Baby Keem Makes Long-Awaited Return With ‘Ca$ino’

805 days. 

That’s how long it has been since Baby Keem’s last record. But today marks the end of that drought.

Born Hykeem Jamaal Carter Jr., the “Orange Soda” rapper released his fourth studio album, “Ca$ino,” on Friday morning. Before dropping, Keem delivered a 10-minute documentary on YouTube titled “Booman II” to promote the album. 

The project spans 11 tracks totaling 36 minutes of runtime and features Momo Boyd, Too $hort, Che Ecru, and, of course, Kendrick Lamar. 

The collaboration with Kendrick comes as no surprise, since the two West Coast rappers are cousins and have collaborated on songs such as “Savior,” “The Hillbillies,” and “Family Ties.”

The album kicks off with “No Security,” which serves as Keem’s warm-up. It’s common knowledge to stretch before returning to a strenuous activity after a prolonged break, so the smooth bars over a piano harmony allow listeners to really tap into what Keem is saying and prepare for the remaining body of work.

The mellow nature of the opening track slickly transitions into the self-titled track via the spinning of a slot machine, which aligns with the album's theme. I don’t know about y'all, but I’m a sucker for cohesiveness. Classic Keem returns on this track with a speaker-pounding beat that makes listeners do that scrunched up face while nodding their head, IFYKYK. 

After track three, “Birds & the Bees,” Keem and Kenny team up on “Good Flirts” and “House Money,” despite Lamar being listed only on “Good Flirts,” which delivers a sound best described as hip-hop-reggaeton fusion. It certainly differs from the hype, flame-breathing delivery fans are accustomed to from the duo. 

But fear not, the tempo picks up for “House Money,” with Keem and Kendick trading bars on a hard-slapping beat. Kendrick's dark tone is almost villainous and complements the deep piano harmony. 

At the halfway mark, Keem delivers genuine sentiment on “I am not a Lyricist.” He reflects on how far he's come not only as an artist but as a man as well. He addresses generational trauma that stems from his childhood in poverty and damaging family dynamics. He ends the track with an atypical flow, one that sounds eerily similar to Andre 3000. I actually checked the song credits to see if the Atlanta legend made a surprise appearance. 

The brutally honest self-reflection continues on Keem’s sequel to “Highway 95,” which appeared on the Deluxe of his 2022 album, “The Melodic Blue.” 

The tail end of the album includes “Circus Circus Free$tyle,” another hype anthem that mostly consists of Keem talking that talk over not one, not two, but three beat switches and individual vocal deliveries. He explains that, despite achieving financial success in the industry, his personal habits and priorities molded by humble beginnings haven't budged. 

“I'm the type of rich [person] that got a broken phone.” Me too, Keem, me too… 

Lover Boy Keem makes his return on “Ca$ino” with “Dramatic Girl,” an upbeat, almost rainbows-and-sunshine love anthem. He shares that, as an adult, he yearns for genuine connections and relationships that provide the emotional stability he never received as a child.

Keem closes out the project with “No Blame,” a clear “letter of forgiveness” to those who might have intentionally or unintentionally inflicted damage on him as a child. Keem uses the track to clear the air of any grudges that he might be holding, which is powerful and shows his maturity as a now-25-year-old. 

Overall, Keem's ability to be multi-dimensional with his vocals, flows, and instrumentals, as well as his vulnerability and nuance in tackling personal topics such as sudden financial excess, parental abandonment, and intimate relationships, will always create strong sonics. He proved it again in just 36 minutes on “Ca$ino.”