Jhené Aiko

In March 2011, Aiko made her return to music with the release of her first full-length project, a mixtape titled Sailing Soul(s). In December of that year, she signed a recording contract with producer No I.D.'s record label ARTium Recordings, an imprint of Def Jam Recordings.^[10] Her mainstream breakthrough followed thereafter, as she co-performed alongside Lil Wayne on Big Sean's 2013 single "Beware", which became her first top 40 single on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. In November of that year, she released her debut extended play (EP) Sail Out, which spawned the singles "3:16AM", "Bed Peace" (featuring Childish Gambino) and "The Worst"—the latter received quintuple platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).


Aiko released her debut studio album, Souled Out (2014) to critical and commercial success.^[11] Her second and third albums, Trip (2017)^[12] and Chilombo (2020), were met with continued success; the latter peaked at number three on the Billboard 200 and earned Aiko three Grammy Award nominations, including Album of the Year.

Early life[edit]

Jhené Aiko Efuru Chilombo was born on March 16, 1988, in Los Angeles, California. Her family lived in South Los Angeles, but their home burned down when she was seven and they moved near Slauson Avenue around View Park–Windsor Hills, Baldwin Hills, and Ladera Heights where she was homeschooled until high school. She calls her home neighborhood "Slauson Hills".^[13][14][15] Aiko is the daughter of Christina Yamamoto and pediatrician Karamo Chilombo (born Gregory Wycliff Barnes). Her parents are divorced.^[16] Aiko has seven siblings, four from both her mother and father's side and three half-siblings from her father's side. Her older sister is R&B singer Mila J.^[17][18] Her mother is of Spanish, Dominican, and Japanese descent, and her father is of Native American, African-American, and German-Jewish descent.^[19] Her maternal grandfather was of Japanese descent and her maternal grandmother is of Dominican heritage.^[20][21] She took vocal lessons in Culver City, but quit when she unexpectedly became pregnant.^[22]


Aiko addressed her mixed heritage during a Twitter conversation: "I am less black than someone half black, but also less white [than] someone half white… and asian is the least thing i am," she said "So at this point, it’s whatever they want me to be. I have a Japanese grandfather and a Creole/Dominican grandmother on my mothers side and both of my fathers parents are black and white. my dna results came in 25% Asian, 33% African and 34% European. So that is what i was referencing in the tweet. also, those dna sites update and change from time to time so who actually knows. Ok now im done explaining, promise i am human and i see you all as family regardless of how u view me."^[21]

Headlining


Supporting