Keem has both songwriting and production credits on his cousin Kendrick Lamar's project, Black Panther: The Album, TDE member Jay Rock's Redemption, Schoolboy Q's Crash Talk, and the song "Nile" from Disney's The Lion King: The Gift. Keem worked with record producer Cardo, on his two mixtapes, The Sound of a Bad Habit (2018) and Die for My Bitch (2019).
In March 2020, Keem was featured in the visual mission statement for Kendrick Lamar and Dave Free's company, pgLang. In August 2020, it was revealed Baby Keem was included on XXL's 2020 Freshman Class.
On September 18, 2020, Keem returned with the release of two new songs, "Hooligan", and "Sons & Critics Freestyle". He then released "No Sense", on March 5, 2021. On April 30, Keem released "Durag Activity" with Travis Scott. The song was followed by another collaboration with Keem’s cousin Kendrick Lamar, titled "Family Ties", which was released on August 27, 2021. These songs are featured on Keem's debut studio album The Melodic Blue, which was released on September 10, 2021. The album also included the single "Issues", which Keem performed on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, a collaboration with Don Toliver titled "Cocoa", as well as previously-teased tracks "Vent" and "Range Brothers". Keem also made an appearance on Kanye West's tenth studio album Donda, on the song "Praise God", alongside Travis Scott.
Prior to beginning his rapping career, Hykeem Carter spent his early life (as early as 4 years old) in music studios watching his Aunts & Uncles "Burn" CD's using the famous platform Limewire, which was the most common source of free music listening back in the early 2000's. Just a few years later, he shared his memories of hearing Kanye West's album "808s & Heartbreak" on the radio while living in Las Vegas during the Winter of 2008. This sparked his interest for music even more, which spurred his music research the following year. Keem looked up to artists such as Ye, Kid Cudi, Lil Wayne, Eminem, 50 Cent & more. [5]
Keem became a small, yet prominent YouTuber who was involved in the Minecraft Survival Games mini-game scene during the early 2010's. Keem's Minecraft account was under the in game name "hykeemc" and his YouTube account went by the alias "AllMightyModz". Keem was known for being a highly skilled player on The Hive and MCGamer Network servers, amassing more than 1,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel because of his prowess. Keem would frequently hold Skype calls where his fans could play along with him.Today, Keem's channel is inactive, however, the links on his channel direct you to Keem's current SoundCloud account.
It wasn't until 2014 that Hykeem decided to start pursuing his own musical career.
In a 2019 interview, Keem cited American musician Kid Cudi, as a major influence: "I was inspired by Cudi's cadences and shit like that. Kid Cudi's one of my favorite artists."[22]
In a 2021 interview with Billboard, Keem reportedly identified as part of the Mike WiLL Made-It and Metro Boomin generation, saying he derives inspiration from the two producers, as well as from Kanye West
SLICE INTERLUDE
Baby Keem Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
See, you keep all of your receipts for a reason
Let me come over, I'ma slice you, slice you
Let me come over, I'ma slice you, slice you
Yeah, I'ma show you off, make these bitches dislike you
I'm losin' service on the FaceTime, I'll write you
I don't like keepin' all my feelings on the light end
Baby need some renovations
Stay by my side, you got too much patience
I'ma make the change, clap your hands for me
Change my lil' baby life, damn, we really made it
When he cheat on you, then I got the refund
See, you keep all of your receipts for a reason
Let me come over, I'ma slice you, slice you
Let me come over, I'ma slice you, slice you
The lyrics of Baby Keem's SLICE INTERLUDE tell a story of a man who is trying to win over a woman who has just been cheated on. He offers to be there for her and make things right by "slicing" anyone who disrespects her. He also tells her that he wants to show her off and make other women jealous of her. Despite losing service on FaceTime, he tells her he will write to her. The lyrics also suggest that he is not one to hide his feelings and is comfortable expressing them with physical gestures such as kissing her forehead.
The verse "see, you keep all of your receipts for a reason" suggests that the woman is careful with her money and perhaps has been saving up for something important. The line "baby need some renovations" is a metaphor for self-improvement, and the man promises to be there for her through this process. He appreciates her patience and vows to make changes to his life to make her happy.
Overall, the lyrics convey a feeling of vulnerability and honesty, with the man being upfront about his feelings and intentions towards the woman he is pursuing.
Line by Line Meaning
When he cheat on you, then I got the refund
If your current partner cheats on you, I will be there for you and make sure you're okay.
See, you keep all of your receipts for a reason
You hold onto evidence of your past purchases and relationships because it helps you remember and learn from the good and bad experiences.
Let me come over, I'ma slice you, slice you
I want to come over and physically show you how much I care and love you by making your body feel pleasure and pain in equal measures.
Yeah, I'ma show you off, make these bitches dislike you
I am so proud of you and want to flaunt you to others, even if it may create negative feelings from those who are jealous or envious of our relationship.
I'm losin' service on the FaceTime, I'll write you
My technology may not always work, but I will always put in the effort to communicate with you and stay connected, even if it means resorting to pen and paper.
I don't like keepin' all my feelings on the light end
I don't want to constantly remain surface-level and neglect expressing my deep emotions and sentiments towards you.
I don't mind kissin' on your forehead when you frightened
I am always here for you, even in times of fear and vulnerability, and will show my affection through gentle displays of intimacy like forehead kisses.
Baby need some renovations
You deserve some changes and improvements in your life, and I am willing to work towards making that happen for you.
Stay by my side, you got too much patience
I am grateful for your unwavering devotion and commitment to our relationship, even during hard times, because you have the capacity for patience and understanding.
I'ma make the change, clap your hands for me
I am driven and motivated to make positive changes in my life, and hope that my efforts earn your support and applause.
Change my lil' baby life, damn, we really made it
Our love and partnership has the potential to change our lives for the better, and we have already accomplished so much as a team.
Let me come over, I'ma slice you, slice you
Once again expressing a desire to physically demonstrate love and affection through intimate actions.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Dacoury Dahi Natche, Hykeem Jamaal Jr. Carter
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind