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One year ago today (May 30), Kendrick Lamar and Baby Keem dropped their hit single The Hillbillies to all streaming platforms via Baby Keem LLC and pgLang LLC under an exclusive license to Columbia Records and Sony Music Entertainment.
The song finds both cousins rapping over a Jersey club track that samples Bon Iver's 2020 track PDLIF. The collaboration is extremely intriguing as both rappers flow back and forth, speaking on themes of Luxury, Status, and Success, to name a few.
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On May 30, 2023, pgLang's official YouTube channel uploaded a music video for The Hillbillies that was directed by Neal Farmer, which eventually was followed up with the song's official streaming release.
Bar-For-Bar: Breaking down Kendrick Lamar and Baby Keem's 2023 collaboration 'The Hillbillies'
Although both have worked together previously, most notably on the hit track Family Ties, which went on to peak at No.18 on Billboard's Hot 100 charts. Kendrick Lamar would then feature on another record titled Range Brothers, which was included on Keem's 2021 album The Melodic Blue.
With fans waiting for another Baby Keem x Kendrick Lamar collaboration, K-Dot decided to tease the fanbases by including Keem in the music video for N95, which was uploaded to YouTube on May 15, 2022. In the short clip, we see both Keem and Lamar bouncing down a dark hallway before a funny-awkward situation is portrayed.
A little over a year later, Kendrick Lamar and Keem dropped The Hillbillies, which broke through Billboard's Hot 100 by debuting at No. 93 on the music magazine's song charts. The song and accompanying visuals display a more laid-back creative approach from both rappers, with a surprise guest appearance from Tyler The Creator in the music video.
The song's lyricism is humourous and light-hearted, with both rappers comparing themselves to Messi and Neymar Jr while flexing their wealth, fashion, and status to all their critics. Thematically The Hillbillies delves into the following topics:
- Competition
- Status
- Luxury
- Fashion
- Wealth
- Love
- Relationships
- Intimacy
- Brotherhood
- Companionship
- Partnerships
Disclaimer: The following review is rated EXPLICIT. Reader discretion is advised.
(Intro)
"I don't buy much, I buy land, bro, Cologne, Germany, Four McDonalds, every time I land, bro / Big Jay Rocks in both hands, bro, and all that and I'm best-dressed, movin' forward, yeah, Tiny Taz Arn', yeah, all that, Compton cowboy, all that / Yeah, big protein, one-hundred and fifty grams of protein / Y'all gotta stop playin', bro, I swear, bro"
The song opens with a spoken-word introduction by Kendrick Lamar, who emphasizes the intellectual and spiritual gap between himself and his critics by flexing his investments, fashion sense, and healthy lifestyle.
(Verse 1)
"Uh, we gon' f--k up the world / Excuse me, but is that your girl? / If she tell, that's a good referral / Heebee-jeebie talk crazy to me, but Kendrick know I like irregular girls"
Baby Keem carries the song forward by opening the first verse with an extremely catchy flow and cadence that is brought back several times throughout the track.
"I'm not good with the regular girls, damn near want a veteran girl / I just might change your life, we ain't wearin' no Giuseppe jeans / We ain't doin' none of normal things, do you know what formal means? Critics sayin' that I lost the plot, principles, yeah, I'd rather not / Messi, 'bout to come in hot"
By the end of his 4-bar, we see the first instance of their notable football references, with Keem referring to Kendrick as "Messi," announcing Dot's upcoming verse.
(Chorus)
"'Dot, uh, we gon' f--k up the world / Excuse me, but is that your girl? / Didn't mean to possess your girl / Baby, I'm high-profile, don't ever tell 'em you met me, girl, They gon' think that you rep me, girl, 5'7", I'm Messi, girl"
Before Kendrick opens the song's second verse, listeners are introduced to a chorus recited by Lamar. Dot pieces together the initial flow and borrows the first line from Baby Keem's verse to structure the chorus of the song, which finds Kenny flexing his status.
Kendrick Lamar also acknowledges himself as "Messi," humorously comparing his height to that of the football star.
(Verse 2)
"I'ma pass you to Neymar, he got time for your bestie, girl / N----s know that I'm best-dressed, too high-profile to access / I ain't even gotta fact check, all I'm wearin' is Wales Bonner / Feelin' good, I might wear no - Matter of fact, let's stay platonic"
Kendrick starts the verse by suggesting that if he's "Messi," then Keem is "Neymar." This boasts the theme of brotherhood and companionship, as both rappers compare themselves to the iconic football duo who played and won several championships during their time together at FC Barcelona.
"I just f--ked, ain't that ironic? You can pick the bunk or bed / Either way, I'ma want some head, Messi live through me instead / We grew up 'round triflin' h--s, you ain't did nothin' that I don't know / It's cool, baby, I'm too high-pro', I'm Baby Keem, I wouldn't call it close"
K-Dot's last line suggested he'd rather not have an intimate relationship with a woman, choosing to be "platonic" instead. Keem ends the verse by claiming he recently got into an intimate relationship, calling this situation "ironic".
He goes on to rep Kendrick Lamar and his partnership, building on the Messi x Neymar theme of the song before referencing Dot's earlier "high profile" line before we get into the song's refrain.
(Refrain)
"Messi, get them girls off the stage, 'cause somebody's gonna get taken / Somebody's gonna invade on a one-on-one conversation / I'm ducked off from the world, I'm immersed in the PlayStation / And I ain't worried 'bout her, it's a thousand hers out waitin"
Baby Keem carries with the refrain, bridging the gap between the second verse and the chorus, with a similar bouncy flow, finds him requesting Kendrick Lamar (Messi) to clear the stage before he ends up in a "one-on-one conversation" with a girl.
He ends his bar citing how he's usually too distracted to be bothered with a relationship, citing how he'd much rather stay "immersed" in the world of video games. The chorus plays another time before we get the third verse of The Hillbillies.
(Verse 3)
"(Keem) Famous, but I'm not for sale, why you tryna possess me, girl? / (Dot) I mean, you know what upset me, girl / (Keem) Was like that when you met me, girl / (Dot) 'Cause he'll put you in princess shoes"
The final verse is the best part of the song, as Kendrick and Keem float back and forth over the track, with one line dedicated to each artist. The story behind each line appears to revolve around a troubling relationship, with both rappers expressing their individual grievances.
"(Keem) Elevate you, respect you too / (Dot) Here's ten K, I'm in a sexy mood / (Keem) Don't let the homies touch you, move / (Dot) Yeah, n----s know that I'm best-dressed, Wear Martine when I board jets"
Baby Keem states that he wishes to respect and protect her throughout their relationship, whereas Kenny highlights his wealth, suggesting giving her ten thousand dollars just because he's in a "sexy mood."
"(Dot) They sardines and I'm big fish, eat caviar when I'm depressed / Take selfies, I'm in Czech Republic, Cornell, he gon' check the budget / Borrowed two-million from my cousin, never gave it back, 'cause it's nothin"
Kendrick Lamar spends an entire bar flexing on his competition, using an Ocean food chain metaphor to emphasize the size difference between himself and his competitor's status.
He then seemingly makes fun of Baby Keem by stating how he borrowed "two million" from his cousin and never gave it back because it's not a lot of money.
"(Keem) F--k it, new devotions / Huh, keepin' focus / Starship, is that a foreign? / Huh, she's organic, skin is glowin', my heart is goin' / Split personality, two phones, two emotions"
Baby Keem takes over the rest of the song by expressing his appreciation for the woman he's in a relationship with, highlighting her beauty as one of the key factors for why he wishes to be with her.
"(Keem) Girl, you get the notion, it's not hard to notice / That's a deep, deep, deep, deep, deep ocean / Shorty say she celibate, I'ma keep hopin' / Shorty say she in love with me, I'ma be open"
The verse ends with Baby Keem citing how he'll always be "open" in his relationship with this woman, playing on a theme of infidelity, which was a major talking point in Kendrick Lamar's 2022 album Mr Morale & The Big Steppers.
Kendrick Lamar and Baby Keem's The Hillbillies, produced by EVILGIANE, is suspected of containing subtle disses aimed at Drake from Keem, supposedly adopting a flow similar to Drizzy's 2022 track Sticky.
Tyler's celebration of Camp Flog Gnaw Festival's return in the music video adds to this idea, as the OVO CEO was booed off the festival's stage back in 2019.
