The Melodic Blue

Last updated

The Melodic Blue
TheMelodicBlueCover.jpeg
The standard edition artwork, featuring Baby Keem sitting on a rainbow coloured pier.
Studio album by
Baby Keem
ReleasedSeptember 10, 2021 [1]
Recorded2019–2021 [2]
Genre
Length63:02
Label
Producer
Baby Keem chronology
Die for My Bitch
(2019)		The Melodic Blue
(2021)
Singles from The Melodic Blue
  1. "Hooligan"
    Released: September 18, 2020
  2. "No Sense"
    Released: March 5, 2021
  3. "Durag Activity"
    Released: April 30, 2021
  4. "Family Ties"
    Released: August 27, 2021

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.

Contents

The Melodic Blue was supported by four singles, including "Durag Activity" with Scott and "Family Ties" with Lamar. "Durag Activity" peaked at number 85 on the Billboard Hot 100. "Family Ties" peaked at number 18 on the Hot 100 and won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance, marking Keem's first Grammy Award. The album received generally positive reviews from music critics, one of whom called it the album that ushered Keem into the spotlight. It debuted at number five on the Billboard 200, earning 53,000 total album-equivalent units in its first week. It charted internationally in more than a dozen countries. In 2023, the album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.

Background

The Melodic Blue is Keem's first studio album. Prior to the release, Keem had three mixtapes, a collaboration with Kanye West, and a myriad of production and songwriting credits. When asked how his producer background factored into his work, Keem said "I feel like producer artists are like the best artists, just because you just know what you want. You see a vision. You're able to execute a vision from start to finish — unwavered. That's probably the best thing I've ever learned, how to make beats." [5] Keem shared that his inspiration largely comes from Mike Will Made It, Metro Boomin, and Kanye West, and said about West, "That’s one person I’ll never say anything ill about. He’s a legend. [Without Kanye] I wouldn’t even be sitting here, I wouldn’t have had the inspiration for this project." Keem considers West one of the few rappers who still pushes the envelope on what music can be. [6] He also incorporated styles made popular by Brent Faiyaz and SZA. Keem was influenced by rhythm and blues songs of the 90s which can be seen in his drum patterns and emotional vocal performances. [7] The album shows a progression in Keem's musical style where he explores new melodies and themes, showing a new side of Keem in bass production and piano additions. [8]

On October 19, 2020, Baby Keem first teased the title of the album by adding its name and some of the tracks onto a hoodie, but confirmed the project's title on April 30, 2021. [9] On August 31, 2021, Keem stated that he finished the album and said that it "has my best production / compositional work". [10] Two days later, he confirmed that it would be released that month. On September 6, 2021, Labor Day, Keem confirmed the release date and revealed the cover art. [11] Two days later, he revealed the tracklist. [12]

The album is the first time Keem has had someone else featured in his songs, working alongside Kendrick Lamar and Travis Scott, the latter of whom Keem said was "really easy to work with". [8] [5]

Recording and production

Before the album's release, Keem revealed that Travis Scott and Kendrick Lamar and would be featured on the project. [10] The production of The Melodic Blue is characterized by washed-out synths, booming bass, and distorted beats. [13] It is noted for featuring the first three collaborations between Keem and his cousin Kendrick Lamar, who plays the role of Keem's elder brother in the tracks he features on. [14] They also marked the first new songs from Lamar since the release of Black Panther: The Album (2018), [15] which Keem assisted with in production and songwriting. [16] Some of Kendrick Lamar's lyrics from the song "Range Brothers" were leaked a day before the album's release and went viral as memes for their seemingly unusual content. [17] [18] [19] Keem subsequently claimed that he and Lamar created four new languages together while recording the album. [19] [20] Keem was the main producer for the album. [16] MixedByAli, a sound engineer for the album, said Keem "produces the majority of all his records — he's super involved in every aspect of it." [21] In an interview with Billboard, Keem said he took his time and was very careful recording the vocals for the album. [6]

Release and promotion

Before the album's release, Keem dropped the single "Family Ties", featuring Kendrick Lamar, which became a Grammy-winning hit. [22] The song was praised for its trumpet intro and intense back-and-forth between Keem and Lamar, creating excitement for the rest of the album. [23] In April 2021, Keem teamed up with Travis Scott and released the single "Durag Activity", which became a chart hit and was planned to be on the album. [24] [25]

The Melodic Blue was initially released in September 2021 and consisted of 16 tracks. On September 22, the album was updated to include three bonus tracks: the already released singles "No Sense" and "Hooligan", and a reworked version of "Lost Souls" featuring vocals from Brent Faiyaz. [26] [27]

Keem surprised fans with a deluxe edition of his album "The Melodic Blue" on October 28, 2022, more than a year after its original release date. [28] [29] The deluxe edition contained seven new songs, bringing the total number of tracks on the album to 23. [30] [23] In his song "Highway 95" from the deluxe version, Baby Keem incorporates a sample from the hit Fugees record "Killing Me Softly With His Song". On Twitter, Keem thanked Lauryn Hill, who was a member of the Fugees and holds the rights to the original composition. [31]

To promote the album, Keem embarked on The Melodic Blue Tour, visiting cities across North America and Europe from November 2021 to July 2022. [32] [33] [34] Keem also performed at major festivals such as Rolling Loud, Day 'N' Vegas, and Coachella. [33] [23] He had his first television appearance when he promoted the album on Jimmy Kimmel Live! . [8]

Commercial reception

The album debuted at number five on the US Billboard 200, selling 53,000 copies in its first week. The Melodic Blue saw 70.1 million on-demand streams in its first week, making it the second-most streamed album of that week, only behind Drake's Certified Lover Boy . By the second week, the album had 305.4 million on-demand streams. [35] His single "Family Ties" peaked at number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100 and received the Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance, his first Grammy. [36]

On April 13, 2022, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), for combined sales and album-equivalent units over 500,000 units in the United States. [37] By August 2023, the album had reached platinum certification for combined sales of over one million. [38] The album also charted internationally, peaking at number 49 on the UK Albums Chart, [39] number five on the Canadian Albums Chart, [40] and number nine on the Norwegian Albums Chart. [41]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 77/100 [42]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [43]
Clash 7/10 [44]
The Guardian Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [45]
HipHopDX 3.6/5 [46]
musicOMH Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [47]
NME 8/10 [48]
Pitchfork 6.4/10 [4]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [13]
Spin (favorable) [49]

The Melodic Blue received generally positive reviews from music critics. [1] [13] At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized score out of 100 to ratings from publications, the album received an average score of 77 based on eleven reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". [42]

In a five-star review, Ben Beaumont-Thomas of The Guardian called The Melodic Blue the best rap album of 2021 and praised Keem's "gift for vocal melody that promises so much to come." [45] Will Dukes of Rolling Stone found Baby Keem to be "sharp, focused and easy to like." [13] Luke Britton of NME called Keem a "rising star" who "shows his versatility and wide-ranging sound on confident,[ sic ] mostly self-produced project." [50] Tomas Miriti Pacheo of SPIN described the album as "charismatic and hilarious" at times, and praised Keem's production that was "often as bold as his lyrics." He highlighted, however, that some of the production, most notably on "South Africa" and "Gorgeous" felt oversaturated and had Keem sounding "imitative at best and grating at worst." [49]

In a lukewarm review, Dylan Green of Pitchfork wrote that while the album is more intimate than Keem's past work, containing reminiscence on his childhood such as trips to Popeyes in his Mom's coupe, it is by no means a confessional. He went on to say that Keem "uses the opportunity to expand his well-established fascination with trap and melody to feature-length—with mixed results." He considers it the album that moved Keem into the spotlight, and lauded his verse on "Family Ties", suggesting it was among the best tracks of his career as he confidently rapped "over horns and thudding 808s with a handful of flows". [51]

Complex ranked The Melodic Blue as the 13th best album of 2021, calling it one of the most ambitious and risky projects that has come out in years. They stated that it is "overflowing with ideas. If you don't like what you hear at any given moment, just wait a few seconds and the beat will switch or Keem will try a new flow." [52]

Track listing

These credits are adapted from Columbia Records and Sony Music Entertainment: [53] [56]

The Melodic Blue track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Trademark USA"
4:30
2."Pink Panties"
  • Carter, Jr.
  • Michee Lebrun
  • Baby Keem
  • Che Ecru
2:43
3."Scapegoats"
1:16
4."Range Brothers" (with Kendrick Lamar)
  • Baby Keem
  • 30 Roc
  • Sweet
  • Bridgeway
  • Dez Wright
  • Ricky Polo
  • Sloane
5:16
5."Issues"
  • Carter, Jr.
  • Sweet
  • Baby Keem
  • Sweet
3:39
6."Gorgeous"
  • Baby Keem
  • Sweet
  • Cardo
  • Johnny Juliano
  • Yung Exclusive
2:20
7."South Africa"
2:54
8."Lost Souls"
  • Carter, Jr.
  • Sweet
  • Akers, Jr.
  • Lebrun
  • Baby Keem
  • Sweet
  • Bridgeway
  • Jake the Snake
  • Che Ecru
  • Beach Noise
4:29
9."Cocoa" (with Don Toliver)
  • Baby Keem
  • Sweet
  • Bridgeway
3:49
10."Family Ties" (with Kendrick Lamar)
4:12
11."Scars"
  • Carter, Jr.
  • Sweet
  • Akers, Jr.
  • Matthew Schaeffer
  • Jake Kosich
  • Jo. Kosich
  • Baby Keem
  • Sweet
  • Bridgeway
  • Jake the Snake
  • Beach Noise
4:26
12."Durag Activity" (with Travis Scott)
Brick3:44
13."Booman"
  • Carter, Jr.
  • Sam Nortey
  • Nii Morton
  • Baby Keem
  • Jake the Snake
  • Beach Noise
2:35
14."First Order of Business"
  • Carter, Jr.
  • Sweet
  • Baby Keem
  • Sweet
2:48
15."Vent"
  • Baby Keem
  • DJ Dahi
  • Sounwave
  • J.LBS
  • Bridgeway
  • Beach Noise
2:16
16."16"
  • DJ Dahi
  • Kleinman
2:36
Total length:53:44
B Side
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Lost Souls" (with Brent Faiyaz)
  • Baby Keem
  • Sweet
  • Bridgeway
  • Jake the Snake
  • Che Ecru
  • Beach Noise
4:29
2."Hooligan"
  • Carter, Jr.
  • Sweet
  • Jordan Ortiz
  • Beck Norling
  • Robert Fairfax III
2:36
3."No Sense"
  • Carter, Jr.
  • Sweet
  • Baby Keem
  • Sweet
2:53
Total length:9:58
Deluxe edition (bonus tracks)
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."A Life of Pain"
  • Carter, Jr.
  • Sweet
  • Akers, Jr.
  • Baby Keem
  • Bridgeway
  • Sweet
1:52
2."Killstreaks" (with Don Toliver and PinkPantheress)
  • Bridgeway
  • Sweet
  • Grandmaster Vic
3:35
3."Patience Interlude"
  • Carter, Jr.
  • Dylan Clearly-Kell
  • Jo. Kosich
  • Schaeffer
  • Baby Keem
  • Dez Wright
  • Beach Noise
2:21
4."Naked Freestyle"
  • Carter, Jr.
  • Jeff Page
  • Joe Cooley
  • Rodney Oliver
  • LaTour, Jr.
Cardo1:48
5."Fine China"
  • Carter, Jr.
  • Dylan Clearly-Kell
  • Wright
  • Baby Keem
  • Sweet
  • Wright
2:08
6."Highway 95"
1:31
7."Bank Account" (with Lil Uzi Vert)
  • Carter, Jr.
  • Symere Woods
  • Danyal Ahmed
  • Mark Williams
  • Raul Cubina
  • Akers, Jr.
3:34
Total length:16:49

Notes

Sample credits

Personnel

  • Derek "206Derek" Anderson – recording (9), mixing (12)
  • Matt Schaeffer – recording (10, 11, 15)
  • Johnny Kosich – assistant engineering (1–6, 9, 10, 11, 15, 16), recording (1, 3–5, 7–14, 16)
  • Jake the Snake – assistant engineering (1, 3–5, 7–14, 16)
  • Scott Moore – assistant engineering (3, 4, 10, 11)
  • Curtis "Sircut" Bye – assistant engineering (5, 7, 8, 12–14)
  • Ray Donghwan Kim – assistant engineering (6, 15)
  • Jacob Bryant – assistant engineering (7, 8, 12–14)
  • MixedByAli – mixing (5, 7, 8, 12–14)
  • James Hunt – mixing (1–4, 6, 9–11, 15, 16), recording (1–4, 6, 9–11, 15)
  • Nicolas De Porcel – mastering (1–16)

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for The Melodic Blue
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada) [80] Gold40,000‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [81] Gold10,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI) [82] Silver60,000‡
United States (RIAA) [83] Platinum1,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kendrick Lamar</span> American rapper and songwriter (born 1987)

Kendrick Lamar Duckworth is an American rapper and songwriter. Regarded as one of the most influential hip hop artists of his generation, and one of the greatest rappers of all time, he is known for his technical artistry and complex songwriting. He was awarded the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Music, becoming the first musician outside of the classical and jazz genres to be honored.

<i>Good Kid, M.A.A.D City</i> 2012 studio album by Kendrick Lamar

Good Kid, M.A.A.D City is the second studio album by the American rapper Kendrick Lamar. It was released on October 22, 2012, by Top Dawg Entertainment, Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records. The album features guest appearances from Drake, Dr. Dre, Jay Rock, Anna Wise and MC Eiht. It is Lamar's first major label album, after his independently released first album Section.80 in 2011 and his signing to Aftermath and Interscope the following year.

<i>To Pimp a Butterfly</i> 2015 studio album by Kendrick Lamar

To Pimp a Butterfly is the third studio album by American rapper Kendrick Lamar. It was released on March 15, 2015, by Top Dawg Entertainment, Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records. The album was recorded in studios throughout the United States, with production from Sounwave, Terrace Martin, Taz "Tisa" Arnold, Thundercat, Rahki, LoveDragon, Flying Lotus, Pharrell Williams, Boi-1da, Knxwledge, and several other high-profile hip hop producers, as well as executive production from Dr. Dre and Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith. Guest appearances include Thundercat, George Clinton, Bilal, Anna Wise, Snoop Dogg, James Fauntleroy, Ronald Isley, and Rapsody.

<i>Untitled Unmastered</i> 2016 compilation album by Kendrick Lamar

Untitled Unmastered is a compilation album by American rapper Kendrick Lamar. It was released on March 4, 2016, through Top Dawg Entertainment, Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records. It consists of previously unreleased demos that originated during the recording of Lamar's album To Pimp a Butterfly (2015), continuing that work's exploration of politically charged and philosophical themes, as well as its experimentation with free jazz, soul, avant-garde music, and funk styles. The album received widespread acclaim from critics, and it debuted atop the US Billboard 200.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Humble (song)</span> 2017 single by Kendrick Lamar

"Humble" is a song by American rapper Kendrick Lamar. It was released on March 30, 2017, along with its music video, by Top Dawg Entertainment, Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records. The song was written by Lamar and producers Mike Will Made It and Pluss. The lyrics are a call to humility. It was provided to rhythmic contemporary radio as the lead single from Lamar's fourth studio album, Damn.

<i>Damn</i> (Kendrick Lamar album) 2017 studio album by Kendrick Lamar

Damn is the fourth studio album by American rapper Kendrick Lamar, released on April 14, 2017, through Top Dawg Entertainment, Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records. Lamar assembled numerous artists and producers to produce the album, including executive producer and Top Dawg Entertainment label-head Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith, Sounwave, DJ Dahi, Mike Will Made It, and Ricci Riera, as well as further production contributions from James Blake, Steve Lacy, BadBadNotGood, Greg Kurstin, The Alchemist, and 9th Wonder, among others. It features guest appearances from Rihanna, Zacari, and U2.

Zacari Moses Pacaldo I, known mononymously as Zacari, is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known for his guest appearance on American rapper and Top Dawg Entertainment labelmate Kendrick Lamar's 2018 single "Love", which peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100. His debut extended play (EP), Run Wild Run Free, was released by the label on March 15, 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kendrick Lamar albums discography</span>

American rapper Kendrick Lamar has released five studio albums, one compilation album, one extended play (EP), one soundtrack album, and five mixtapes. His records have sold more than 17.9 million album-equivalent units worldwide, 7.5 million of which are certified in the United States. Throughout his career, he has earned four number-one albums on the US Billboard 200.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kendrick Lamar videography</span>

American rapper Kendrick Lamar has appeared in 74 music videos, 17 of which he directed with his creative partner Dave Free. He was featured in several documentaries, helmed three short films, and released one concert film.

Hykeem Jamaal Carter Jr., 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).

American rapper and record producer Baby Keem has released one studio album, two mixtapes, four extended plays (EP), and ten singles. According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), he has sold one million certified albums and five million certified singles in the United States.

PGLang is an American independent multidisciplinary creative communications company headquartered in Los Angeles. Founded and owned by Kendrick Lamar and Dave Free, it specializes in music and visual media production. The company has won six Cannes Lions Awards, including the Special Award for Independent Agency of the Year – Craft in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Durag Activity</span> 2021 single by Baby Keem and Travis Scott

"Durag Activity" is a song by American rappers Baby Keem and Travis Scott, released on April 30, 2021, by Columbia Records and PGLang as the lead single from Keem's debut studio album The Melodic Blue (2021). The song was written by Keem and Scott alongside producer Brick!. A durag is a close-fitting cloth tied around the top of the head to protect the hair.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Family Ties (song)</span> 2021 single by Baby Keem and Kendrick Lamar

"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 was leaked before the album's release and became a viral internet 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).

<i>Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers</i> 2022 studio album by Kendrick Lamar

Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers is the fifth studio album by American rapper Kendrick Lamar, released on May 13, 2022, by PGLang, Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE), Aftermath Entertainment, and Interscope Records. The album serves as his first release under his creative company PGLang, and his final project with both TDE and Aftermath. It features narration by Whitney Alford and Eckhart Tolle, and guest appearances from Blxst, Amanda Reifer, Sampha, Taylour Paige, Summer Walker, Ghostface Killah, Baby Keem, Kodak Black, Sam Dew, Tanna Leone, and Beth Gibbons of Portishead. Lamar, who executive produced the album under the pseudonym Oklama, reunited with frequent collaborators Sounwave, J. Lbs, DJ Dahi, and Bekon for the majority of the album's production.

"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.

"Silent Hill" is a song by American rappers Kendrick Lamar and Kodak Black. It was sent to rhythmic contemporary radio and urban contemporary radio through PGLang, Top Dawg Entertainment, Aftermath Entertainment, and Interscope Records as the first US single from Lamar's fifth studio album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, on May 31, 2022. The song was produced by Boi-1da, Sounwave, and Jahaan Sweet, with additional production by Beach Noise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Hillbillies</span> 2023 song by Baby Keem and Kendrick Lamar

"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.

References

  1. 1 2 Minsker, Evan; Monroe, Jazz (September 6, 2021). "Baby Keem Releasing New Album The Melodic Blue This Week". Pitchfork . Archived from the original on September 10, 2021. Retrieved September 10, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Baby Keem Releases The Melodic Blue a Brand New Album + Video for New Track "issues"". Sony Music. September 10, 2021. Archived from the original on October 7, 2021. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
  3. ↑ Kalbrosky, Brian (December 31, 2021). "From Baby Keem to Japanese Breakfast, here were 2021's best Albums of the year". USA Today . Archived from the original on March 27, 2022. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  4. 1 2 Green, Dylan (September 15, 2021). "Baby Keem: The Melodic Blue Album Review". Pitchfork . Archived from the original on September 16, 2021. Retrieved September 16, 2021.
  5. 1 2 Mayfield, Taj (March 25, 2022). "Meet The First-Time GRAMMY Nominee: Baby Keem On Inspiring Rap's Next Generation, Why "Producer Artists" Are The Best & The Likelihood Of A Kendrick Lamar Collab Album". Grammy Awards . Archived from the original on May 25, 2023. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 Rouhani, Neena (September 20, 2021). "Baby Keem Gets Personal: 'My Mission Here Is Much Deeper'". Billboard. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
  7. ↑ Edmunds, Joshua. "Rap game-changer: Baby Keem's latest project 'The Melodic Blue' will launch him into stardom". The Daily Targum. Archived from the original on May 25, 2023. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  8. 1 2 3 Vasudevan, Anish (September 29, 2021). "'The Melodic Blue' signifies the beginning of greatness for Baby Keem". The Daily Orange. Archived from the original on May 25, 2023. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  9. ↑ Blake, Cole (August 28, 2021). "Baby Keem Says It's "Album Time" & Teases "Melodic Blue"". HotNewHipHop . Archived from the original on March 26, 2022. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  10. 1 2 Caraan, Sophie (September 2, 2021). "Baby Keem Turns in 'The Melodic Blue,' Confirms Travis Scott and Kendrick Lamar Features". HYPEBEAST . Archived from the original on March 26, 2022. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  11. ↑ Stickler, Jon (September 7, 2021). "Baby Keem Confirms Imminent Release Date For Debut Album 'The Melodic Blue' - Stereoboard". Stereoboard.com. Archived from the original on September 7, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  12. 1 2 "Baby Keem Reveals 'The Melodic Blue' Tracklist". Rap-Up . September 8, 2021. Archived from the original on September 10, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Dukes, Will (September 16, 2021). "Baby Keem Finds Fun Amidst the Ruckus on 'The Melodic Blue'". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on September 18, 2021. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
  14. ↑ Caraan, Sophie (August 27, 2021). "Baby Keem and Kendrick Lamar Deliver First Collaborative Single "family ties"". HYPEBEAST . Archived from the original on March 1, 2022. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
  15. ↑ Slingerland, Calum (September 10, 2021). "Kendrick Lamar Returns on Baby Keem's New Album 'The Melodic Blue'". Exclaim! . Archived from the original on June 5, 2022. Retrieved March 17, 2022.
  16. 1 2 Davies, Hayden (2021). "The star-studded come-up of Baby Keem, 2021's breakthrough rapper". Pilerats. Archived from the original on May 25, 2023. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  17. ↑ Vozick-Levinson, Simon (September 10, 2021). "Yes, Kendrick Lamar Is Trying to Make 'Top o' the Morning' a Thing". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  18. ↑ Mench, Chris (September 10, 2021). "Kendrick Lamar & Baby Keem Trade Bars On Their New Song "Range Brothers"". Genius. Archived from the original on June 8, 2023. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  19. 1 2 Tigg, Fnr (September 9, 2021). "Baby Keem Says He and Kendrick Lamar Created 'Four New Languages' for 'The Melodic Blue'". Complex. Archived from the original on March 31, 2022. Retrieved March 17, 2022.
  20. ↑ Breihan, Tom (September 15, 2021). "Baby Keem Makes His Move". Stereogum . Archived from the original on March 17, 2022. Retrieved March 17, 2022.
  21. ↑ Ju, Shirley (2021). "MixedByAli on Making "Human Music" with Kendrick Lamar, Baby Keem, & More". Okayplayer . Archived from the original on May 25, 2023. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  22. ↑ Gnanasivam, Arul (September 10, 2021). ""I'm a vibe": Baby Keem is hip hop's rising star". The Diamondback. Archived from the original on September 10, 2021. Retrieved September 10, 2021.
  23. 1 2 3 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.
  24. ↑ Anderson, Trevor (September 23, 2021). "Baby Keem's 'Melodic Blue' Starts in Top Three on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart". Billboard. Retrieved December 25, 2021.
  25. ↑ "Baby Keem and Travis Scott Share New Song "Durag Activity"". Pitchfork. April 30, 2021. Archived from the original on May 25, 2023. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  26. ↑ 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.
  27. ↑ Bustard, Andy (September 8, 2021). "Baby Keem Taps Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott + Don Toliver For 'The Melodic Blue' Tracklist". HipHopDX . Archived from the original on September 9, 2021. Retrieved September 10, 2021.
  28. ↑ Langford, Jackson (September 10, 2021). "Kendrick Lamar links up with Baby Keem once again on new track 'Range Brothers'". NME. Archived from the original on September 10, 2021. Retrieved September 10, 2021.
  29. ↑ "Baby Keem Drops 'The Melodic Blue' Deluxe Edition". Complex. Archived from the original on October 28, 2022. Retrieved October 29, 2022.
  30. ↑ "Baby Keem Drops 'The Melodic Blue' Deluxe Edition". Complex. Archived from the original on October 28, 2022. Retrieved October 28, 2022.
  31. ↑ Cummings-Grady, Mackenzie (October 28, 2022). "Baby Keem Thanks Lauryn Hill For Clearing Fugees Sample". HipHopDX . Archived from the original on May 25, 2023. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  32. ↑ "Baby Keem Announces North America Dates for 'The Melodic Blue' Tour". HYPEBEAST. October 7, 2021. Archived from the original on October 29, 2022. Retrieved October 29, 2022.
  33. 1 2 Aubrey, Elizabeth (January 31, 2022). "Baby Keem unveils 'Melodic Blue' tour dates". NME. Archived from the original on October 29, 2022. Retrieved October 29, 2022.
  34. ↑ "Baby Keem announces European leg of "The Melodic Blue Tour"". REVOLT. Archived from the original on October 29, 2022. Retrieved October 29, 2022.
  35. ↑ Caldwell, Brandon (September 19, 2021). "Baby Keem Earns 1st Billboard 200 Top 5 Album As Drake Extends His Reign". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on October 6, 2021. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  36. ↑ Unterberger, Andrew (April 4, 2022). "Baby Keem Wins First Grammy With Best Rap Performance Victory For 'Family Ties'". Billboard. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
  37. ↑ "American album certifications – Baby Keem – The Melodic Blue". Recording Industry Association of America . Archived from the original on February 20, 2019. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  38. ↑ Mendez, Marisa (August 7, 2023). "Baby Keem Teases New Album Following 'Melodic Blue' Platinum Plaque". HipHopDX. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
  39. 1 2 "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  40. 1 2 "Billboard Canadian Albums". FYIMusicNews. March 13, 2017. Archived from the original on July 10, 2019. Retrieved September 20, 2021.
  41. 1 2 "Norwegiancharts.com – Baby Keem – The Melodic Blue". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  42. 1 2 "The Melodic Blue by Baby Keem". Metacritic. September 10, 2021. Archived from the original on January 25, 2022. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
  43. ↑ Crone, David. "The Melodic Blue – Baby Keem". AllMusic. Archived from the original on November 28, 2021. Retrieved September 10, 2021.
  44. ↑ "Baby Keem - The Melodic Blue". Clash . September 10, 2021. Archived from the original on October 7, 2021. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
  45. 1 2 Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (December 16, 2021). "Baby Keem: The Melodic Blue review – arguably the best rap album of 2021". The Guardian . Archived from the original on March 11, 2022. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
  46. ↑ Svetz, Josh (October 5, 2021). "Baby Keem Shows Potential But Delivers Half-Baked Songs On PGLang Debut 'The Melodic Blue'". HipHopDX . Archived from the original on October 7, 2021. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
  47. ↑ Devlin, Ben (September 17, 2021). "Baby Keem – The Melodic Blue". musicOMH . Archived from the original on September 18, 2021. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
  48. ↑ Britton, Luke (September 13, 2021). "Baby Keem - 'The Melodic Blue' review". NME. Archived from the original on September 21, 2021. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  49. 1 2 Pacheco, Tomas Miriti (September 22, 2021). "Baby Keem Moves Into The Spotlight With The Melodic Blue". Spin . Archived from the original on March 26, 2022. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
  50. 1 2 "Baby Keem - 'The Melodic Blue' review: Kendrick's protege forges his own path on exhilarating debut". NME . September 13, 2021. Archived from the original on September 21, 2021. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
  51. ↑ Green, Dylan. "Baby Keem: The Melodic Blue". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on September 16, 2021. Retrieved October 29, 2022.
  52. ↑ Diaz, Eric Skelton, Jessica Mckinney, Andre Gee, Waiss Aramesh, Jordan Rose, Trey Alston, Will Schube, Angel. "The Best Albums of 2021". Complex. Archived from the original on May 25, 2023. Retrieved May 25, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  53. ↑ "The Melodic Blue - Baby Keem". SGLyric. Archived from the original on September 28, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
  54. ↑ "Credits for Baby Keem on TIDAL". TIDAL . Archived from the original on September 28, 2021. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  55. ↑ "The Melodic Blue by Baby Keem on TIDAL". TIDAL . Archived from the original on September 28, 2021. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  56. ↑ TIDAL sources: [54] [55]
  57. ↑ Green, Dylan (September 15, 2021). "Baby Keem: The Melodic Blue". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on September 16, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
  58. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Baby Keem – The Melodic Blue". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  59. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Baby Keem – The Melodic Blue" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  60. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Baby Keem – The Melodic Blue" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  61. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Baby Keem – The Melodic Blue" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  62. ↑ "Danishcharts.dk – Baby Keem – The Melodic Blue". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 22, 2021.
  63. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Baby Keem – The Melodic Blue" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  64. ↑ "Baby Keem: The Melodic Blue" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  65. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Baby Keem – The Melodic Blue". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  66. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Baby Keem – The Melodic Blue" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  67. ↑ "Official Irish Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  68. ↑ "2021 37-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. September 17, 2021. Archived from the original on September 17, 2021. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  69. ↑ "Charts.nz – Baby Keem – The Melodic Blue". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  70. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  71. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Baby Keem – The Melodic Blue". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  72. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Baby Keem – The Melodic Blue". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  73. ↑ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company.
  74. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (September 19, 2021). "Drake's 'Certified Lover Boy' Spends Second Week at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 20, 2021. Retrieved September 20, 2021.
  75. ↑ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2021". Billboard. Retrieved December 4, 2021.
  76. ↑ "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2022". Billboard. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  77. ↑ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2022". Billboard. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  78. ↑ "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2023". Billboard . Retrieved November 23, 2023.
  79. ↑ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2023". Billboard . Retrieved November 23, 2023.
  80. ↑ "Canadian album certifications – Baby Keem – The Melodic Blue". Music Canada . Retrieved November 17, 2022.
  81. ↑ "Danish album certifications – Baby Keem – The Melodic Blue". IFPI Danmark . Retrieved June 19, 2024.
  82. ↑ "British album certifications – Baby Keem – The Melodic Blue". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  83. ↑ "American album certifications – Baby Keem – The Melodic Blue". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved August 1, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.