On Feb. 20, American rapper Baby Keem dropped his long awaited album Ca$ino. After a 1,624 day wait since the fan favorite album Melodic Blue dropped in 2021 fans have been waiting for another original album from him. This album takes many experimental risks, with wild moments of confidence and some bits that don’t fully pay off.
Baby Keem’s biggest strength is his unpredictability and variety. This album highlights Keem’s ability to slide from melodic, relaxing beats such as I am not a Lyricist, to hard hitting loud drums on songs such as Ca$ino. I am not a Lyricist, the sixth track on the album, invites a soft piano beat with calm vocals and lyrics. The hidden feature from this track is the heart of this song, with Andre 3000 taking over half of the song.
Another high on this album is the chaotic bars, like those on the song Circus Circus where Keem changes his voice, rhythm, and cadence mid-bar. This song lives up to its name making you feel like you’re witnessing a circus show with loud and bright visuals. Keem’s confidence shines through with this song and is less about lyricism and more about movement and personality.
The two standout songs on this album are $ex Appeal (feat. Too $hort) and Dramatic Girl (feat. Che Ecru). $ex Appeal brings in a funky beat with a smooth and hypnotic rhythm, while Dramatic Girl contrasts this by introducing a fun, playful track with lyrics preaching joy.
Even with the high peaks of this album, it’s important to mention the low points. The different tones of this album makes it feel like a playlist of experimental tracks rather than a cohesive album. Moreover, the lyrical depth of a majority of songs is rather shallow.
The final low comes with Keem’s cousin, Kendrick Lamar. Lamar’s features on this album feel dry and unnecessary. With past collabs such as family ties, fans were expecting much more with his inclusion, but it fell flat.
Overall, this album is by far the most unique album we have seen from Baby Keem. From screaming drums and vocals to soft and melodic beats, this album feels like a rhythmic roller coaster. Each song hits hard and even with the lows mentioned this album shines through Keem’s discography.
This is why I rate Ca$ino by Baby Keem a 8.6/10.
