Baby Keem Credits Eminem as a Major Inspiration for ‘Ca$ino’ Album

Following the highly anticipated release of his second studio album Ca$ino, Baby Keem sat down for a definitive, eccentric interview with legendary music journalist Nardwuar the Human Serviette. Known for unearthing deeply personal, forgotten details about his subjects, Nardwuar steered the conversation toward Keem’s musical foundations. During the exchange, the pgLang rapper opened up about his early childhood influences, revealing a profound and foundational connection to Detroit rap icon Eminem—a major creative force behind his latest album’s development.

Reflecting on his childhood, Keem credited his late uncle with introducing him to the world of hip-hop and sparked a lifelong admiration for Slim Shady. The rapper noted that these early listening sessions laid a subconscious foundation that completely shaped his adult artistry. “My uncle, rest in peace. He’s actually the one who made me an Eminem fan. I never knew, when he was showing me Eminem when I was six, three, four, whatever, eight, seven yours old, that I would end up being 24 and heavily inspired during the whole process of Ca$ino album,” Keem shared, tracing his current creative DNA straight back to his family roots.

This deep-rooted connection to the legendary Aftermath Entertainment roster wasn’t just a casual hobby; it served as the soundtrack to his upbringing. Keem reminisced about frequent, mandatory family road trips from Nevada to California, where the music selection inside the vehicle was strictly regulated. “Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Eminem, nothing else other than Aftermath could make into the car on those road trips to California, 4 hours straight, once a month,” he recalled, highlighting how the relentless flows and heavy West Coast beats permanently conditioned his musical palette.

The interview reached a peak of nostalgia as Nardwuar and Keem chopped it up inside Vancouver’s iconic Beat Street Records. Surrounded by crates of physical music history, the Ca$ino artist took the opportunity to browse the shelves and look for physical copies of the projects that fueled his own studio sessions. “We are in Beat Street Records so I’m going to pay homage to some of my inspirations for the album Ca$ino and grab some Eminem stuff, some Andre 3000 stuff,” Keem expressed, putting his musical heroes on the same pedestal.

By bridging the gap between his childhood memories and his current artistry, Keem’s comments shed a new light on the eclectic production and introspective storytelling found throughout Ca$ino. While fans routinely associate the young star with his cousin Kendrick Lamar, this interview underscores the diverse blueprint of his sound. Acknowledging giants like Eminem and Andre 3000 proves that behind Keem’s modern, boundary-pushing trap style lies a deep reverence for the classic lyricists who came before him.

You can watch the interview below:

Baby Keem Eminem