Me 4 U

Background and release

The first single from the album, "Cheerleader" was eight years in the making. Omi stated in an interview with Billboard, “I woke up humming the melody one morning when I was 21,” says OMI, who still lives in Clarendon, the sleepy village he grew up in, a stone’s throw from Kingston. “It was like a little Jamaican nursery rhyme, like ‘one, two, buckle my shoe,’ that kind of thing – ‘ring game’ is what we’d call it. The rest of the song just fell into place like a jigsaw puzzle.” He also stated “People are expecting 15 [versions of] ‘Cheerleader,’ but it’s going to be pretty diverse, with a few features and songs written from different perspectives.”

Critical reception

The album received mixed reviews from critics. David Jeffries of AllMusic stated "Omi delivers this all in a wonderful voice, falling somewhere between roots star Tarrus Riley and Kevin Lyttle when it comes to Island authenticity, the singer turns to the same great guest Nicki Minaj chooses, dancehall singer Busy Signal, who kicks 'Color of My Lips' up a notch or two. 'Fireworks' is a sexy soca number that R. Kelly could cover, while the title cut is a warm and powerful duet with Sarah West, although she doesn't get a feature credit on the album like Busy, Erik Hassle, and AronChupa do, even though she certainly deserves one. For a rushed-to-market, crossover album capitalizing on a global hit, the pleasing Me 4 U is much more well-built, well-paced, and well-rounded than expected.

Annie Licata of Rolling Stone stated the best tracks on Me 4 U "are built for good times and warm weather, complete with steel drum beats and odes to the singer's island home ('The streets, they salute me/I'm home again,' he sings on the upbeat, heartfelt 'Promised Land'). 'Color of My Lips', which features a winning guest verse from Busy Signal, and 'Hula Hoop' match the catchy melodies and silky vocals heard on 'Cheerleader.' A few other highlights further the vibe of naive crushes and summertime fun. But Omi's attempts at darker love songs mostly fall flat. 'Standing on All Threes' is a woeful, surface-deep guitar jam. The title track leans heavily on a pallid R&B beat, and while Omi's vocals hit their notes, the song never catches fire. Most of his newfound fans would have a better time making a playlist with 'Cheerleader' 14 times in a row."

Commercial performance

Me 4 U debuted at number 51 on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 9,000 equivalent copies (3,000 in pure album sales).