Oakland, California emcee joMi returns a year and a half after Too Close for the release of his third full-length studio record. He introduced himself to the underground with his debut album “Samo” in 2018 and his second album “Media Noche” in 2022. In fact, he came onto my radar when “Too Close” was released , as he was signed to Soulspazm Records around the same time, and finding out that 80 Empire completely produced SUM (Someone Understand Me) 1 was even more interesting to me, as I’d been following some of the artists they’d worked with for quite some time.
The title track sets a melancholy tone that leads us to equate alcoholism with the devil, while “Run” featuring Demrick depicts the desperate urge to escape reality amid somber booming bap instrumentals. The guitar solo in “Mirror 2 Times” allows him to reflect on the painful process of self-confrontation, and then “joMi (Journey of My Imagination)” tells everyone the meaning of his stage name, bringing an atmospheric and dazzling light.
“We Did Not Note TBH” opens with all-out trap talk about feeling good, then segues into “Down If U Are” starring G. Cardona and Ginger Nkosi, which highlights key moments of self-doubt as joMi gets caught up in drug experimentation. “Holy Water” talks about God-given alcohol with sound effects and handclaps, but then “Chico”, featuring Baby Gas, returns to pop music and reflects on the long road they’ve come.
Kicking off the LP’s final stretch, the song “Bottles on the Top Shelf” takes on a nighttime trap vibe, indicating that booze and mushrooms are on the top shelf because they go so well together, while Dizzy Wright’s “144K” Brought to the table in a cool way asking if you want the drink and weed. The penultimate track “No Mind” is composed by ¡ Starring MAYDAY! Keeping the traps in mind suggests ignoring them & finally, “Used to Love” closes the album, conjuring poison masquerading as a remedy.
Beyond that, SUM (Someone Understanding Me) 1 happens to be a powerful concept album that explores joMi’s own struggles with alcoholism and addiction. He takes listeners on an emotional journey through the highs and lows of substance abuse, delving deep into the darkness to provide a raw and immersive look at the emotional chaos of addiction through carefully selected guests and enhanced production.
Score: 8/10
