Baby Keem's 'Ca$ino' Hits No. 1
Baby Keem's new album *Ca$ino* has debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The project sold 72,000 equivalent album units in its first week, marking Keem's first-ever chart-topping album. To celebrate, he performed a surprise show at NYC's Webster Hall on March 4, his first solo live set in three years.
The 72,000 units sold of *Ca$ino* in its first week mark a significant commercial step-up for Baby Keem. His debut studio album, 2021's *The Melodic Blue*, debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 with 53,000 album-equivalent units in its first week. That album went on to be certified Platinum. *The Melodic Blue* was met with generally positive reviews from critics and featured the single "Family Ties" with Kendrick Lamar, which won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance. The album also included guest appearances from Travis Scott and Don Toliver. The surprise performance at Webster Hall was announced on the morning of the show and sold out almost instantly. During the concert, Keem deviated from a planned setlist, instead taking requests from the crowd and performing older tracks like "Orange Soda." He also took time to sign vinyl for fans in attendance. The New York show serves as a precursor to a much larger live schedule for the rapper. Keem has announced "The Ca$ino Tour," a 36-date trek across North America and Europe set to kick off in April. This extensive tour follows his time opening for Kendrick Lamar on "The Big Steppers Tour" in 2022. *Ca$ino* features a select group of collaborators, including another appearance from his cousin Kendrick Lamar. The 12-track album also has guest spots from West Coast legend Too $hort, singer Che Ecru, and Momo Boyd of the group Infinity Song.
