The news about Baby Keem being a relative of Kendrick Lamar has been known in Hip Hop circles since Keem broke onto the scene with the “Hearts and Darts” EP in 2018. Despite this, the two have never appeared on a song together before. 

The return of Kendrick Lamar is an event that to music fans cannot be understated. The elusive king of modern rap music released the critically acclaimed and highly praised album “DAMN” in 2017. He did a few features in 2018, and has since disappeared. With 2021 being the fourth consecutive year without any new content from Kendrick, fans were starving for anything from the artist. Even though the George Floyd murder and the proceeding movement, Kendrick remained silent.  In the past, Kendrick has never been scared to criticize and protest against the American system, it can be seen all over his albums such as ‘Good Kid/M.A.A.D’ city and ‘To Pimp a Butterfly’. All These factors lead to this Baby Keem single being hyped to a massive degree. Keem and Kendrick know this too, and they come back stronger than ever.

Baby Keem, much like his cousin, uses an arsenal of different voices and cadences. On “Family Ties”, his voice is high-pitched, almost squealy. His squeaky voice antics are reminiscent of artists like Young Thug and Playboi Carti. Keem hardly gets enough time to settle into a pocket though, as there is a beat switch around the two-minute mark.he instrumental sticks around for only about 25 seconds, before yet another beat switch kicks off the verse from Kendrick Lamar. 

Kendrick’s verse is centered around his frustration with the current condition of the music industry and the world as a whole. His lyrics, “I’m not a trending topic, I’m a prophet,” feed into his persona as the savior of the rap game that he is known for portraying. He references the biblical figures of Metatron and Gabriel, comparing himself to the angels who are believed to be the transmitters of God’s will. He gives an explanation for his silence during recent civil unrest, rapping that he was “ducking the overnight activists,” expressing his disapproval for those who hop on political topics to be trendy. 

This single gives fans lots to look forward to, an upcoming Baby Keem album, and a potential rollout from Kendrick after all this time. It is looking like 2021 is going to be a monster year for music.

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