Baby Keem | |
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Born | Hykeem Jamaal Carter Jr. October 22, 2000 Carson, California, U.S. |
Occupations |
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Years active | 2014–present |
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Musical career | |
Also known as |
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Origin | Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. |
Genres | |
Labels | |
Website | keem |
Hykeem Jamaal Carter Jr. (born October 22, 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 , Redemption , Crash Talk , and The Lion King: The Gift . He rose to prominence in 2019 through his sleeper hit single "Orange Soda".
After signing with PGLang and Columbia Records in 2020, Keem released his debut studio album The Melodic Blue (2021), which was met with critical and commercial success. It was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and its final single, "Family Ties", won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance. His collaborations with Kanye West on Donda (2021) and his cousin Kendrick Lamar on Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers (2022) earned him two nominations for the Grammy Award for Album of the Year.
Hykeem Jamaal Carter Jr. was born on October 22, 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] He also faced eviction and was reliant on food stamps. [6] Later into his teen life, Baby Keem spent his time playing video games and "cooking up" in games such as Geometry Dash, Fortnite and PUBG.
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 share some relatives with 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] He soon moved to Los Angeles to pursue a musical career. [4] Carter disliked his "boring", "dry", and "small" hometown where "everybody knows everybody", and cited its obsolete music scene as a key factor in his decision to move. [4] He used to post and livestream Minecraft and FIFA gameplay on YouTube and Twitch. [12]
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. [13] 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." [13] 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." [13] 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 . [14] 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]
Keem produced two songs on Schoolboy Q's fifth album, Crash Talk (2019). [15] 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 . [16] [17] The alternative hip hop mixtape carried strong pop-punk and alternative rock elements, [18] and received significant media attention. [19] 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. [20] 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. [21]
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. [22] He was included on XXL 's annual Freshman Class list in August. [23] Upon signing a recording contract with Columbia Records, Keem released the single album "Hooligan / Sons & Critics" on September 18, 2020; [24] the latter song confirmed his familial relation to Lamar after rumors began to emerge. [25]
Keem was featured on Kanye West's song "Praise God" alongside Travis Scott for the former's tenth album, Donda (2021). [26] The Melodic Blue, his debut studio album, was released on September 10, 2021. [27] He co-produced 14 of the album's 16 standard tracks. [28] It received generally positive reviews from music critics, with praise towards its ambitious nature and Keem's growing potential, [29] but criticism towards its "half-baked" production. [30] The album debuted at number five on the Billboard 200, becoming Keem's first top-10 album in the U.S. [31] Two of the album's four singles, "Durag Activity" with Scott and "Family Ties" with Lamar, [32] enjoyed critical and commercial success. [33] 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. [34] A B-side to the album was released on September 22, 2021, [35] while the deluxe edition was released on October 28, 2022. [36]
At the 64th Annual Grammy Awards (April 2022), "Family Ties" won Best Rap Performance. [37] Keem produced two songs and was featured on Lamar's fifth album Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers (2022), [38] and served as the co-opening act on the accompanying Big Steppers Tour. [39] He also appeared on the tour's film companion. [40] On May 30, 2023, Keem and Lamar surprise released "The Hillbillies". [41] They headlined the first night of the 2023 Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival as the superduo of the same name. [42] Keem made his acting debut in the short film adaptation of The Melodic Blue, which was released on December 5, 2023. [43] He executive produced the film through his in-house company, Eerie Times. [44]
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] [45] 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. [46] Keem self-identifies as part of the Mike Will Made It and Metro Boomin generation of record producers, and derives inspiration from both artists. [46]
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
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2022 | Kendrick Lamar Live: The Big Steppers Tour | Himself | [47] | |
2023 | The Melodic Blue | Short film; also executive producer | [43] |
Headlining
Supporting
Award | Year | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
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BET Awards | 2022 | Best New Artist | Himself | Nominated | [48] |
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 | [49] |
Top Christian Song | Nominated | ||||
Grammy Awards | 2022 | Best New Artist | Himself | Nominated | [50] |
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 | [51] | |
2024 | Best Rap Performance | "The Hillbillies" (with Kendrick Lamar) | Nominated | [52] | |
NME Awards | 2022 | Best Collaboration | "Family Ties" (with Kendrick Lamar) | Nominated | [53] |
XXL Awards | 2022 | Song of the Year | Nominated | [54] | |
Video of the Year | Nominated |
Johnny Reed McKinzie Jr., better known by his stage name Jay Rock, is an American rapper. Born and raised in Los Angeles, he signed to the local independent label Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) in 2005. Through the label, he secured a major label deal with Warner Bros. Records and Asylum Records to release his 2008 debut single, "All My Life ". Failing to chart, the mergers fell through and Rock departed from both of the latter labels shortly after. He then signed with Missouri rapper Tech N9ne's label Strange Music, in a joint venture deal with TDE in 2011.
Kendrick Lamar Duckworth is an American rapper and singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time, he is the only musician outside of the classical and jazz genres to be awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Music. Lamar's work has been recognized for its continual versatility, characterized by his melodic cadences, cinematic songwriting, and striking visual presentations. His regular infusion of political criticism and social commentary influenced a rise of social consciousness within his generation.
Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) is an American independent record label. Specializing in hip hop and R&B artists, TDE is based in Carson, California. The label was founded in 2004 by record producer Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith, who is the chief executive officer. His son, Anthony "Moosa" Tiffith Jr., and Terrence "Punch" Henderson are the presidents of the label.
"M.A.A.D City" is a song by American rapper Kendrick Lamar, from his second studio album Good Kid, M.A.A.D City (2012). The song, which appears as the eighth track on the album, features a guest appearance from fellow Compton native and West Coast rapper MC Eiht. The song was produced by Top Dawg in-house producers THC and Sounwave for the first part of the instrumental, and Terrace Martin for the second part. The song peaked at number 75 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Mark Anthony Spears, known professionally as Sounwave, is an American record producer and songwriter. He is a frequent collaborator of rapper Kendrick Lamar, having worked on all of his projects since his 2009 self-titled extended play. Sounwave has also worked with artists such as Taylor Swift, Chloe x Halle, Baby Keem, Mac Miller, and Bleachers. He has won three Grammy Awards, including two for Best Rap Album.
David Isaac Friley, known professionally as Dave Free, is an American filmmaker and record executive. Born and raised in Inglewood, California, he is best known for his creative partnership with rapper Kendrick Lamar. During his tenure as co-president of Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE), Free directed music videos and short films with Lamar under the name the Little Homies. Following his departure from TDE in 2019, he co-founded the creative company PGLang. Among Free's accolades are one Grammy Award and three MTV Video Music Awards.
Dacoury Dahi Natche, professionally known as DJ Dahi, is an American record producer, songwriter, disc jockey and singer from Inglewood, California. Working primarily in hip hop and R&B music, Dahi is best known for producing "Money Trees" by Kendrick Lamar, “Worst Behavior" by Drake, and "I Don't Fuck with You" by Big Sean, which reached the top 20 of the US Hot 100 chart.
Jordan Terrell Carter, known professionally as Playboi Carti, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. An influential figure among his generation, he has contributed to the progression of rage and trap music. He first signed with the local underground record label Awful Records in 2014, and later signed with ASAP Mob's record label AWGE, in a joint venture with Interscope Records two years later. Carter gained mainstream attention following the release of his eponymous debut mixtape (2017), which peaked at number 12 on the US Billboard 200 and spawned the Billboard Hot 100-charting singles "Magnolia" and "Wokeuplikethis".
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The Melodic Blue is the debut studio album by American rapper and record producer Baby Keem. It was released on September 10, 2021, by PGLang and Columbia Records, with Keem serving as the executive producer. The standard version of the album featured guest appearances by rappers Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott, and Don Toliver. An updated version, released on September 22, features an additional guest appearance from singer Brent Faiyaz. The deluxe edition of The Melodic Blue, released on October 28, 2022, contained additional guest appearances from PinkPantheress and Lil Uzi Vert.
"Family Ties" is a song by American rappers Baby Keem and Kendrick Lamar. The song was released on August 27, 2021, by Columbia Records and pgLang. The song serves as the fourth single from Keem's debut album, The Melodic Blue. The song also serves as Lamar’s first musical release under pgLang, a production company he co-founded in March 2020.
"Range Brothers" is a song by American rappers Baby Keem and Kendrick Lamar. The song was released on September 10, 2021 by Columbia Records and pgLang as the fourth track off of the former's debut album, The Melodic Blue. "Range Brothers" made the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip Hop songs charts among others. The third portion of the song's chorus by Lamar trended on Twitter and became viral as a meme.
Avante Ramone Santana, known professionally as Tanna Leone, is an American rapper. Born in Los Angeles, he began to gain recognition in the underground hip hop scenes of Atlanta under the stage names Noviiimber and Baby Santana. In March 2022, Leone signed a recording contract with PGLang, under the aegis of Def Jam Recordings. His debut studio album, Sleepy Soldier, was released the following month. Leone earned his first Grammy Award nomination for his work on Kendrick Lamar's fifth studio album Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers (2022).
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"N95" is a song by American rapper Kendrick Lamar. It was released as the lead single from his fifth studio album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, on May 20, 2022 through PGLang, Top Dawg Entertainment, Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records. The song was produced by Boi-1da, Sounwave and Jahaan Sweet, with additional production by Lamar's cousin, fellow American rapper and record producer Baby Keem.
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Kendrick Lamar Live: The Big Steppers Tour is a 2022 American concert film documenting The Big Steppers Tour, the 2022–2023 concert tour by rapper Kendrick Lamar. Directed by Mike Carson, Dave Free and Mark A. Ritchie, it was filmed in October 2022 at Accor Arena in Paris.
"The Hillbillies" is a song by American rappers Baby Keem and Kendrick Lamar. It was a surprise song, initially released on May 30, 2023, as a YouTube exclusive. The song was later serviced to streaming platforms on June 5, 2023, via PGLang and Columbia Records. A drill track, Keem and Lamar wrote "The Hillbillies" with its producer Evilgiane. It includes a sample of "PDLIF" by Bon Iver, and an interpolation of "Sticky" by Drake.