Hykeem Carter, known to the world as Baby Keem, is not slowing down. On Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, the Compton-bred rapper dropped the official video for Birds & the Bees, the latest visual offering from his second studio album, Ca$ino. Within hours of its release, the video had already garnered over 106,000 views — and the numbers continue to climb. For a rapper who has spent years building one of hip-hop’s most quietly powerful legacies, this drop feels like the beginning of something even bigger.
A Dave Free Format, a Jack Begert Vision
The project is billed as a Dave Free format — the creative direction made famous through pgLang, the multidisciplinary art company Free co-founded with Kendrick Lamar. Directed and written by Jack Begert alongside Free, the video is a sleek, high-concept production that carries the unmistakable visual identity fans have come to expect from Baby Keem’s world. Shot through the lens of cinematographer Oli Millar, every frame feels deliberate, polished, and steeped in intention. This is not an afterthought. This is a full creative statement.
Starring Baby Keem himself — credited under his real name, Hykeem Carter — alongside Lara Raj and Desmond Johnson, the visual plays out like a short film more than a traditional music video. The casting direction by Michele Mansoor, paired with wardrobe led by Karizza Sanchez, gives the piece a fashion-forward aesthetic that sits comfortably at the intersection of hip-hop and high art. Even the logistics impress — the production enlisted pilot and plane services through Tony Malfa via Prestige Air Group, a detail that speaks to the scale and ambition of the entire effort.
Baby Keem and the pgLang Machine
The production is a full pgLang, project3, and Eerie Times effort. Executive producers Hykeem Carter, Kendrick Lamar, and Dave Free round out a team that has consistently pushed creative boundaries across music, film, and visual art. Producers Dave Free, Jamie Rabineau, Sam Canter, and Alex Coco anchor the behind-the-scenes operation, while associate producer Chuck Akin and production supervisor Meredith Kurey ensure the machine runs without friction.
What makes this release feel significant is how it reinforces his standing within one of hip-hop’s most influential creative circles. As the cousin and protégé of Kendrick Lamar, he has always carried lofty expectations — and Birds & the Bees suggests he is not just meeting them, he is exceeding them.
Ca$ino Is Here and It Is Making Noise
Ca$ino marks Baby Keem’s second studio album, and early reception has been enthusiastic across the board. The rollout has been strategic and intentional — releasing visuals that function as cinematic moments rather than simple promotional clips. Editor Jake Torchin and colorist Mikey Rossiter bring visual cohesion to the final cut, while VFX work from Justin Johnson, Preston Mohr, and the Sunset Edit team adds texture and depth without overwhelming the core narrative.
Sound design by John Warrin ties the audio and visual experience together seamlessly, making Birds & the Bees feel less like a music video and more like a fully realized short film. Every technical element serves the story, and the story serves Baby Keem’s vision.
What This Drop Means for Baby Keem
Baby Keem has spent the better part of the past few years carving out a lane that is entirely his own — one that exists within the pgLang ecosystem but never feels overshadowed by it. With Ca$ino now fully in the world, the rapper is stepping into his moment with confidence and clarity. The Birds & the Bees video is not just a promotional tool. It is a declaration that Baby Keem, backed by one of the most formidable creative teams in the music industry, is operating at the absolute highest level.
For fans who have been following his journey since The Melodic Blue, this drop feels like a natural and deeply satisfying evolution. The ambition is bigger, the production is sharper, and the vision is clearer than ever. For new listeners, Birds & the Bees is the perfect entry point into a world that is only getting wider, louder, and more impossible to ignore.
Baby Keem is not arriving. He is already here.
Birds & the Bees is out now. Ca$ino is available everywhere.
