The promotional campaign for Baby Keem’s new album Ca$ino is moving forward with the release of another episode from his ongoing documentary series. The latest installment, “Booman III,” includes an appearance from his first cousin once removed, Kendrick Lamar, who reflects on the moment he first recognized Keem’s creative potential.
Kendrick explains that his earliest exposure to Keem’s talent came through production rather than vocals. “Was I surprised? No, I wasn’t surprised,” he said. “You know why? Because it started off with beats. And I was like, ‘OK, I see what went down here.’ When I think of the gamers, it just makes sense. You have to be locked in to sound and tech; it all goes hand in hand. So when he started first sending me beats and s**, I was like, ‘OK, I can see you do this,’ and he was really good.*”
What truly caught Kendrick off guard, however, was Keem’s ability on the mic. “What I was surprised at was when he started rapping,” he continued. “I was like, ‘Damn, you actually good at this, too.’ That threw me for a loop, because he understood melodies and patterns more than any young cat that I’ve heard.”
Kendrick went on to emphasize just how far ahead Keem was at a young age, noting that among “a thousand f***** cousins*” and “a thousand friends that rap and do music,” Keem stood out as “the best” when he was only “14, 15 years old.”