Actress, songwriter, and rap artist Joi Giovanni recently released her debut studio album Second 2 None, a grand declaration of not only her artistry but the love, loss, and lessons she’s experienced that culminated to make this project.
Every time I hear Joi Giovanni, I am reminded of legendary femcees like Trina, Mia X, and Lil Kim. Her raw energy is felt in her voice through the speakers, and her performances consistently send shockwaves through the crowd with her powerful presence.
All of these attributes thrive alive and well in Second 2 None. From the flow and song choice of the album—weaving between high-energy anthems, stories of heartbreak—and proclamations that she is indeed here to not only be heard but to make an impact in hip hop.
I was honored to speak with JG and dive a bit deeper into her influences and motivations behind the subject matter and creative process of her #GxldApprved project Second 2 None.
Q&A with Joi Giovanni: Second to None
Extra Chill: What is your overall mission statement for the listeners of S2N?
JG: Stop sleeping on me, stop placing me in a bubble, stop waiting on or expecting me to be something that I am not. I’m not ratchet but I am raw. I am authentic! My style, my swag, my cadence, my presence is really like that. I’m nobody’s back up or fallback plan, I’m nobody’s shadow or side option. I’m not the artist that can only come out on top when all options fail through. I am second to none and I’m standing on that.
You express and include a lot of real-life trials and tribulations that add a certain edge to your sound. What role does your pain play in the album?
JG: My pain played a huge role in this album. When I completed my first project Intentional Controversy, I still had so many chapters left untouched. There was so much more I wanted to say and needed to say but wasn’t in the right space to present it. The growth in myself as an artist and a woman allowed me the room to paint a picture for all of these deep intricate stories and tap into past situations without mentally getting stuck in that place. I needed to close the door on that story and Second 2 None allowed me the opportunity to take that pain one last time and leave it on the track, as well as explore different ways to push my pain as a learning lesson.
I LOVED the flow of the album: you have your ‘turnt’ anthem vibes that reel us into the album, followed by a pocket of deeper introspective songs like Damage and Ride or Fold, and closing with a few bangers, including one of my personal favorites Go JG. How did you choose the songs and flow for this album?
JG: Choosing the songs for this album was the hardest thing, and I still question if I got it right. I had three years’ worth of work to choose from and I was consumed with some uncertainty when it came to deciding. Ultimately, I decided to listen to my full unreleased catalog for weeks. The songs that resonated with me and the story I wanted to tell the most, I kept. From there, I knew I wanted the album to be titled Second 2 None.
JG: I told myself, ‘you do so much that people don’t know and you’re able to do so many things that you’ve never displayed before so we have to show it.’ I wanted to lay everything on the table. Second 2 None is lowkey a musical interpretation of my resume when I think about it. Every track has a different essence of me.
How did collaboration play a role in S2N?
JG: Twin D of Twin D Studios was my engineer, and I teamed up with Baby Breeze, CashFirst, Treyo Snapped, KBDropDat, and Dough Boy OnDa Track to produce my tracks. Featured on the album are Natasha, Lil Jack 843, TRUE, Jamie Salita, and Big Lunny.
You recently joined Flip Boyz Ent, an independent artist label headed by Charleston’s own Young Renzo. How has that played as a guiding force or motivating factor with the album?
JG: I would say it was a motivating factor in the sense of I had a team for the first time. It felt good to do shows to promote the album and my team was present and encouraging me the entire way through. Finishing this album was the most stressful thing for me because it’s my debut album, but my second full project, so there is that extra layer of pressure and fear that it wouldn’t perform as well as the previous project. I’ve had so many challenges and obstacles with completing this project.
JG: Before the rollout process, it was motivating to listen to the completion of the project with Na’Tasha (who is featured on the album) and Renzo and see their reactions, and get that reassurance that I made the right call. I felt like a weight had lifted off of me. Knowing your circle has your back can push you a little further than what you feel you can go and FBE did that for me during this process.
What are your next steps/moves to further the reach of S2N?
JG: On the road. More press. More performances. I’m excited for what’s to come. I’m putting on my first show for the album release and I’m looking forward to a big year for myself and I can’t wait to do it all. I’ll be ending the year on a major stage and that’s all I’m going to say.
Conclusion
It’s always refreshing to get a glimpse into people’s journeys when they are on the brink of creating or doing something GREAT! Want to learn and SEE MORE? Catch Joi G performing the album LIVE, Feb. 23rd at Heavii Ever After Boutique for the official Second 2 None album release celebration hosted by Kris Kaylin!