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
So What
Baby Keem Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Please let me go level ten
Shoot through your car door, shoutout to Cardo
Please
Cardo got wings
Yeah, woah
Yeah, woah, woah, woah
You poppin', so what, so what, so what
Top down, pull up, hot boys, that's us
You poppin', so what, so what, so what
Big who, blue dice, big money, that's nice
You poppin', so what, so what, so what
Top down, pull up, hot boys, that's us
You poppin', so what, so what, so what
Every time I fall up in this bitch, I go up
Oh, you got a bad bitch, so what?
Oh, you got a fast whip, so what?
I'm offended, man, that shit is not us
She beat a bitch up if I'm too apologetic
Whippin' white bitch, that boy smokin' Kylie Jenner
She want a pet, hop on a jet, yeah, pussy my dinner, woah
Hit then I dip, checkin' my phone,
Blowin' me up 'cause I did her, woah (ayy, ayy)
Yeah, she put Baby Keem on her license plate (ayy, ayy)
I am way too real, I can't hang with fakes (ayy, ayy)
Put that ass to bed, I call that a date (ayy, ayy)
Make some fuckin' room, bitch, you in my way
Big who, blue dice, big money, that's nice
You poppin', so what, so what, so what
Top down, pull up, hot boys, that's us
You poppin', so what, so what, so what
Big who, blue dice, big money, that's nice
You poppin', so what, so what, so what
Top down, pull up, hot boys, that's us
You poppin', so what, so what, so what
In "So What," Baby Keem raps about his success and the envy it brings out in others. He says he hasn't reached level 10 yet, and he wants to go higher. He shouts out to Cardo, his producer, and says he wants to shoot through car doors like Cardo's beats. The repeated refrain of "You poppin', so what?" is a defiant response to those who are jealous or unimpressed.
Keem's lyrics reveal a complicated attitude toward wealth and status. He brags about his "big money" and "hot boys," but he also seems to be aware of the emptiness of material success. He mocks someone who has a "bad bitch" and a "fast whip," suggesting that these things are not enough to impress him. He also implies that some people are fake, and he can't hang with them.
Overall, "So What" is a bold statement of self-assurance from Baby Keem. He's confident in his skills and his success, but he's also aware of the pitfalls that come with fame and fortune. He's not afraid to call out those who try to bring him down or use him for their own gain.
Line by Line Meaning
Ayy, Cardo, I ain't go level ten yet
Baby Keem asks Cardo to let him go to level ten.
Please let me go level ten
Baby Keem pleads with Cardo to let him go to level ten.
Shoot through your car door, shoutout to Cardo
Baby Keem gives a shoutout to Cardo while talking about shooting through a car door.
Cardo got wings
Baby Keem talks about Cardo's success and how he has wings to fly.
Big who, blue dice, big money, that's nice
Baby Keem talks about having big money and how it's nice.
You poppin', so what, so what, so what
Baby Keem acknowledges someone else's success, but doesn't really care much.
Top down, pull up, hot boys, that's us
Baby Keem talks about his crew being hot boys with a top-down car.
Every time I fall up in this bitch, I go up
Baby Keem talks about always leveling up in his career.
Oh, you got a bad bitch, so what?
Baby Keem doesn't care if someone else has a bad bitch.
Oh, you got a fast whip, so what?
Baby Keem doesn't care if someone else has a fast car.
I'm offended, man, that shit is not us
Baby Keem is offended when people try to compare his crew to others that are not like them.
She beat a bitch up if I'm too apologetic
Baby Keem talks about a girl beating someone up if he apologizes too much.
Whippin' white bitch, that boy smokin' Kylie Jenner
Baby Keem talks about someone smoking Kylie Jenner while driving a white car.
She want a pet, hop on a jet, yeah, pussy my dinner, woah
Baby Keem talks about a girl wanting a pet, but he just takes her on a jet and considers her as his dinner.
Hit then I dip, checkin' my phone,
Baby Keem talks about hitting someone and then leaving while checking his phone.
Blowin' me up 'cause I did her, woah (ayy, ayy)
Baby Keem talks about someone trying to reach him because he slept with her.
Yeah, she put Baby Keem on her license plate (ayy, ayy)
A girl had Baby Keem's name on her license plate.
I am way too real, I can't hang with fakes (ayy, ayy)
Baby Keem can't be friends with fake people because he is real.
Put that ass to bed, I call that a date (ayy, ayy)
Baby Keem calls sleeping with someone 'a date'.
Make some fuckin' room, bitch, you in my way
Baby Keem wants someone to move out of his way.
Big who, blue dice, big money, that's nice
Baby Keem talks about having big money and how it's nice.
You poppin', so what, so what, so what
Baby Keem acknowledges someone else's success, but doesn't really care much.
Top down, pull up, hot boys, that's us
Baby Keem talks about his crew being hot boys with a top-down car.
Big who, blue dice, big money, that's nice
Baby Keem talks about having big money and how it's nice.
You poppin', so what, so what, so what
Baby Keem acknowledges someone else's success, but doesn't really care much.
Top down, pull up, hot boys, that's us
Baby Keem talks about his crew being hot boys with a top-down car.
Writer(s): Hykeem Carter, Ronald Latour
Contributed by Jasmine T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.