1 day ago
5
After an extended hiatus, Baby Keem returns with new album Ca$ino. Less a comeback and more a statement of intent, it's clear that the pgLang artist is looking to establish himself as one of the most innovative and compelling artists of his generation. Across 11 tracks and 36 minutes, Keem delivers a concise album that manoeuvres through pain, honesty, and reconciliation at such a pace that it’s difficult to keep up with. The album is held together by his ability to shift between sounds and tones, all while telling an intensely personal story.
The world of Ca$ino is made clear at the outset, from the title to the cover art to the sounds of roulette and slots at every turn. This is the story of Baby Keem’s life in Las Vegas, focused around the strained relationships and childhood stories that defined it. Opening track "No Security" is built around a melancholy Natalie Bergman sample which complements Keem’s morose delivery and lyrical life update, as he paints an almost uncomfortably honest picture of his family dynamic. It’s Keem in truthful vulnerability mode, which he returns to at key points across Ca$ino.
Whenever Baby Keem talks about family, he portrays the individuals as fully-rounded people. He doesn’t fall back on caricatures or vilification, and approaches each subject with real empathy. This nuance shows how Keem’s writing has elevated since his debut, and he uses a compelling mix of lyrical concision and tonal changes to tell intricate stories with an emotional punch. Album centrepiece "I Am Not a Lyricist" is the high-point (ironically) of Keem’s lyrical evolution, as he weaves together childhood stories at such a relentless pace that there is an almost childlike bewilderment in his performance as he reconciles and reflects.
This is Vegas though, and it’s not all somber reflections the morning after. Baby Keem built his career on genre-blending, high-octane tracks – and they are certainly present here, with title track "Ca$ino" amping up the pace early in the album. It’s produced by Cardo, who brings the same energy he delivered on Playboi Carti’s MUSIC album last year. The bass-heavy beat is pulsing and frantic, interspersed with alarm and slot machine sounds, creating a dystopian Vegas soundscape for Keem to play in.
There’s also space on the album for the romantic side of Baby Keem, with tracks like "Good Flirts" and "Dramatic Girl" bringing the energy down and taking on a more positive, outward-looking approach. The former features Keem’s cousin Kendrick Lamar in a playful mood, and a breakout performance from Momo Boyd. To nitpick, these softer tracks are a weaker aspect of the album, but they offer an oasis of optimism in what is otherwise a heavy, soul-searching album.
Forgiveness is central to Baby Keem’s perspective on Ca$ino and closing track "No Blame" acts as a moment of emotional reconciliation between him and his mother. It’s a moving closer, built around a beautiful James Blake sample, that exemplifies Baby Keem’s growth as a writer and performer. It’s honest, powerful and ultimately very human.
The album isn’t perfect by any stretch. There are a few tracks that are decent rather than great, and the 36-minute runtime leaves it feeling a little too brief. That being said, it’s always a good thing to leave your audience wanting more, and Baby Keem certainly does that.
Ca$ino offers a rare experience in the modern hip-hop landscape, a cohesive album with emotional depth, lyrical weight and sonic variety – delivered by a rapper born this century. There are very few rap artists who have emerged in the past decade who are as emotionally ambitious as Baby Keem is with Ca$ino. Fewer still have seemed capable of breaking into the upper echelon of established hip-hop artists, which is long overdue a refresh. However, if Ca$ino is anything to go by, we are witnessing an artist willing to put his cards on the table and gamble for a seat at the top.
English (US) · 