Baby Keem

Hykeem Jamaal Carter Jr. (born October 22, 2000), known professionally as Baby Keem, is an American rapper and record producer.[3][4] 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.[5] He rose to prominence in 2019 through his sleeper hit single "Orange Soda".

Baby Keem
Background information
Birth nameHykeem Jamaal Carter Jr.
Also known as
  • Hykeem Carter
  • 2 Phone Baby Keem
  • Booman
Born (2000-10-22) October 22, 2000
Carson, California, U.S.[1][2]
OriginLas Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Rapper
  • songwriter
  • record producer
Years active2017–present
Labels
Member of
Websitekeem.science

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.

Early life

Carter was born in Carson, California.[6] Carter spent his early life, as young as four years old, in music studios watching his aunts and uncles burn CDs using LimeWire. He later recalled memories of listening to American rapper Kanye West's album "808s & Heartbreak" on the radio while living in Las Vegas during winter 2009. This sparked Carter’s interest for music even more, and he began researching music in 2010. Carter looked up to artists such as West, Kid Cudi, Lil Wayne, Eminem and 50 Cent.[7] In 2014, Carter started pursuing his own musical career.[8]

Carter made YouTube accounts "AllMightyModz" and "HykeezyHD", posting Minecraft Survival minigames gameplay in the early 2010s from his Minecraft account "hykeemc".[9] Carter frequently Skype-called his fans, who played along with him.[10] Today, Carter no longer posts, but his YouTube still links to his SoundCloud account.[11]

Musical career

Keem worked with American record producer Cardo, on his two solo mixtapes, The Sound of a Bad Habit (2018) and Die For My Bitch (2019).

In March 2020, Keem was featured in the visual mission statement for Kendrick Lamar and Dave Free's company, pgLang.[12] In August 2020, it was revealed Baby Keem was included on XXL's 2020 Annual Freshman Class.[13]

On September 18, 2020, Keem returned with the release of two new songs, "Hooligan", and "Sons & Critics Freestyle".[14] He then released "No Sense", on March 5, 2021.[15] On April 30, Keem released "Durag Activity" with fellow American rapper Travis Scott.[16] The song was followed by another collaboration with Keem's cousin Kendrick Lamar, titled "Family Ties", which was released on August 27, 2021.[17] These songs are featured on Keem's debut studio album The Melodic Blue, which was released on September 10, 2021.[18][19] The album also included the single "Issues", which Keem performed on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, a collaboration with American singer Don Toliver titled "Cocoa", as well as previously teased tracks "Vent" and "Range Brothers".[20] Keem also made an appearance on Kanye West's tenth studio album Donda, being on the song "Praise God", alongside Travis Scott.[21]

On April 3, 2022, Keem won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance for "Family Ties", along with Kendrick Lamar.[22] On October 28, 2022, Keem released the deluxe edition of The Melodic Blue.[23] On May 30, 2023, Keem and Lamar released a surprise single and music video for "The Hillbillies".[24]

Artistry

Influences

In a 2019 interview, Keem cited American musician Kid Cudi, as a major influence: "I was inspired by Cudi's cadences and shit like that. Kid Cudi's one of my favorite artists."[25]

In a 2021 interview with Billboard, Keem reportedly identified as part of the Mike WiLL Made-It and Metro Boomin generation, saying he derives inspiration from the two producers, as well as from Kanye West.[26]

Discography

Studio albums
List of studio albums, with selected details
Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
US
[27]		 AUS
[28]		 CAN
[29]		 NOR
[30]		 NZ
[31]		 SWE
[32]		 UK
[33]
The Melodic Blue 52159125949

Mixtapes
List of mixtapes, with selected details
Title Details Peak chart positions
US
[37]
The Sound of Bad Habit —
Die for My Bitch
  • Released: July 19, 2019[39]
  • Label: The Orchard, Sony
  • Formats: Digital download, streaming
 196

EPs
List of extended plays, with selected details
Title Details
Oct
(as Hykeem Carter)
  • Released: November 7, 2017
  • Label: Self-released
  • Formats: Digital download, streaming
Midnight
(as Hykeem Carter)
  • Released: January 16, 2018
  • Label: Self-released
  • Formats: Digital download, streaming
No Name
(as Hykeem Carter)
  • Released: May 18, 2018
  • Label: Self-released
  • Formats: Digital download, streaming
Hearts & Darts
  • Released: July 12, 2018
  • Label: Self-released
  • Formats: Digital download, streaming

Singles
Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album
US
[40]		 AUS
[41]		 CAN
[42]		 IRE
[43]		 NZ
[44]		 UK
[45]
"Invented It" 2019 —————— Die for My Bitch
"France Freestyle" ——————
"Orange Soda" 98—100———
"Hooligan" 2020 —————— The Melodic Blue
"Sons & Critics Freestyle" —————— Non-album single
"No Sense" 2021 —————— The Melodic Blue
"Durag Activity"
(with Travis Scott)		 85—5374—96
"Family Ties"
(with Kendrick Lamar)		 184419322952
"Issues"[20] —[upper-alpha 1]————[upper-alpha 2]—
"The Hillbillies"
(with Kendrick Lamar)		 2023 93—80——[upper-alpha 3]— Non-album single
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Other charted and certified songs
List of songs, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name
Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album
US
[50]		 US
R&B
[51]		 US
Rap
[52]		 AUS
[53]		 CAN
[54]		 IRE
[43]		 NZ
Hot
[48]
"Honest" 2019 —————81
[55]		— Die for My Bitch
"Praise God"
(Kanye West featuring Travis Scott and Baby Keem)		 2021 201091317—— Donda
"Trademark USA" —[upper-alpha 4]—————25 The Melodic Blue
"Range Brothers"
(with Kendrick Lamar)		 532320—619311
"Cocoa"
(featuring Don Toliver)		 ——————29
"Lost Souls"
(featuring Brent Faiyaz)		 ——————24
"16" ———————
"Bank Account"
(featuring Lil Uzi Vert)		 2022 —[upper-alpha 5]46—————
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Guest appearances
List of non-single guest appearances, with other performing artists, showing year released and album name
Title Year Artist(s) Album
"Praise God"[58] 2021 Kanye West, Travis Scott Donda
"Outerspace" Don Toliver Life of a Don
"We Did It Kid" 2022 Kanye West, Migos Donda 2
"Savior" Kendrick Lamar, Sam Dew Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers

Music videos
Year Title Director(s) Artist(s)
2018 "Baby Keem" N/A[59] Baby Keem
"Miss Charlotte" N/A[60]
2019 "Gang Activities" Shia LaBeouf[61]
"Invented It" Neal Farmer[62]
"Honest" James R. Weneta[63]
"Orange Soda" Dave Free[64]
"Moshpit" Jack Begert[65]
2020 "Hooligan" Jake Schreier[66]
2021 "No Sense" Savannah Setten[67]
"Durag Activity" Eliel Ford[68] Baby Keem and Travis Scott
"Family Ties" Dave Free[69] Baby Keem and Kendrick Lamar
"The Melodic Blue (Album Trailer)" Dave Free[70] Baby Keem
"Issues" Jake Schreier[71]
"First Order of Business" Dave Free[72]
2023 "The Hillbillies" Neal Farmer Baby Keem and Kendrick Lamar

Tours

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

Supporting

Production credits

2018

Various artists - Black Panther: The Album

  • 10. "Redemption Interlude" (performed by Zacari) (additional production)[73]

Jay Rock - Redemption

  • 03. "Knock It Off"[74]
  • 05. "Rotation 112th"[75]

2019

ScHoolboy Q - CrasH Talk

Various artists - The Lion King: The Gift

2022

Offset - Blame it on Set

Awards and nominations

Grammy Awards

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2022 Himself Best New Artist Nominated [80]
Donda (as featured artist and songwriter) Album of the Year Nominated
"Family Ties" Best Rap Performance Won
Best Rap Song Nominated
2023 Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers (as featured artist, songwriter, and producer) Album of the Year Nominated [81]

BET Awards

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2022 "Family Ties" Video of the Year Won [82]
Best Collaboration Nominated
Himself Best New Artist Nominated

Billboard Music Awards

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2022 "Praise God" Top Gospel Song Nominated [83]
"Praise God" Top Christian Song Nominated

NME Awards

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2022 "Family Ties" Best Collaboration Nominated [84]

XXL Awards

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2022 "Family Ties" Song of the Year Nominated [85]
Video of the Year Nominated


Notes
  1. "Issues" did not enter the US Billboard Hot 100, but peaked at number 22 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart.[47]
  2. "Issues" did not enter the NZ Top 40 Singles Chart, but peaked at number 30 on the NZ Hot Singles Chart.[48]
  3. "The Hillbillies" did not enter the NZ Top 40 Singles Chart, but peaked at number 14 on the NZ Hot Singles Chart.[49]
  4. "Trademark USA" did not enter the US Billboard Hot 100, but peaked at number eight on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart.[47]
  5. "Bank Account" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, but peaked at number 15 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart.[57]

References
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  2. "Artist Spotlight: Who Is Baby Keem?". February 3, 2020.
  3. "Artist Spotlight: Who Is Las Vegas Rapper Baby Keem?". February 3, 2020. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
  4. "Baby Keem: The Full Profile". RapTV. February 4, 2021. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
  5. "Meet Hykeem Carter, The Mysterious Artist Who Has Credits on Multiple TDE Projects". Complex.
  6. "FYI: BABY KEEM". Acclaim Magazine. March 25, 2021.
  7. Pack, The Rap. "Baby Keem On His Journey, His Relationship W/ Kendrick Lamar, Working W/ Drake + More | The Rap Pack". YouTube. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
  8. Pack, The Rap. "Baby Keem On His Journey, His Relationship W/ Kendrick Lamar, Working W/ Drake + More | The Rap Pack". YouTube.
  9. Survival Games | Ep. 2 | w/AllMightyModz, retrieved August 18, 2022
  10. ★ Minecraft Survival Games | Ep. 7 | The Wrong Hykeem!, retrieved August 18, 2022
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  12. "Kendrick Lamar and Dave Free Launch New Company pgLang". Pitchfork. March 5, 2020. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
  13. Cline, Georgette (August 11, 2020). "XXL 2020 FRESHMAN CLASS REVEALED". XXL. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
  14. "hooligan / sons & critics - Single by Baby Keem on Apple Music". September 17, 2020. Retrieved September 17, 2020 – via Apple Music.
  15. @babykeem (March 1, 2021). "3/5 👀 ..." (Tweet). Retrieved March 4, 2021 – via Twitter.
  16. @babykeem (April 21, 2021). "durag activity @trvisXX let's gooo..." (Tweet). Retrieved April 22, 2021 – via Twitter.
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  19. "Baby Keem Releasing New Album The Melodic Blue This Week". Pitchfork. September 6, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
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  21. "Kanye West Finally Releases New Album Donda". Pitchfork. August 29, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
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  67. "Baby Keem - No Sense (Official Video)". Retrieved December 19, 2021 – via YouTube.
  68. "Baby Keem, Travis Scott - Durag Activity (Official Video)". Retrieved December 19, 2021 – via YouTube.
  69. "Baby Keem, Kendrick Lamar - family ties (Official Video)". Retrieved December 19, 2021 – via YouTube.
  70. "Baby Keem - the melodic blue (Album Trailer)". Retrieved December 19, 2021 – via YouTube.
  71. "Baby Keem - Issues (Official Video)". Retrieved December 19, 2021 – via YouTube.
  72. "Baby Keem - first order of business (Official Video)". Retrieved December 19, 2021 – via YouTube.
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