When DIE FOR MY BITCH was released in 2019, Baby Keem was a 19-year-old virtual unknown scratching the surface of the underground scene. Due to a lack of money and resources, Baby Keem had taught himself to produce beats. He’d also learned how to hustle, cold-emailing links of his early music to countless bloggers and praying for a response. It all paid off with DIE FOR MY BITCH, which proved the barely-adult rapper’s prowess, determination, and potential to soar—while also yielding a sleeper-hit single with “Orange Soda.” DIE FOR MY BITCH was created by Keem under the guidance of his cousin, Kendrick Lamar, and Dave Free, the co-founder of the label and creative house PGLang (who later signed Baby Keem). The mixtape is a testament to the many faces of hip-hop, and Keem’s ability to dominate in all of them. He and fellow producers Kal Banx, Keanu Beats, DJ Dahi, and Cardo, among others, dip into grunge, rock, pop, and R&B, nailing the increasingly difficult-to-achieve goal of creating music that’s both innovative and replay-worthy.