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$Keem: Everything That Had to Happen for ‘A Day in Heaven’ to Come Together Not every album has a story behind it. This one does. Keem, the Atlanta-based rapper and lyricist behind ‘Glass Ceiling’ and ‘Euphoria,’ is back with ‘A Day in Heaven,’ and the road to this project was anything but straightforward. Loss, a fractured relationship, a moment where he almost didn’t make it, and a car crash that changed everything. We got him to walk us through all of it. Q: First of all, it’s genuinely great to have you here. I’ve been a fan of Glass Ceiling for a while now, so getting to sit down with you for this one means a lot. Could you just start by introducing yourself for anyone who’s just now discovering you? Keem: “I like to think of my artistry as the perfect blend of lyricism and melodies. As of lately, I’m leaning very heavily into developing an alternative sound. But as a whole, I’m definitely a lyricist. Being born on the West Coast and then moving to the South really gave me a cheat code because I was able to experience what both had to offer. There’s a proud energy that you can feel from the people in Atlanta, and it’s beautiful to witness.” Q: And your influences, could you talk about who shaped you as an artist? Because when I listen to your music, I hear a lot of different worlds in there. Keem: “My biggest artistic influences, wow! I have so many! Musically, I’d say my major influences are J. Cole, Kendrick Lamar, Anderson .Paak, Nas, Common, Jill Scott, Sade. It’s honestly way too many to list, but those are a few.” Q: Now, Glass Ceiling was 2022, and before that Euphoria. Both landed really well. So when there was no new music for four years, a lot of people were wondering what was going on. Could you shed some light on that for us? Keem: “Yeah, it’s a long time for sure. Complete transparency, I’ve never been good at getting projects out in a timely manner. My sense of time is pretty bad, actually, but it’s never taken me this long. Even the gap between Euphoria and Glass Ceiling was only 2 years, but 4?! Yeah, that’s crazy. In that time, I lost a very close friend, I was in a relationship, and I released my biggest song with one of my favorite artists. Everything was great musically, but I also had issues on the personal side. Not seeing eye to eye with family for a while, and my relationship at that time was falling apart. It’s such a trip wrapping your brain around the concept of being on top of the world but feeling lower than dirt. But those moments in time would flourish into the songs you’ll hear on this project.” Q: Wow, that’s a lot to carry. And would you say the gap was something you saw coming, or did life just kind of take over? Keem: “The gap wasn’t intentional, at least it wasn’t intended to be this long, but life hits like a brick. I won’t go too deep into it, but basically, there was a moment where I genuinely didn’t want to be here anymore. I had a long and heartfelt conversation with my mother and father, which ended in a transcendent prayer. I instantly felt at peace. Still hurt, still drained, but at peace. Through that pain and peace, I found the title for the album. Not too long from then, the music just started flowing, and my pen felt like it had a mind of its own. The level of songwriting, combined with the rate at which I was making the songs, made the process overwhelmingly fun. It was like I felt that pressure of knowing I have to deliver, but the rush of knowing I have the 10,000 hours worth of experience to do so. At that point, I knew what I had to do.” Q: Could you tell us a little about where you are now compared to when you made Glass Ceiling? Like personally, mentally, how has Keem changed? Keem: “When I released my last album, I was 27. I’m 31 now, and I couldn’t feel any clearer. My mind is clear, my heart is clear, my purpose is clear, my path is clear. Even when I’m lost, this time around I am clear. That is the difference. I didn’t have it all figured out back then, and I still don’t now, even at 31. But I can say I’m clear. I couldn’t say that 4 years ago.” Q: Now, the album title, A Day in Heaven, it’s such a specific and beautiful phrase. Could you walk us through where that came from? Keem: “The title was inspired by one of the bars from my best friend and labelmate, OTS June. ‘Even if it’s for a night I go to Heaven, I hope the temperature’s nice, and you can escape all the problems you got in life.’ That really resonated with me, and we were only 19 at the time when we recorded that, but it stuck with me for over a decade. Now I know the reason. To me, A Day in Heaven means 24 hours of pure peace. A full day and night where everything was perfect. I’ve had a few days like this. They don’t come often, but they’ll come if you believe they will.” Q: And was there a specific turning point or moment that really set the direction for what this album would become? Keem: “I got into a crazy car crash in late 2024, which changed me mentally and spiritually forever. We always hear about how your life flashes before your eyes during threatening situations, but to experience it firsthand is something else. I woke up to someone pulling me out of my smoking vehicle. It was the person I had just run into. I hit this person full speed, and they had the selflessness to make sure I was safe. That put things into perspective for me. Seeing all the love I had near and far showed me I still have work to do. I still have changes to make. A few months later, I visited my family out in San Diego and was rebaptized by my father. I was born anew and free to tackle my purpose with no hesitation.” Q: Okay, so who is this album for? Like, if someone’s never heard of Keem and they’re deciding whether to press play, what would you say to them? Keem: “This album is for anybody and everybody. Because everybody needs something that gives space to heal. Even if you don’t believe in Heaven yourself, that’s okay. This album can still be for you, because even you can remember when you were at your lowest and it felt impossible to get back up. This album is for you.” Q: Could you take us through the album? Keem: “Starting from ‘Burning Passion’ into ‘We Go Solar’ gives a false sense of pride in self, in reality, it’s an egotistical cry for help. From there, we dive into ‘I’m Sorry’, which touches on the damages of resentment and how forgiveness can free us of those grudges, leading us to an unforeseen paradise. ‘Paradise’ is the act of experiencing that freedom. Where I express gratitude for the chance to grow and shine light on the very things that make me happy. ‘Walk Outside’ is simply just me living in the moment of that paradise. ‘Big Blessings’ is the hard-hitting track where we just go crazy. Next, we go into ‘Companionship’ where we tackle the struggles that come with maintaining a healthy relationship, but in the end, if you’re both there for each other, you can make it work. Companionship is something I cherish because it feels like home. Which brings us to ‘Feels Like Home’ where I get to open up on what home means to me. The next track is ‘Nimbus’, which I like to call the bop, also produced by cousin MarchMadness. ‘Memory Card’ is a personal favorite because it allowed me to take the longest walk down memory lane ever. ‘To-Do List’ is another favorite simply because it allowed me to flex my muscles as a lyricist; that song has my favorite verse off the whole album. Then we go into ‘Growth’, which felt like the most mature and universal song I’ve ever made. Can’t wait for the people to hear that one! Then we have ‘Let Us Pray’ which almost didn’t make the project, but the more I listen to it, the more I think how it would’ve been a total loss to not add it. The last stretch of the album, we have ’29’, which is the last song I wrote in my 20’s. Lastly, the outro ‘This Too Shall Pass’ where I expand on my moment of feeling lower than low and how, through time, God healed me and gave me a purpose. Ending it with the bonus track ‘How I Am.'” Q: Now is your time to share with us the people behind this project, ‘A Day in Heaven.’ Keem: “I worked with some of my nearest and dearest, but also peers whom I may not have a personal connection to but have deep admiration for. OTS June, a close friend of 20 years, it was nice getting him on an album of mine, considering how long it’s been since our last official collab. We also had Queenie Lasoul, Svnday, Levi Watson, Mishijah, Deshawn Visionz, Yupefer, Liv Averie, and Mick Jenkins. And the producers: Danny Lewie, 4 Most Productions, Ashton McCreight, Yujin, Drummurd, Morgan McCoy, and Gore Ocean. Without their efforts, this album wouldn’t be. Danny produced 7 tracks, engineered, mixed, and mastered the whole thing. We’ve worked closely together for 6 years now. Having his ear and expertise has taken my music to heights I couldn’t fathom. For that I’m forever grateful.” Q: Lastly, I have to ask, what’s next for you? What does the rest of this year look like? Keem: “I’m beyond excited to get back on stage. It’s been months, so I’m itching to rock a crowd. As for visuals and videos, we’re definitely gearing up to get those out and continue gaining momentum for the album. Believe it or not, I have a whole other project already written, it’s just waiting to get laid down. No telling when that’ll drop. Just keep an eye out!”$