Baby Keem’s vocals are as animated as they are downplayed—an intentional pairing that makes for an unmistakable approach to rap. Born Hykeem Jamaal Carter Jr. in 2000, the Las Vegas-via-L.A. artist first began creating music at age 13, borrowing money from his grandmother to buy used equipment off of the internet. By his late teen years, he had already leapt ahead of his peers—his eclectic production methods and introspective songwriting led to contribution credits with some of the biggest names in the industry, notably pop supernova Beyoncé and rap luminary Kendrick Lamar (his rumoured cousin). On his debut mixtape, 2018’s The Sound of Bad Habit, Keem’s delivery expands and contracts, fluctuating between high-pitched and even-keeled on songs like the gutsy, dark intro “Wolves”. He settled confidently into his free-flowing style on his breakthrough 2019 follow-up, DIE FOR MY BITCH, which was led by the flippant “ORANGE SODA”, a stream of consciousness single where he rapped amusingly about his arbitrary dating parameters. His 2020 double single release furthered his musical modus operandi: the pensive, piano-driven “hooligan” showcased Keem’s ability to look inward and reflect, while the trappy, bass-heavy “sons & critics freestyle” found the rapper casually flexing on his contemporaries. No matter the topic, Keem thrives comfortably in his pocket, locked into a dynamic aesthetic that has set him apart since he began.