Rappers often seem like they are in competition, probably because of the nature of their art form. They have to be brash, cocky, outspoken, and a lot of times, very self-focused, to the point it feels like they are all clamoring for a single spot at “the top” of the rap game. In reality, though, there is no real top or “number-one spot”; they can all collect the same trophies over time and many of them enjoy and respect each others’ crafts. Just watch Drake express his appreciation for J. Cole while refuting the North Carolinian’s self-deprecating third-place claim from “Heaven’s EP.”
In a similar way, Tyler The Creator — who has a legitimate claim on the rap album of the year thanks to Call Me If You Get Lost — praises Kendrick Lamar in his XXL cover story. He especially points to Kendrick’s verse on Baby Keem’s “Family Ties,” saying, “You know why it ruined me? Because it’s someone at that level still gunning. He’s trying new voices. He’s trying new shit. He’s still learning. You can tell he was off his phone for a few months.”
Watch Tyler The Creator’s photoshoot interview with XXL above and read the full cover story here.
It looks like Baby Keem is taking a page from Kanye West’s playbook, adding new songs to his album The Melodic Blue after its release. When the project originally dropped two weeks ago, fans noticed a pair of songs from the rollout missing: “Hooligan” and “No Sense,” two tracks released as singles before the album was officially announced. Today, Keem announced that he’d added them back onto the album, along with a new song, “Lost Souls” featuring R&B singer Brent Faiyaz. The three new tracks appear as a “Disc 2” on the reissue, which is notably not identified as a deluxe edition.
In addition to those singles, Keem also dropped “Durag Activity” featuring Travis Scott, and “Family Ties” featuring his cousin Kendrick Lamar. Both songs did appear on the original tracklist along with “Issues,” for which he dropped a video alongside the album, and “First Order Of Business,” which he dropped a few days later.
While releasing deluxe editions of rap albums a few months or even days after their initial release has become old hat, it’s notable that Keem isn’t calling this a deluxe. Kanye West did something similar with the release of his new album Donda, adding several tracks from his first two listening sessions back to the project.
The Melodic Blue is out now via PgLang and Columbia Records. Get it here.
The Weeknd has made it clear that a new era is on the horizon, but so far all he’s done is tease the next installment of music with very specific clues. Abel initially began letting fans know that something new was on the way at the Billboard Music Awards when he cryptically said “the dawn is coming” during an acceptance speech. Then again, what else could come after After Hours but the dawn itself?
On Instagram today the R&B star seemed to reference his next phase again, with a comic book style image that shows Abel sleepily rubbing his eyes in bed while a butler of sorts opens the curtains saying “The dawn is here master Tesfaye.” The flip side of that fairly straightforward post is a clip from American Psycho where Christian Bale is walking through his office. In Tthe original, “Walking On Sunshine” is the music playing the background but for his post today Abel swapped it for something else, namely a clip from “Range Brothers” by Baby Keem featuring Kendrick Lamar.
Perhaps this means K. Dot will be prominently featured in the new music Abel is prepping. That’s a match up that would definitely be comic book worthy. Either way, keep your ears out for new music from The Weeknd, it’s coming soon.
Baby Keem is weird, but that’s not a bad thing at all. Many of today’s rappers are, and this often triggering adjective for some is not meant to be disrespectful to the 20-year-old Vegas rapper or any of his contemporaries. Keem is part of a generation of hip-hop that prides itself on going against the grain. “Rules” were broken, torn up, and disregarded, and rightfully so. Abiding by them for too long hinders the chance for evolution and change as a whole to occur. Kid Cudi, who Keem has cited as an inspiration on multiple occasions, Young Thug, Travis Scott, Playboi Carti, and many more, are clear-cut examples. With that being said, while the openness to all that is “weird” is clear nowadays, there are also limits to how funky, unique, and unorthodox things can get.
That’s something that Baby Keem’s major-label debut album The Melodic Blue understands. Comprised of 16 songs with help from stars like Kendrick Lamar, Don Toliver, and Travis Scott, the Vegas rapper dulls the loud colors and sonics just enough to deliver his version of a mellow atmosphere without sounding monotone or robotic. It’s a sharp contrast compared to his 2019 breakout project, Die For My B*tch — an erratic and chaotic release inspired by a failed relationship. That body of work promotes screaming and mosh-pitting your anger out as opposed to healthier and less-fun habits like meditation or therapy.
The Melodic Blue is Baby Keem’s attempt to balance his individuality with a reduced dose of his trademarked chaotic energy, something he tries to harness on the project. “Trademark USA” is a sucker punch to start the album that would also invite Gen-Zers all over the world to the mosh pit at the risk of their once-clean sneakers. Kendrick Lamar contributes to the raucousness of “Family Ties” and “Vent.” The former is by far the rowdiest track on the album thanks to Lamar’s proclamation of “smoking on your top five” rappers, while the latter invites aggression from all corners with the knowledge that Keem and Lamar can handle it all. The remaining majority of The Melodic Blue is occupied by records that show a more tender and reserved side of Keem.
An early example arrives on “Issues,” a spacious track that lays life’s most harrowing conflicts down like a deck of cards. Airy production uplifted by climatic drums adds to the whirlwind of unsolved issues in Keem’s life. It’s a song that the rapper says “means a lot to him” and with lyrics like, “I knew since we first got evicted out our roof / My new since rehab, I was six, tryna see you,” the weight of the track becomes clear. “Scars” is similar in the sense that Keem dips into the same pain-driven lyrics with conquering production. Even trap-leaning tracks like “First Order Of Business” and skeletal efforts like “Scapegoats” are superior for the things Keem says rather than for their sounds. It’s clear that Keem had a lot to get off his chest on The Melodic Blue, and in addition to crafting the appropriate lyrics to get that done, the rapper also placed himself in a sonic landscape that would accentuate the impact of his words. The best songs on the project, however, come when the rapper doesn’t sacrifice too much production to accomplish his goals for the album.
“Gorgeous” is a personal favorite from The Melodic Blue as it showcases the rapper’s unwavering love for his pattern with the help of heavy synths, ratting piano keys, and drawn out bass kicks. “Lost Souls” supplies the same airy production of “Issues” and “Scars,” but the addition of drums and a steady hi-hat bring it closer to a more familiar home for Keem. Even the banger that is “Durag Activity” with Travis Scott is laced with a verse from an extremely timid and near-mumbling Baby Keem. Along with additional examples like “Booman,” it becomes more and more obvious that residing as close to the middle on the spectrum of calm to chaotic was Keem’s goal for this project.
Personally, the toughest aspect of The Melodic Blue is letting go of prior expectations for the project to properly accept and digest the work Baby Keem offered to the world. Preference lies with the chaotic energy of Die For My B*tch, but truthfully speaking, that project is at the very most a strong collection of songs. The Melodic Blue aims to craft a cohesive album, and for what it’s worth, Keem succeeds at that. The rapper delivers just enough to accomplish that, but there are moments where a bit more could’ve been done to make this achievement undeniable. Whether it be extending “Scapegoats” into a full song or slashing the excessive and unnecessary second half of “Range Brothers,” The Melodic Blueundoubtedly has its rough edges. However, the album’s rawness elsewhere is also what makes it enjoyable, and in total, Baby Keem gets it done with his major-label debut album.
The Melodic Blue is out now via PgLang/Columbia. Get it here.
West Coast rapper Baby Keem is meshing facts and fiction with his tunes. The hip-hop star comes through with his new must-see “first order of business” music video off the newly released the melodic blue album. Things start off with Keem doing an interview inside a home before dishing into what feels like a real-life […]
Just a few days removed from the release of his debut album, The Melodic Blue, Las Vegas rapper Baby Keem has released the music video for its latest single “First Order Of Business.” Opening on a shot of Keem sitting solo in a sparsely decorated living room, the rapper is asked what his favorite trait in a woman is. “Loyalty, off the top,” he answers. Then he reveals that his “first order of business” upon making his first million dollars went toward buying his grandmother a house. From there, the video actually portrays the event in question, as well as views of Keem cuddling with a female companion and racing a Porche through the desert.
The Melodic Blue dropped Friday after a lengthy building that increased expectations and excitement with each new single release. In a rollout as smooth as just about any seen for a hotly-tabbed new artist like Keem (a 2020 XXL Freshman with a blood relation to rap royalty), Keem dropped videos for “Durag Activity” featuring Travis Scott and “Family Ties” featuring his cousin Kendrick Lamar, then debuted the final pre-release single “Issues” on The Tonight Show before releasing a similarly-themed video the night the album came out.
Watch Baby Keem’s “First Order Of Business” video above.
The Melodic Blue is out now via Columbia Records. Get it here.
West Coast rapper Baby Keem is keeping the attention on his new the melodic blue album. The hip-hop heavyweight has announced his “First Order of Business” music video plans. Baby Keem’s Next Music Video BK hit up Instagram to get fans super hyped. Barring any last-minute changes, Keem revealed his album’s visual is slated to […]
West Coast rapper Baby Keem has plenty to celebrate right now – most notably his the blue melodic album arriving to the masses. With his debut in steady rotation, he’s gone the extra mile by releasing the project’s “issues” music video. Baby Keem Celebrates Debut Album Drop The must-hear project comes packed with nearly 20 […]
More than two years removed from his last project, Baby Keem has arrived with a new body of work for his growing cast of supporters to enjoy. The Melodic Blue is out now and it comes with a small, yet star-filled cast of guest acts. Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott, and Don Toliver each stand beside Keem at various points on the album, with Lamar marking the most appearances on the 16-track project. The new album arrives after Keem stopped by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to debut “Issues,” while he follows up with a desolate video with a similar setting.
In addition to “Family Ties,” a previously-released single that ramped up anticipation for The Melodic Blue and Kendrick’s own upcoming fifth album, the TDE rapper also connects with Keem on “Range Brothers” and “Vent.”
“Range Brothers” arrives as a two-part track that begins with Keem delivering laid-back raps over bass-heavy production. Things take an odd and chaotic turn in the second half as Lamar arrives join Keem as they deliver off-kilter bars that, if anything, sound more like a troll as Lamar checks in and repeatedly chants “top of the morning.” As for “Vent,” that collaboration between Lamar and Keem is quite the bashful single as the duo combines their energies for a mosh pit-friendly track.
You can watch the “Issues” video and listen to Baby Keem and Kendrick Lamar’s additional collaborations in the videos above.
The Melodic Blue is out now via PgLang/Columbia. Get it here.
