BABY KEEM’S “CA$INO” HAS HIT THE JACKPOT: WEST COAST FLOWS FOR THE WIN
- Rei Tedoco
- 8 hours ago
- 3 min read
Reporter: Rei Tedoco
COMMENTARY PIECE
PHOENIX — The 25-year-old rapper Baby Keem did not come to play this May when he hit the stage at The Van Buren.
By 8:30 p.m., lines stretched around Fifth Avenue in anticipation of the rapper’s return to the city.
The release of his album “CA$INO” came in mid-February, featuring 11 tracks in a 37-minute set. His last album, The Melodic Blue, was released in 2021. It was time for him to show up and show out with new heat.
Before getting into the Keem classics, this new album showed nothing but growth. It was the consistent change of flow he’s had in past albums, but this time he attributes it to a deeper meaning: his personal life.
A personal favorite from this album has to be “Good Flirts.” Keem did perform this with full energy in the Valley. This song has a sense of relatability. For anyone going through a situationship, this is the song for you.
He raps, “It’s been over twice, it’s been over, we’ve been over.”
The original track features Kendrick Lamar and Momo Boyd. For older fans, it’s soothing to hear familiarity in flow, and for new listeners, it’s something they can set an expectation to hear.
Now, it would be remiss not to mention how Baby Keem has kept his originality while still reflecting frequent mentorship from his cousin, Kendrick Lamar. He’s had multiple appearances on Lamar’s tracks and vice versa. It’s consistent to see them on songs together.
His song “I Am Not a Lyricist” is very similar to many of Lamar’s songs on good kid, m.A.A.d city. If you have thoroughly followed Kendrick Lamar, you need to do the same for Baby Keem. He brings a younger, energetic and new-age approach that relates to Gen Z.
With the mention of “I Am Not a Lyricist,” Baby Keem has even more relatability through the relationship between him and his grandmother. He pays tribute to her in multiple songs, including “CA$INO,” with the reminder that she showed up for him countless times. In retrospect, he finishes his setlist with “No Blame,” not blaming his mother for her addiction but recognizing the long-term effects.
Baby Keem familiarizes vulnerability in his tracks while still honing an upbeat West Coast flow.
Outside of songs from “CA$INO” to set the tone and celebrate his comeback from a five-year hiatus, he brought back classics such as “Orange Soda,” “Range Brothers,” “Honest,” “Lost Souls,” “Moshpit” and “16.”
He is a true performer. Baby Keem had people forming multiple mosh pits when his song “Moshpit” started. He reads the vibe and gets people hyped up. “Orange Soda” did the exact same thing.
Baby Keem keeps it consistent and switches his tracks to weave in the vibe of his audience. His “CA$INO Tour” is impressionable and leaves a taste of hope for future performers to follow. It’s energy, relatability and style that keep people interested, not whatever is trending.
That’s what hits the jackpot.
Setlist:
No Security
CA$INO
Stats
Good Flirts
I Am Not a Lyricist
Booman
Vent
Circus Circus
Freestyle
Orange Soda
Trademark USA
Lost Souls
House Money
Highway 95 Pt. 2
Honest
Range Brothers
$*X Appeal
Dramatic Girl
Moshpit
Family Ties
Birds & the Bees
16
No Blame
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