Jhené Aiko’s Evolution From Working with B2K to R&B Superstardom
From her start in music in the early 2000s to her dominance over modern R&B, this is Jhené Aiko's story.
Jhené Aiko during a photoshoot in 2017. Image property of Billboard.
Jhené Aiko has reached R&B superstardom since breaking into the mainstream in 2011 with her Sailing Soul(s) mixtape. She’s been on chart-topping singles like Omarion’s ‘Post to Be’ as well as ‘Eternal Sunshine’ and ‘The Worst’.
Aiko also cites Sade, Kid Cudi, TLC, Lil Kim and John Mayer as inspiration. Along with PartyNextDoor and The Weeknd, she helped usher in the modern alternative R&B sound into mainstream music.
When Aiko emerged in the early 2010s, this wasn’t her first attempt at her music career. In 2002, she was an associated act and friend of R&B/pop group B2K.
She was falsely positioned as group member Lil’ Fizz’s cousin for marketing purposes. Throughout her early career, she managed to land songs and features on The Proud Family, Barbershop and You Got Served soundtracks.
Aiko also had a dozen songs on the B2K remix album and their platinum-selling second album ‘Pandemonium’. Aiko also fronted her own solo track called ‘Dog’ to close the album.
After the industry hype, Jhené’s then-official website announced her album ‘My Name Is Jhené’ in 2002. The album was supported by the single ‘No L.O.V.E’. The LP suffered multiple delays from 2002 to 2004.
Due to, due to label tension with Epic and TUG Records, the album ultimately was shelved.
My Name is Jhené was one of the many TUG albums that were shelved along with her sister Mila J’s ‘Spit Personality’ in late 2006. Fortunately, both Aiko and Mila J’s TUG-era music has leaked or been released over the years.
A then-teenage Aiko decided to go back to education. Aiko returned to music in 2007 on MySpace.
Shortly after, she gave birth to her daughter Namiko Love at age 20. Aiko began penning songs which culminated in 2011’s ‘Sailing Soul(s)’ mixtape in which she wrote all the songs bar ‘July’.
The mixtape had guest spots from; Kanye West, Gucci Mane, Miguel, Drake and Kendrick Lamar.
Sailing Soul(s) was followed up by her EP ‘Sail Out’ in 2013. Sail Out was supported by her singles ‘Bed Peace’ with Childish Gambino and 'The Worst'.
The EP featured guest spots from Ab-Soul, Vince Stapes and returning guest Kendrick Lamar. Sail Out managed to get certified Gold and achieved critical praise.
On September 9, 2014, Aiko released her commercial debut album ‘Souled Out’ Sonically, the record incorporated psychedelic music, alternative R&B, neo-soul and hip-hop seamlessly. A bulk of the production on the LP was handled by No I.D.
Aiko followed up with a collaboration with her partner ‘Twenty88’ in 2016 and her second album ‘Trip’ in 2017.
In 2020, Aiko released her long-awaited third album ‘Chilombo’, titled after her real surname. Chilombo managed to debut #2 on the Billboard 200 albums chart with over 152,000 albums sold. Little over two months after the Chilombo's release it was certified Gold.
Since Aiko’s comeback, she has proved herself to be an accomplished artist with her last two albums selling over one million copies combined.
In addition to her music, Aiko is an avid activist and vegan. Aiko was named PETA's Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrity in 2016.
Also, Aiko has had multiple platinum-selling singles, tours worldwide and is one of the most desirable women in all of pop culture.
Listen to Jhené Aiko on Spotify and Apple Music here. Also, check out her B2K-era music/unreleased music on Soundcloud and YouTube.
