Who is Baby Keem? As I listened to his unique, at-times-shouty voice on his debut studio album, “The Melodic Blue,” it felt like neither of us knew.
Since his rise to prominence with his breakout single “Orange Soda,” Baby Keem has been fighting to become a well-known and respected rapper with a distinct persona. “The Melodic Blue” hit new highs for Keem musically, but fell short of his previous album’s character and consistency.

The production is superb with no tracks feeling unfishished — an improvement from the past. Keem’s use of drums gives every one of his songs an undeniable rhythm, making it possible to bop your head for all 53 minutes of the album.
Baby Keem is not afraid to change things up either. He lets us know early on, executing a seamless beat switch on the first track of the album, “trademark usa.” While most artists are scared off by even one beat switch, Keem performs no less than four throughout the album — an impressive feat. This loose style is classic Baby Keem, and these moments are the high points of the album. They show Keem’s confidence and musical proficiency while proving he’s not afraid to try unorthodox production techniques.
Along with beat switches, Keem uses a broad range of instruments to keep the listener interested. On “range brothers,” Keem uses a futuristic synth followed closely by an orchestral arrangement complete with low, sweeping cellos and a fast paced violin loop. His production acumen ensures each song feels unique. While this makes his music engaging, it causes the album to feel more like a compilation than a single work of art.
Consequently, this feels like Baby Keem’s most inconsistent work to date. From song to song he switches from shouting his successes to lamenting a breakup, and it feels incongruous. Some artists use a switch in themes to illustrate a character development. Sadly, Keem does not reach those heights, and instead his album feels a bit empty.
Baby Keem is not trying to say anything with his albums. And that’s okay. He is making music for fun and as a result, his songs are energetic, entertaining and youthful.
But it’s also what will hold him back from superstardom. If Baby Keem wants to ascend to the next level of artistry, he will have to make more inspired work. Until then, we can dance along as he shouts his way through life.