Casino (Baby Keem album)

Casino
A photo of Keem as a child with a large Parental Advisory warning obscuring the lower half of the image
Studio album by
Baby Keem
ReleasedFebruary 20, 2026
Genres
Length37:00
Labels
Producers
Baby Keem chronology
The Melodic Blue
(2021)		 Casino
(2026)
Singles from Casino
  1. "Good Flirts"
    Released: March 6, 2026[2]

Casino (stylized as Ca$ino) is the second studio album by American rapper Baby Keem. It was released through PGLang and Columbia Records on February 20, 2026. It serves as the long-awaited follow-up to his previous record and debut studio album, The Melodic Blue (2021).

The album features guest appearances from fellow American rappers Kendrick Lamar and Too Short; as well as additional guest vocals from American singer-songwriters Momo Boyd and Che Ecru, while Bekon, Citizen Cope, Denzel Curry, and Mamii, among others, provided additional contributions. Production on the album was primarily handled by Keem himself, alongside other record producers such as Cardo, Danja, Ojivolta, Scott Bridgeway, Sounwave, Teo Halm, and Yara Shahidi, among others.

The album was supported by one single, "Good Flirts" (featuring Lamar and Boyd), which was serviced to US rhythmic contemporary radio on March 6, 2026. Keem will also be embarking on the Casino Tour across the US and Europe from April to September 2026.

Background

After previously revealed the original album announcement in 2022, Baby Keem guest performed a song, "Family Ties" (along with his cousin and fellow American rapper Kendrick Lamar) on Lamar's second concert of the Grand National Tour—to support the release of GNX (2024)—at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on May 9, 2025.[3] In January 2026, Keem was announced as a headliner for the June 5th opening date of the 2026's Governors Ball Music Festival in a multi-day in New York City, being set to be held at Flushing Meadows–Corona Park for the fourth consecutive year.[4][5][6]

On February 10, Keem announced the release via Instagram, revealing the album cover artwork and announcing the availability of a limited edition vinyl release.[7] He also announced that the tour, called Casino Tour, will start on April 15.[8][9] Casino marked as Keem's return after almost five years, following his debut studio album, The Melodic Blue (2021).[10] Rolling Out described the time between the release of the two albums as "an eternity in modern hip-hop", considering this extended interval "a double-edged sword" for the rapper, between fan anticipation and skepticism about his return to the music scene.[11] During throughout his absence, Keem has been teasing some new music with him mentioning about releasing a new album, titled Child with Wolves.[12] The tracklist revealed that the album would contain 12 songs, with Lamar featured on a track, titled "Good Flirts".[13]

Artwork

The album cover artwork is a photo of Keem as a baby, with Hypebeast interpreted this choice as "potentially pointing to a deeply personal and introspective audiovisual endeavor" that explores different themes and subjects from the previous album, writing that the themes of vulnerability and introspection are present in the associated YouTube teaser. The aesthetic of Casino echoes the vintage vibe of Las Vegas, Nevada and with Keem's social media profile having been redesigned to match this style.[14]

Release and promotion

As he accompanying with the album announcement, Keem shared a short documentary, Booman I, on YouTube.[15][16] Keem is shown in the studio with his family, including his cousin Kendrick Lamar. The video was directed by Alexandre Moors and LaConnie Govan, and it was co-produced by Lamar, Dave Free, and the duo's label— PGLang—alongside with Eerie Times, in association with Good Company.[17] The second short documentary, Booman II, was released via YouTube on February 16, four days before the album's release.[18] The third and final short documentary, Booman III, was released via YouTube on February 19, a day before the album's release.[19]

On February 19, just hours before the album's release, Keem held a listening party—from which where the album was played to its entirety—at The Lot at Formosa in West Hollywood, California. He also performed some of the tracks live, with surprise guest appearances by Momo Boyd, Too Short, Desmond Johnson from RDCWorld (who was portrayed as a mime), and Che Ecru. The event was directed by Mike Carson.[20][21]

Singles

The music video for a song, "Good Flirts", directed by Renell Medrano, was released on March 5.[22]

Other songs

The music video for a song, "Birds & the Bees", shot in Las Vegas, was directed by Jack Begert and was released on February 23. It stars Keem, alongside the mime portrayed by Johnson, and Lara Raj from Katseye (who was portrayed as Keem's love interest).[23][24]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic74/100[25]
Review scores
SourceRating
Clash8/10[26]
The Line of Best Fit7/10[1]
NMEStarStarStarStar[27]
Pitchfork5.5/10[28]
Rolling StoneStarStarStarHalf star[29]

Upon its release, Casino received generally positive reviews. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from professional publications, the album received a weighted average score of 74, based on eight reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Clash gave the album a positive review, praising its themes and Keem's authenticity and writing, "It's a staunchly creative gesture, defying the pressure of the outside world for a project which thrives on internal desires, and the power of autobiography at any cost."[26] NME's Oumar Saleh wrote, "It's a confident, cohesive return that sounds like Keem has stopped trying to prove he belongs, and started figuring out what he wants to say now that he's here". Pitchfork was more mixed toward the album, with an editor score of 5.5 out of 10 and a reader score of 6.3 out of 10. Writing for the publication, Dylan Green described the album's lyrics as "the most reflective Keem's ever been", although he wrote that Keem's "warring pop star and rapper sensibilities" ultimately resulted in a "garbled tonal mess."[28]

Track listing

Casino track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."No Security"
1:58
2."Casino"
  • Keem
  • Bridgeway
  • Cardo
  • Halm
  • Deats
4:20
3."Birds & the Bees"
  • Keem
  • Danja
  • Shahidi
2:16
4."Good Flirts" (featuring Kendrick Lamar and Momo Boyd)
  • Keem
  • Halm
  • Rascal
  • Whatssarp
3:52
5."House Money"
  • Keem
  • Bridgeway
  • Halm
  • Danja
3:15
6."I Am Not a Lyricist"
  • Keem
  • Sweet
  • Rascal
3:25
7."Sex Appeal" (featuring Too Short)
  • Keem
  • Bridgeway
  • Ojivolta
  • Halm
  • Danja
  • Sweet
  • Uzowuru
3:04
8."Highway 95 Pt. 2"
  • Keem
  • Bridgeway
  • Ojivolta
3:48
9."Circus Circus Freestyle"
  • Keem
  • Bridgeway
  • Halm
  • Danja
  • Momberger
  • Shahidi
4:52
10."Dramatic Girl" (featuring Che Ecru)
3:19
11."No Blame"
  • Keem
  • Bridgeway
  • Ojivolta
  • Danja
2:46
Total length:37:00
Physical release
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
8."Tubi" (featuring Che Ecru)
  • Carter
  • Lebrun
  • Akers
  • Spears
  • Keem
  • Bridgeway
  • Sounwave
 

Notes

  • Sex Appeal is stylized as $ex Appeal
  • Circus Circus Freestyle is stylized as Circus Circus Free$tyle
  • I Am Not a Lyricist is stylized as I am not a Lyricist
  • ^[c] signifies a co-producer.

Sample and interpolation credits

Personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal.[30]

  • Baby Keem – vocals
  • Gavin Finn – engineering (tracks 1, 2, 5, 9, 10, 11)
  • James Hunt – engineering (3, 4, 6–8)
  • Ray Charles Brown Jr. – engineering (4)
  • S. Blake Kanicka – engineering (4)
  • Johnathan Turner – engineering (5), engineering assistance (1, 2, 9, 10, 11)
  • Oli Jacobs – mixing
  • Cam Gilfro – mixing assistance
  • Ruairi O'Flaherty – mastering
  • Zach Brown – bass (1, 10)
  • Shawna Higginson Peters – background vocals (4)
  • Denzel Curry – background vocals (5)
  • Kendrick Lamar – background vocals (5)
  • Citizen Cope – background vocals (6)
  • Bekon – background vocals (9)
  • Mamii – background vocals (10)
  • Peter Halm – additional vocals (2)[31]
  • Teo Halm – additional vocals (2)[32]

Charts

Chart performance for Casino
Chart (2026) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[33]13
Australian Hip Hop/R&B Albums (ARIA)[34] 1
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[35]9
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[36]31
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[37]101
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[38] 8
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[39]14
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[40]20
French Albums (SNEP)[41]109
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[42]28
German Hip-Hop Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[43] 4
Irish Albums (Official Charts)[44]24
Lithuanian Albums (AGATA)[45] 10
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[46]6
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[47]25
Polish Albums (ZPAV)[48]53
Portuguese Albums (AFP)[49]4
Scottish Albums (Official Charts)[50]12
Spanish Albums (Promusicae)[51]95
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[52]27
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[53]6
UK Albums (Official Charts)[54]29
UK R&B Albums (Official Charts)[55]1
US Billboard 200[56] 4
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[57] 1

Release history

Release history for Casino
Region Date Label(s) Format(s) Edition Ref.
Various February 20, 2026 Standard [7]
LP [58]
CD [59]

References

  1. 1 2 Rosebury, William (February 25, 2026). "Ca$ino is Baby Keem's statement of intent". The Line of Best Fit. Archived from the original on April 28, 2026. Retrieved February 26, 2026.
  2. ↑ "A Preview of Radio Chart Previews". Hits Daily Double. March 6, 2026. Archived from the original on March 12, 2026. Retrieved March 14, 2026.
  3. ↑ Nevares, Gabriel Bras (May 10, 2025). "Baby Keem Pops Out To Perform During Kendrick Lamar's "Grand National" MetLife Concert". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on May 14, 2025. Retrieved May 10, 2025.
  4. ↑ Paul, Larisha (January 6, 2026). "GOVERNORS BALL 2026: LORDE, STRAY KIDS, A$AP ROCKY TO HEADLINE". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on January 6, 2026. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
  5. ↑ Elibert, Mark (January 6, 2026). "ASAP Rocky, Baby Keem, Clipse, Freddie Gibbs & the Alchemist, and More Set for Governors Ball 2026". Complex. Archived from the original on January 28, 2026. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
  6. ↑ Fisher, Caroline (January 6, 2026). "Baby Keem's Headlining Governors Ball Slot Ignites New Album Rumors". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
  7. 1 2 Saponara, Michael (February 10, 2026). "Baby Keem Announces 'Ca$ino' Album Release Date & Previews Kendrick Lamar Collaboration". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 2, 2026. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
  8. ↑ "Baby Keem announces new LP 'Ca$ino' ft. Kendrick Lamar & more ++ 2026 tour". Brooklyn Vegan. February 10, 2026. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
  9. ↑ "Baby Keem Announces The Ca$ino Tour". Live Nation Newsroom. February 10, 2026. Archived from the original on February 19, 2026. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
  10. ↑ Cole, Alexander (February 10, 2026). "Baby Keem Reveals Release Date For New Album "Ca$ino"". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on February 10, 2026. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
  11. ↑ Kesiena, David (February 10, 2026). "Baby Keem and Kendrick Lamar reunite on explosive Ca$ino". Rolling Out. Archived from the original on February 11, 2026. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
  12. ↑ Johri, Antonio (February 10, 2026). "Baby Keem Announces New Album 'Ca$ino' f/ Kendrick Lamar, Che Ecru, More". Complex. Archived from the original on February 11, 2026. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
  13. ↑ Cole, Alexander (February 10, 2026). "Baby Keem Reveals Tracklist & Features For New Album "Ca$ino"". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on February 16, 2026. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
  14. ↑ Bernstein, Elaina (February 10, 2026). "Baby Keem Officially Announces 'CA$INO' Album". Hypebeast. Archived from the original on February 11, 2026. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
  15. ↑ "Baby Keem Announces New Album "CA$INO": Release Date, Tracklist & More". InMusic. February 10, 2026. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
  16. ↑ Centeno, Tony (February 10, 2026). "Baby Keem Announces Release Date & Tracklist For Upcoming Album 'Casino'". iHeartRadio. Archived from the original on February 11, 2026. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
  17. ↑ Lindert, Hattie (February 10, 2026). "Baby Keem Announces New Album Ca$ino". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on February 10, 2026. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
  18. ↑ Bras Nevares, Gabriel (February 16, 2026). "Baby Keem Drops Second "Booman" Documentary For New Album "Ca$ino"". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on February 17, 2026. Retrieved February 17, 2026.
  19. ↑ "Baby Keem Releases "Booman III" Episode Ahead of New Album The Ca$ino: Watch". InMusic. February 19, 2026. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
  20. ↑ Bras Nevares, Gabriel (February 16, 2026). "Baby Keem Announces Streamable L.A. Listening Party For New Album "Ca$ino"". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on February 17, 2026. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
  21. 1 2 3 4 Saponara, Michael (February 20, 2026). "Baby Keem's 'Ca$ino': All 11 Tracks Ranked". Billboard. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
  22. ↑ Saponara, Michael (March 5, 2026). "Baby Keem & Kendrick Lamar Tell a Hood Love Story in 'Good Flirts' Video Featuring Momo Boyd". Billboard. Archived from the original on 13 April 2026. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
  23. ↑ Hess, Tobias (February 23, 2026). "Baby Keem's "Birds & the Bees" music video stars Katseye's Lara Raj". The Fader. Retrieved February 23, 2026.
  24. ↑ Saint-Vil, Sweenie (February 23, 2026). "Baby Keem releases 'Birds & the Bees' music video". ABC Audio. Archived from the original on April 25, 2026. Retrieved February 23, 2026.
  25. ↑ "Ca$ino by Baby Keem". Metacritic. Archived from the original on April 20, 2026. Retrieved June 1, 2026.
  26. 1 2 Murray, Robin (February 20, 2026). "Baby Keem – CA$INO | Reviews". Clash. Archived from the original on February 24, 2026. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
  27. ↑ Saleh, Oumar (February 25, 2026). "Baby Keem – 'CA$INO' review: upping the ante with a confident, focused return". NME. Retrieved February 25, 2026.
  28. 1 2 Green, Dylan (February 24, 2026). "Baby Keem: Ca$ino". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on February 24, 2026. Retrieved February 24, 2026.
  29. ↑ Reeves, Mosi (February 23, 2026). "Baby Keem Takes His Chances on Some New Sounds on 'Ca$ino'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 24, 2026.
  30. ↑ "Ca$ino / Baby Keem / Credits". Tidal. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
  31. ↑ Baby Keem – Ca$ino, archived from the original on 2026-04-10, retrieved 2026-04-06
  32. ↑ Baby Keem – Ca$ino, retrieved 2026-04-06
  33. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Baby Keem – Ca$ino". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 20, 2026.
  34. ↑ "ARIA Top 40 Hip Hop/R&B Albums Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. March 2, 2026. Archived from the original on March 10, 2026. Retrieved February 27, 2026.
  35. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Baby Keem – Ca$ino" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 1, 2026.
  36. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Baby Keem – Ca$ino" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 1, 2026.
  37. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Baby Keem – Ca$ino" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 1, 2026.
  38. ↑ "Billboard Canadian Albums: Week of March 7, 2026". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 4, 2026. Retrieved March 4, 2026.
  39. ↑ "Album Top-40 – Uge 8, 2026". Hitlisten. Retrieved March 4, 2026.
  40. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Baby Keem – Ca$ino" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 5, 2026.
  41. ↑ "Top Albums (Semaine du 27 février 2026)". Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique. Retrieved March 2, 2026.
  42. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Baby Keem – Ca$ino" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved February 28, 2026.
  43. ↑ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts Top 20 HipHop-Charts – 27 Februar 2026" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved March 2, 2026.
  44. ↑ "Official Irish Albums Chart on 27/2/2026 – Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 28, 2026.
  45. ↑ "2026 9-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. February 27, 2026. Retrieved February 28, 2026.
  46. ↑ "Charts.nz – Baby Keem – Ca$ino". Hung Medien.
  47. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Baby Keem – Ca$ino". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 19, 2026.
  48. ↑ "OLiS - oficjalna lista sprzedaży - albumy" (in Polish). OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Note: Change the date to 20.02.2026–26.02.2026 under "zmień zakres od–do:". Retrieved March 5, 2026.
  49. ↑ "Portuguesecharts.com – Baby Keem – Ca$ino". Hung Medien.
  50. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart on 17/4/2026 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 18, 2026.
  51. ↑ "Ca$ino - Baby Keem". El portal de Música. Promusicae. Retrieved March 5, 2026.
  52. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Baby Keem – Ca$ino". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 19, 2026.
  53. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Baby Keem – Ca$ino". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 2, 2026.
  54. ↑ "Official Albums Chart on 27/2/2026 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 28, 2026.
  55. ↑ "Official R&B Albums Chart on 17/4/2026 – Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 18, 2026.
  56. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (March 2, 2026). "Megan Moroney Earns First No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart With Cloud 9". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 2, 2026. Retrieved March 3, 2026.
  57. ↑ "Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums: Week of March 7, 2026". Billboard. 2026-03-07. Retrieved 2026-03-03.
  58. ↑ "Casino - Vinyl (Exclusive)". Baby Keem Official Shop. Archived from the original on February 10, 2026. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
  59. ↑ "Casino - CD". Baby Keem Official Shop. Archived from the original on February 10, 2026. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
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