Jhene Aiko has already had a storied career. When B2K posters were on the walls of teenage girls everywhere, Jhene Aiko was there—signed to the T.U.G. imprint at the age of 13. Before Kendrick Lamar was acknowledged as one of the top rappers in the game, and releases from the other members of the Black Hippy Crew were annually some of the most anticipated nationwide, Jhene was a frequent collaborator with them all. Now, with increased in popularity of some of her long-term collaborators, and appearances on some of the year’s biggest Hip Hop albums (J. Cole’s Born Sinner, Big Sean’s Hall of Fame, Drakes Nothing Was the Same) there’s probably no time better than now for Jhene to release her retail debut. Sail Out, an EP, follows up the 2011 mixtape “Sailing Souls” and is meant to hold fans over until her full-length album Souled Out. While Sail Out meets expectations of what Jhene fans have come to expect, it’s unlikely to convert doubters.
On Sail Out, four of the seven songs find Aiko paired with rappers. Of the four, her two TDE collaborations (“Stay Ready” featuring Kendrick Lamar, “WTH” featuring Ab-Soul) are two of the strongest songs on the Extended Player. “WTH” finds Jhene singing of drug induced paranoia. Jhene’s subject matter and lyrics often stray from the “innocent girl next door” image most songstresses cling to. On “Bed Peace” Jhene sings, “If I had it my way, I’d roll out of bed, say / ‘Bout 2:30 mid-day, hit the blunt then hit you up, to come over to my place / You show up, right away / We make love, and then we fuck, and then you give me my space.”
Sail Out is essentially a continuation of what listeners got on Jhene’s “Sailing Souls” mixtape; emotions, mostly sadness, over instrumentals that would just as easily fit her frequent Hip Hop collaborators. With the kick of the bass drums in between hand claps on “Stay Ready,” the instrumental could have been a Kendrick Lamar song, and the artists formerly known as K Dot sounds at home on the track, which sounds like a counter to the previous Aiko/Lamar collaboration “Growing Apart.”
Jhene’s Hip Hop influenced R&B music gives her an appeal a lot of current R&B singers don’t have. While many put forward the effort to gain that appeal, or do songs in an attempt to ride that wave, Jhene gives off a feeling of authenticity. While Sail Out does sound like more of the same, the obvious counter argument is if it isn’t broke, why fix it? Jhene doubters won’t be converted, and Jhene fans won’t be blown away, however in sticking to what has worked for her, she avoids disappointing the fans she has already gained, and may gain new ones with the notoriety of some of her collaborators.
I bought it and only listened to it in full once. It was good and the beats and features were on point. I need to give it another listen and I’ll like it more. So far I’d say 3/5.
try listening to sailing soul its genuis you wouldnt regret it
First time listening to her. I love it. Stay Ready and The Worst.
Album goes hard. Been listening to it since it dropped. Not many R&B ladies putting out material like this. Glad she’s staying herself and making music she loves instead of trying to do whatever to be popular.
upto I saw the draft which said $4945, I have faith …that…my cousin was truly erning money part time on their computer.. there best friend had bean doing this 4 less than 17 months and recently repayed the morgage on there mini mansion and purchased a great Jaguar XJ. browse around this website… http://www.Fb39.com
while 50 sk will more then likely get pushed back for the 63rd time.. gunits nomore its not 2004 in this bitch its a new day move on.. oh yea, and game stole 50’s basketball rim!!!!!!!!!!!
She’s cool. Prettiest R&B chick of all time.
Aaliyah, Mariah Carey, Monica, Mya, Alicia Keys, Christina Milian, Ashanti, Amerie, Beyonce,……
she sold more than DJ KHALID lmao
There’s hope for this industry yet.
Who hasn’t sold more than DJ Khaled?
I used to be a big b2k fan so i remember when she was with them and they were marketing her as lil fizz’s cousin but she never popped off and then got pregnant by omarions lil brother and became a mum and disappeared. glad she came back to music, she ain’t got the best voice but she makes the most of it.
Gucci The Realest Of All Time:
– Sold drugs.
– Killed a man who tried to rob him. Ask Young Jeezy.
– Exposed Young Jeezy as a fraud.
– Beats up so called fans.
– Throws bitches out of his car while driving.
These are facts! Fuck the studiogangstas: Rick Ross, Mobb Deep, Nas, Jay-Z, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, 2Pac, Big L etc.
Who gives a fuck??? Why are you here?
You gotta be kiddin… most ridiculous comment i’ve ever seen on the internet.. and i’ve seen a lot of stupid shit.
Okay I feel ya but why you tryna say that selling drugs and violence is good?
Rick Ross, Mobb Deep, Nas, Jay-Z, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, 2Pac, Big L are all 100x better than Guwop and sell 100x more records; he’s just and always will be a mixtape rapper.
^^Morons. It’s an obvious troll. DON’T FEED THE TROLLS!!
This is horrible.
I liked it better when she was with B2K singing about having crushes on boys. Now she singing about getting high and getting dicked down.
She’s not a teen anymore so why would she sing about crushes on boys?
why would she sing about getting high and getting dicked down? why did billie holliday sing about strange fruit? why did the cage bird sing? theres a lot of questions to ask, but no one can find who has the answers.
WOW @ Johnny Blaze. That was a very well put together response. Wasn’t expecting to see a comment like that on the DX boards.
So used to these little weirdos fronting like they’re Young MOney’s accountant, Ja-Rule and other little fruity shit that an adult response took me by surprise.
Big up to you.
Love Jhene Aiko!!!
Great body of work. She puts a twist on R&B and makes it her own. Loved it!
man she wack now illuminati
Awesome this one
Jhene Aiko > that white devil Beyonce
love it
Love Love Love it!!
Literally am in Luv with jhene
She gained me as a fan. I love it && I cannot wait to see what the future holds for her!
AMAZING
nice stuff ever