In his review of the Swing Batta Swing album, AllMusic editor Adam Greenberg noted that it "involve a good deal of those call and response patterns, but at a higher speed than most of the tracks, very danceworthy for a club".[1]Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "Do not even try to sit out this thick'n'chewy hip-hop throwdown ... it is next to impossible." He felt that the "infectious groove" is enhanced by "an anthemic, air-punching chorus that you will be chanting for days."[2] He also added, "With his insanely infectious first solo single, former TKA member K7 is well on the way to a smokin' new career. The track is a rapid series of brain-embedding and bodyinvading hooks and refrains, laid over a butt-shagging hip-hop beat. Unbelievably catchy stuff."[3] A reviewer from Music & Media stated, "The "vice versa rap" method-one guy talks and the rest counters collectively–is used in an ultra catchy way."[4]
John Kilgo from The Network Forty wrote that here, "Reggae-inspired toasting dropped over a rhythmic hip-hop beat gospelish female vocals, paired with cadenced male chantings, defy simple categorization. Props to their self-interpretation of Paula Abdul's "Straight Up" done acapella".[5] Danny Frost from NME felt it has "a certain clueless, adolescent charm".[6] Another NME editor, Mark Sutherland, praised it as a "room-wobbling monster hit".[7]Mark Frith from Smash Hits viewed it as a "raw" and "exciting" track.[8]Danyel Smith from Spin stated, "Hip hop mixed with dance mixed with a black-frat-style chorus, the song is as contagious as poison ivy."[9] James Hunter from Vibe described it as a "serious goof", noting that it "unwinds like dancehall, jerks and cuts like hip hop, and shouts its seductions with the gutbucket abandon of Joe Tex's "I Gotcha". The phone rings just as K7 gets home to his sweetie ("Hello? Hello?"), hilariously interrupting the mood. But this record is really about his adventures after he slams the bedroom door."[10]
Music video
A music video was produced to promote the single, directed by American music video director Hype Williams.[citation needed] It features the band riding around Jersey City, New Jersey in a 1955 Plymouth Belvedere convertible.[11] Danyel Smith from Spin commented on the video, "K7's "Come Baby Come" single has been pushed to pop hit status with major assistance from its video. Built on slow, close-up shots of bouncing breasts and curvaceous ass cheeks, the clip is like 2 Live Crew on Valium."[9]
Impact and legacy
In 2010, Pitchfork included "Come Baby Come" in their list of "Ten Actually Good 90s Jock Jams".[12] In 2017, BuzzFeed ranked it number 61 in their list of "The 101 Greatest Dance Songs of the '90s".[13]
Usage in media
"Come Baby Come" appears on the Little Fires Everywhere episode, "The Spider Web" and the 2006 film Stick it. In 2007, German rapper B-Tight sampled the song in “Ich bins” (“It’s me”). The song is also sampled in the song "BaDinga!" by TWRK which was a popular dance hit in 2015.