendrick Lamar team up on "family ties"". The Fader. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
  35. ^ Okon, Wongo (April 30, 2021). "Travis Scott And Baby Keem's 'Durag Activity' Is A Clouded Banger". Uproxx. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  36. ^ Powell, Jon (September 9, 2021). "Baby Keem debuts new single during "Fallon" performance". Revolt. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  37. ^ Shifferaw, Abel (September 21, 2021). "Baby Keem Updates 'The Melodic Blue' Album With Brent Faiyaz Feature". Complex. Archived from the original on May 25, 2023. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  38. ^ Feldstein, Josh (November 2, 2022). "Baby Keem's deluxe edition of 'The Melodic Blue' leaves fans eager for more". The Daily Orange. Archived from the original on November 17, 2022. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
  39. ^ Monroe, Jazz (April 4, 2022). "Baby Keem and Kendrick Lamar Win Best Rap Performance for "Family Ties" at the 2022 Grammys". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
  40. ^ Sisario, Ben (May 13, 2022). "Kendrick Lamar Returns With 'Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers'". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 14, 2022. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  41. ^ Aswad, Jem (May 13, 2022). "Kendrick Lamar Unveils 'Big Steppers' Tour Dates". Variety. Archived from the original on May 16, 2022. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  42. ^ Sadler, Armon (October 18, 2022). "Kendrick Lamar's 'The Big Steppers Tour' Paris Stop To Be Available Via Livestream". Vibe. Archived from the original on November 24, 2022. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  43. ^ Lamarre, Carl (May 30, 2023). "Kendrick Lamar & Baby Keem Deliver VHS-Style Video 'The Hillbillies': Watch". Billboard. Penske Media Corporation.
  44. ^ Rizzo, Carita (November 13, 2023). "Kendrick Lamar and Baby Keem Debut 'The Hillbillies' Live at Camp Flog Gnaw". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  45. ^ a b Mamo, Heran (November 12, 2023). "Kendrick Lamar & Baby Keem Celebrate Hit-Filled Family Reunion as The Hillbillies While Closing Out Night 1 of Camp Flog Gnaw 2023". Billboard. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
  46. ^ Armstrong, Megan (November 16, 2023). "When Does Baby Keem's 'The Melodic Blue' Movie Come Out?". Uproxx. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
  47. ^ Saponara, Michael (October 24, 2022). "Kid Cudi & Baby Keem Link Up At Kendrick Lamar 'Big Steppers' Show: 'Long Overdue'". HipHopDX. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  48. ^ a b Rouhani, Neena (September 20, 2021). "Baby Keem Gets Personal: 'My Mission Here Is Much Deeper'". Billboard. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
  49. ^ Cowen, Trace William. "Watch Kendrick Lamar's Big Steppers Tour Show From Paris on 10th Anniversary of 'Good Kid, m.A.A.d City'". Complex. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
  50. ^ "Here Are All the 2022 BET Awards Winners: Full List". Billboard. June 27, 2022. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
  51. ^ "The Weeknd & Doja Cat Lead 2022 Billboard Music Awards Finalists: Full List". Billboard. April 8, 2022. Retrieved April 9, 2022.
  52. ^ "2022 GRAMMYs Awards Show: Complete Nominations List". Grammys.com. November 23, 2021. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
  53. ^ Freiman, Jordan (February 6, 2023). "Grammys 2023: List of winners and nominees". CBS News. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
  54. ^ Blistein, Jon (November 10, 2023). "Taylor Swift, SZA, Olivia Rodrigo Lead 2024 Grammy Nominees". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
  55. ^ "Griff and Sigrid win Best Collaboration at the BandLab NME Awards 2022". NME. March 2, 2022. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
  56. ^ "Here Are the XXL Awards 2022 Winners". XXL. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
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