Baby Keem

Baby Keem, born Hykeem Jamaal Carter Jr. on October 22, 2000, is an American rapper and record producer whose early work reached major releases before he became widely known as a solo artist. Raised in Las Vegas, he gained recognition in the late 2010s through contributions to Kendrick Lamar’s Black Panther: The Album in 2018 and Beyoncé’s The Lion King: The Gift in 2019. Lamar is Keem’s cousin, and their relationship would later extend to several prominent recordings and releases through pgLang.

As a lead artist, Keem broke through with “Orange Soda,” a 2019 sleeper hit that received quadruple-platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America. The song helped bring attention to his solo work and preceded his first studio album, The Melodic Blue, released in 2021 through pgLang’s joint venture with Columbia Records. The album reached number five on the Billboard 200, earned platinum certification from the RIAA, and was both a commercial and critical success.

The Melodic Blue also produced “Family Ties,” his collaboration with Lamar. The track won Best Rap Performance at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards. In the same period, Keem appeared on Kanye West’s Donda, released in 2021, and later worked with Lamar on Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers in 2022. Those albums brought Keem nominations for Album of the Year at the 64th and 65th Annual Grammy Awards, respectively.

Keem’s second studio album, Casino, arrived on February 20, 2026, released by pgLang and Columbia. His recorded work has moved between rap, hip hop, trap, and West Coast hip hop, while his career has included both his own releases and production or songwriting contributions to larger collaborative projects.