You know a performer’s made it big when they barely have to move a muscle to get a huge reaction.
Deep into his 70-minute set at the Eagles Ballroom at the Rave on May 22, after naturally triggering mosh pits on the floor following “Moshpit,” Grammy-winning rapper Baby Keem took a moment to just stand and stare at his capacity Milwaukee crowd.
Then, ever so slightly, he started turning his head to the right, then the left, then the right, then the left. With every tiny turn, the fans directly in front of him began to cheer, the roars becoming louder and louder, until dropping to quiet murmurs as Keem covered his eyes. When he moved his hand and opened them, the place went nuts.
It wasn’t the only time Keem had incredible audience command with little effort.
Near the end of “Booman,” Keem did two small jumps, inspiring thousands of fans to bounce with all their might. In the middle of subsequent song, “Vent,” Keem unraveled a guttural, drawn-out “louder,” prompting mighty roars and rap-alongs in response. Then for “Circus Circus Freestyle,” Keem ever so calmly faced the crowd, his palms facing the ceiling, and gently flicked his fingers, sparking electrifying energy from the masses.
Sure, Keem’s career and following received a significant boost by association: His cousin, and frequent collaborator, is hip-hop GOAT contender Kendrick Lamar. And Keem was supported by engrossing stage production for his “Ca$ino Tour,” named after his sophomore album that dropped in February.
Keem frequently performed atop a seedy-looking “Ca$ino” marquee with digital screens and lights projecting below it; to his right behind him was a “billboard” that projected different images and videos throughout the night, from a silhouette and flashes of a cartoon clown for “Circus Circus,” to home movies for “I Am Not A Lyricist.”
But even with his famous family connection and flashy production, Keem has earned his credibility, and the crazy commotion in Milwaukee, through his own towering talent and captivating catalog.
Take the title track off “Ca$ino” that kicked off Keem’s 19-song set. As soon as the sound effects of the slot machine piped through the speakers, the crowd was explosive – even though Keem himself was barely audible rapping through the song, his mic drowned out by the bass. Even the chants of the crowd were more audible. But everyone was having a blast anyway.
Chest-puffing bangers like “Ca$ino” have cultivated a devout crowd; in Milwaukee, it was made up largely of young men eager to blow off some steam. But Keem’s also a versatile rapper who expresses himself through a variety of cadences and tones – just like his cousin – and his songs can get quite deep and personal.
In Milwaukee, that aspect of his art was manifested for the surprising finale for this party: “No Blame,” off of “Ca$ino.” It was preceded by more home movies on the billboard, depicting an actual baby Baby Keem in the arms of Sharon Govan, his grandmother who primarily raised him, and passed away last year. When her name appeared at the end of that string of home movies, the crowd offered heartfelt cheers and applause in her honor.
And then Keem poignantly began to rap, and what he offered was raw and resonant, as he directly addressed his mother, the hurt she caused, and the hurt she had.
“I don’t blame you, Mama,” Keem rapped quietly. “You was walking the streets alone/You couldn’t shake the trauma … I cry and blame myself for all the [expletive] that fell upon us.”
He continued, and didn’t hold back, revisiting haunting memories of being 7, in his pajamas, waiting for his mother, a promise she couldn’t keep; and of his mother and grandmother fighting for him, with Child Protective Services at the door.
Baby Keem has generated so much goodwill he could easily coast in concert. But at the end of his Eagles Ballroom performance in Milwaukee, he gave his heart and soul.
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Contact Piet Levy at (414) 223-5162 or plevy@journalsentinel.com. Follow him at facebook.com/PietLevyMJS.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Baby Keem hits the jackpot at ‘Ca$ino’ tour stop in Milwaukee
Reporting by Piet Levy, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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