Cam O’bi may not be a household name, but it’s almost guaranteed you’ve heard his production. A longtime friend and collaborator of Chance The Rapper, Noname, Saba, and Smino, Las Vegas native has contributed beat work to the biggest names in the game, including Big Sean, Isaiah Rashad, J. Cole, Jhene Aiko, and SZA, among others. Now, though, he’s ready to step out from behind the boards as an artist in his own right with his long-awaited debut album, Grown Ass Kid. The first official single is “Grammy’s Babies,” a nostalgic tribute to his grandma and “fallen stars,” which you can check out above.
The visualizer for the song was designed by Chicago-based artist Christopher Brown, created to invoke an animated trek into Cam’s unique interior world. Cam describes it in a press release, saying, “Hidden away in a quiet forest, a deserted old cabin sits alone. Although empty, the cabin stirs quietly inside, breathing the beat of the wilderness in and out through its open doors and windows. Howling winds swing its creaky doors, while the wood floors squeak along to the rhythm of an empty rocking chair. The world outside is dark, its stars forgotten. And the sun has come down to ignite the fireplace for the ghost of an old widow who sits rocking back and forth before the flames, humming this tune…Don’t you forget about those fallen stars.”
Although “Grammy’s Babies” is the first officially-announced single from the upcoming Grown Ass Kid, O’Bi previously released “Tenderheaded,” another nostalgically reflective song featuring Smino, last year. The album will reportedly feature guest appearances from Chance The Rapper, Smino, and Chicago rapper TheMind, who previously appeared on Jamila Wood’s album, Legacy! Legacy! It’s due for release in 2020.
Check out “Grammy’s Babies” above and more of Cam O’bi’s production on Dreamville’s Revenge Of The Dreamers III.
