The Melodic Blue - Baby Keem (2021)

Shortly after revealing to the public that he is Kendrick Lamar’s cousin (and shattering his once-mysterious persona), up-and-coming rapper Baby Keem released his third studio album. Opting for a much more personal approach to the music, The Melodic Blue has proven to be some of the best work of his entire career.

Keem opens with “trademark usa”, which, with its ever-changing beats and flows, feels like a delightful trilogy of songs. He interweaves themes of family with flexing his newfound fame and glory, creating an interesting dichotomy that presents itself throughout the album. (See “scapegoats”: “One day, I’ll tell you how my life was unfortunate/For now, I’ll tell you how fast these Porsches get”.) Keem’s lyricism undeniably shines the most on solo tracks like “issues”, in which he describes his complicated relationship with his mother, whose struggles with addiction caused extensive trauma for Keem and his siblings. However, the most popular tracks on the album are his features, including the likes of Travis Scott, Don Toliver, and, of course, Kendrick Lamar. “family ties” allows Keem and Lamar to go absolutely wild, with Lamar’s verses and accents bordering on comedic. Although this silliness seems a little strange contrasted with the surrounding, much darker motifs of the album, it somehow works. Despite the fact that Keem’s identity is much less of a mystery than it was during his early days, The Melodic Blue allows us to get to know him in a way that would leave any audience wanting more.