Embrace The Father, The Rise of Jidenna
Born in Wisconsin to an American mother and Nigerian father, Jidenna is well on his way to becoming a household name in Hip-Hop. Jidenna, whose name means, “embrace the father”, first got his break when his longtime friend, singer/songwriter, Janelle Monáe, signed him to her record label, Wondaland Records. From there, he entered the music scene with a unique sense of style and a refreshing new sound.
Jidenna released his commercial debut single, “Classic Man” featuring Roman GianAruthur in February of 2015, which was featured on a 5-song compilation EP titled Wondaland Presents: The Eephus, which featured other artists signed to Wondaland. Jidenna went on to collaborate with Grammy award winning rapper Kendrick Lamar for the “Classic Man” (Remix). “Classic Man” made its debut at #49 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip Hop Airplay Chart and went on to be Grammy nominated for best rap/sung collaboration; Not bad for a breakthrough artist.
The breakout single by Jidenna was followed up by the second single off of the Eephus EP, an uptempo workout track titled, “Yoga” by Janelle Monáe, but featuring a verse from Jidenna.
Most recently, Jidenna released his debut album titled, The Chief in February of 2017. The Chief gives us a glimpse into this classic man’s character as he embraces his African roots with interludes throughout the album and on records like “A Little Bit More”. He earned a degree in comparative studies in race and ethnicity from Stanford University and its influence can also be heard in the album on records like, “White Niggas”, where he touches on reverse racism.
Jidenna also shows his versatility on records like “Bambi” and “The Let Out”, which features Quavo. The Chief is the perfect introduction for a talented artist such as Jidenna; it gives Hip-Hop fans everywhere a glimpse of who he is and what he is capable of. He has also made cameos on HBO’s “Insecure” as well as “Empire”, which airs on Fox.
Behind the music and spotlight, Jidenna is the founder of Fear and Fancy, a successful social club founded in 2006 based out of California. The position is fitting. Who can ignore his fashion sense? Jidenna continues to pay homage to his late father, who inspires his style, by mixing traditional African garments with Europeans styles.
Jidenna’s talent, versatility and style are just a few assets that make him the next artist on the rise.
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