The Melodic Blue

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The Melodic Blue
TheMelodicBlueCover.jpeg
Studio album by
Baby Keem
ReleasedSeptember 10, 2021
Recorded2019–2021[1]
Genre
Length63:02
Label
Producer
Baby Keem chronology
Die for My Bitch
(2019) 		The Melodic Blue
(2021)
Singles from The Melodic Blue
  1. "Hooligan"
    Released: September 18, 2020
  2. "No Sense"
    Released: March 5, 2021
  3. "Durag Activity"
    Released: April 30, 2021
  4. "Family Ties"
    Released: August 27, 2021

The Melodic Blue is the debut studio album by American rapper and producer Baby Keem,[4] released on September 10, 2021, by Columbia Records and pgLang, with Keem serving as executive producer. The album features guest appearances by Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott, Don Toliver and Brent Faiyaz.[5] The release of the album was preceded by four singles, "Durag Activity" with Scott and "Family Ties" with Lamar, which peaked at numbers 85 and 18 respectively on the Billboard Hot 100.[6][7]

The Melodic Blue received generally positive reviews from music critics and landed at number 5 on the Billboard 200 chart with an estimated 53,000 total album-equivalent units earned.[8][9]

Release and promotion[]

On October 19, 2020, Baby Keem first teased the title of the album by adding its name and some of the tracks onto a hoodie, but confirmed the project's title on April 30, 2021. Initially, it was set for release in June 2021. On August 31, 2021, Keem stated that he finished the album and said that it "has my best production / compositional work". Two days later, he confirmed that it would be released that month. On September 6, 2021, Labor Day, Keem confirmed the release date and revealed the cover art. Two days later, he revealed the tracklist. On September 22, the album was updated to include three songs: the already released singles "No Sense" and "Hooligan", and a reworked version of "Lost Souls" featuring vocals from Brent Faiyaz.[10]

Critical reception[]

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic77/100[11]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[12]
Clash7/10[13]
HipHopDX3.6/5[14]
musicOMH[15]
NME8/10[16]
Pitchfork6.4/10[3]
Rolling Stone[17]
Spin(favorable)[18]

The Melodic Blue received exceedingly positive reviews from music critics, considered by multiple critics to be the best rap album of 2021.[19][20][21][22] At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized score out of 100 to ratings from publications, the album received an average score of 77 based on eleven reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[11] Will Dukes of Rolling Stone found Baby Keem to be "sharp, focused and easy to like."[23] Luke Britton of NME called Keem a "rising star" who "shows his versatility and wide-ranging sound on confident, [sic] mostly self-produced project."[24]

The single "Family Ties" was nominated for the Grammy's 2022 Best Rap Performance Award.[25]

Track listing[]

The Melodic Blue track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Trademark USA"
4:30
2."Pink Panties"
  • Carter, Jr.
  • Michee Lebrun
  • Baby Keem
  • Che Ecru
2:43
3."Scapegoats"
1:16
4."Range Brothers" (with Kendrick Lamar)
  • Baby Keem
  • 30 Roc
  • Sweet
  • Scott Bridgeway
  • Dez Wright
  • Ricky Polo
5:16
5."Issues"
  • Carter, Jr.
  • Sweet
  • Baby Keem
  • Sweet
3:39
6."Gorgeous"
2:20
7."South Africa"
2:54
8."Lost Souls"
  • Carter, Jr.
  • Sweet
  • Akers
  • Baby Keem
  • Sweet
  • Scott Bridgeway
4:29
9."Cocoa" (featuring Don Toliver)
  • Baby Keem
  • Sweet
  • Scott Bridgeway
3:49
10."Family Ties" (with Kendrick Lamar)
  • Carter, Jr.
  • Duckworth
  • LaTour
  • Tobias Dekker
  • Roshwita Bacha
  • Dominik Patrzek
  • Jasper Harris
  • Colin Franken
4:12
11."Scars"
  • Carter, Jr.
  • Sweet
  • Akers
  • Matt Schaeffer
  • Johnny Kosich
  • Baby Keem
  • Sweet
  • Scott Bridgeway
  • Beach Noise
4:26
12."Durag Activity" (with Travis Scott)
Brick3:44
13."Booman"Carter, Jr.Baby Keem2:35
14."First Order of Business"
  • Carter, Jr.
  • Sweet
  • Baby Keem
  • Sweet
2:48
15."Vent"
2:16
16."16"
  • DJ Dahi
  • Kleinman
2:36
Total length:53:44
B Side
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Lost Souls" (with Brent Faiyaz)
  • Baby Keem
  • Sweet
  • Scott Bridgeway
4:29
2."Hooligan"
  • Carter, Jr.
  • Sweet
  • Jordan Ortiz
  • Beck Norling
  • Robert Fairfax III
  • Sweet
  • Oogie Mane
  • FAXONLY
  • Pilgrim
2:36
3."No Sense"
  • Carter, Jr.
  • Sweet
  • Baby Keem
  • Sweet
2:53
Total length:9:58

Notes

Personnel[]

  • Derek "206Derek" Anderson – recording (9), mixing (12)
  • Matt Schaeffer – recording (10, 11, 15)
  • Johnny Kosich – assistant engineering (1–6, 9, 10, 11, 15, 16), recording (1, 3–5, 7–14, 16)
  • Jake the Snake – assistant engineering (1, 3–5, 7–14, 16)
  • Scott Moore – assistant engineering (3, 4, 10, 11)
  • Curtis "Sircut" Bye – assistant engineering (5, 7, 8, 12–14)
  • Ray Donghwan Kim – assistant engineering (6, 15)
  • Jacob Bryant – assistant engineering (7, 8, 12–14)
  • MixedByAli – mixing (5, 7, 8, 12–14)
  • James Hunt – mixing (1–4, 6, 9–11, 15, 16), recording (1–4, 6, 9–11, 15)
  • Nicolas De Porcel – mastering (1–16)

Charts[]

References[]

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External links[]

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