It’s A Family Affair In Baby Keem And Kendrick Lamar’s “Family Ties” Music Video

When you and yours are cut from the same cloth, you make that sh*t known. Real-life cousins Baby Keem and Kendrick Lamar join forces for Keem’s new single and music video for their high-powered collaboration, “Family Ties.”

Directed by Dave Free via Free and Lamar’s creative company, pgLang, the cinematic visual kicks off with a moshpit of Black men, rocking black bombers and shades with Keem and Lamar standing out in their orange attire. Keem re-introduces himself in Scene 1, rapping about his life journey, where he’s been, being underestimated, and where his undeniable success is sure to take him.

“Put that on my mama, nigga, ate in the process / Ni**as tryna tippy-toe through the progress,” he raps. “Tongue-tied when the truth is an object / What’s the pros and cons of this next check? Wasn’t nobody ’round, I was independent / In the ’90s, sittin’ bum with the windows tinted.”

In Scene 2, Lamar reminds everyone he’s still here. Yeah, he’s been away, but don’t get it twisted; Nothing’s changed. K-Dot is still a hip-hop King. He’s back and ain’t takin’ no prisoners.

“I am the Omega, pgLang, Rollie gang, açai / Don’t you address me unless it’s with four letters, bi**h,” he spews before making it clear he’s back to take no prisoners. “I thought you’d known better I been duckin’ the pandemic, I been duckin’ the social gimmicks / I been duckin’ the Overnight Actavis, yeah / I’m not a trending topic, I’m a prophet / I answer to Metatron and Gabriel.”

At the tail end of the video, singer Normani makes a cameo in a stretch limo SUV, before the rappers make their last proclamations. Watch the music video filled with Black ballerinas and more.

“Family Ties” is Keem’s third single of 2021—hear “No Sense” and the Travis Scott-assisted “Durag Activity”—and will appear on his forthcoming album, The Melodic Blue. The track is produced by Keem himself alongside Cardo, Outtatown, Roselilah, Jasper Harris, Frankie Bash, and Deats.