Jidenna is Underrated

That's it. That's the tweet.

Jidenna is special. I am still listening to his debut album, "The Chief", which came out in 2017. And it is still fantastic. Fortunately for all of us, Jidenna has graced us yet again with his latest project, "85 to Africa", which dropped late last year.

"The Chief" was hardened. It is an ode to his late father and travels to Nigeria where he was lain to rest. Straight away, "A Bull's Tale" sets the tone for the album with a warning:

"I made a promise
When I was six and guerillas ran up on us
Taking my sis, beating the shit out of my mama
Shot me in the foot put a bullet through my armor

I'mma kill 'em when I see 'em again"

After the grammy-winning single "Classic Man", Jidenna needed to set himself apart and make his presence known. "The Chief" certainly established him as a sophisticated lyricist who was nowhere near afraid to speak on contentious issues. 

"Helicopters" is an open call-out to police brutality. As the title suggests, "Chief Don't Run" is a reminder that Jidenna is not one to be taken lightly. The defensive stance is directed more toward the establishment rather than his peers, and it alludes to deeper windows of politicial discourse. 

"[They say] 

You in my house actin too free, though

You know you foul nigga - 2 free throws" (Damn.) 

Lastly, "White Niggas" is by far the most transparent song on "The Chief" that depicts, in a metaphor, blatant inequities of the Black experience. He poses the questions with such imagery and sarcasm that it's almost funny -- if it were not so painfully accurate.

"Hope you know how to fight crime
911's no longer your life line
That's a ticket to a cell
White nigga I wish you well

…..
The law had you in crosshair
Stop and frisk your kids playing street hockey in lacrosse gear
Son was barely even selling
But when he returns the whole suburb would brand him as a felon

…..

As all the blacks just walk past with their yoga mats
Eating their kale like all's well in the cul-de-sac"

"85 to Africa" is a much more easeful body of work. It shows that Jidenna took some time off, stayed well hydrated, and took harbor in his Nigerian roots. The album has beautiful island influences that coax your hips into a samba, even if you don't know how to samba. 

The title track definitely sounds like the radio hit, with its high horn, faster beat, and catchy hook. Jidenna is not afraid to slow things down with tracks like "Sou Sou" and "Sufi Woman" which are both incredibly sexy in their own rights. 

This album also incorporates influences of past eras. "Vaporiza" has a 1950's jazz aesthetic. Its instrumentals of trumpets and chimes give the feeling of dancing late into Havana nights. While "Jungle Fever", a song about his biracial parents, is heavy with the sound of 1980's soul. (Perhaps a nod to Jidenna's birth year). Its smooth downtempo is coupled gorgeously with the  artist's singing voice which he does not showcase often. 

Most importantly, "85 to Africa" is solidifying Jidenna's voice as an artist. He is moving gracefully into the self-curated space he deserves. His messaging maintains focus and purposefulness, as evidenced from an interview clip in "Worth the Weight":

"I believe it's time for an African peoples' powered highway

The highway that will connect the Diaspora and Motherland

A global highway for African people all over the world to rediscover themselves

To remember that the only thing that unites black people, globally

The only thing we all have in common is that we are from Africa"

I have no doubt that Jidenna will continue flourishing musically and philanthropically. Whatever he has in store for us next, I will be here for it.