Midsummer Dream House

A digital collage series by Emma Grey Rose. Click here to view available prints.

by J. Yoki. The track “916” featuring Sacramento artist Kkid Menace (Kielan Stewart) is a deep dive into the city’s level of creativity. J. Yoki’s opening lines romanticize the beauty of the state’s capital by reflecting on the discovery of Gold in the region’s river in the 1840s. Social and political tensions follow along these lines due to the reality of living in a city where progress can be slow. J. Yoki continues his journey through his hometown and acknowledges that his life is in his own hands and cannot be manipulated by the environment he grew up in. Kkid Menace enters and begins his tale of transformation and dealing with his struggles in love and trust. These two bring together an intimate reflection of their journeys through life.

J. Yoki is an artist from Sacramento and San Diego, California. He combines visual art and music to tackle heavy concepts and themes he faces. His lyrics are metaphor-heavy and reference pop culture in ways that speak to the issues he is addressing within his work. Most of his music is an abstract piece of how he experiences love, betrayal, growth, loss, and other lessons that we all face in life. J. Yoki is not shy about collaborating to create contemporary pieces that illustrate how dynamic art can be by fostering environments that breed creativity. Through trial and error, J. Yoki finds himself in front of mountains, waiting to climb to advance his path of enlightenment. He is on Instagram @j.yokii and @jessemunyoki. His music can be found on all major streaming platforms. SoundCloud: J. Yoki. YouTube: @j.yokiii. Find more of his music on Spotify and Apple Music.