Hailing from the gritty section of South Jamaica, Queens, deem’s mellow rhymes have made him an outlier in New York’s rap sphere, but he reinforces that his borough was anything but safe. To protect himself and his family, deem had to find his own orbit, seeking refuge from a local church that guarded him from the streets. In high school, deem often went to church as a safe haven, which helped him fortify relationships throughout South Jamaica so he was always out of harm’s way. Strengthening his neighborhood ties and connection to God, deem’s spiritual origins would later influence adultSW!M to have baptismal textures.

The 27-year-old Queens native retraces his upbringing while wading towards a hopeful future on his fourth album adultSW!M. deem showcases his evocative bars with collaborations alongside DRAM, MAVI, Orion Sun and others. An ode to finding serenity after the storm, deem’s approach to his most ambitious project yet is equally meditative.