Jhene Aiko - Sailing Soul(s) Mixtape

The Vixen Q And A: Jhene Aíko Talks 'Sailing Soul(s),' Explains Relationship With B2K & Chris Stokes + Plots To Save The World
VIBE.COM By: niki.a.m. Posted 3-28-2011 12:09 pm

Tags:

Jhene Aiko

http://vibe.com/content/vixen-qa-jh...-relationship-b2k-chris-stokes-plots-save-wor

Jhene Aiko’s thoughts and ideals for the world may serve a better purpose within the pages of a fictional literary work, but her lyrics are conceived from non-fiction tales of love and love lost. Also birthed are the hopes of a utopian universe where people relate to one another on a peaceful, non-judging plateau, freeing themselves from the chains of who others want them to be. She’s literally trying to save the world with the wedlock of writing and sound. Over Fisticuffs’ productions, the 23-year-old Piscean singer and superheroine sings her hopeful mission that is far from fictional. Willing to share her personal story and path with VIBE Vixen, she adamantly denies a bloodline with Lil’ Fizz of B2K, explains why Tupac is her idol, credits Brandy for teaching her how to sing and explains why she’d sign to Kid Cudi’s future label, hands down. –Niki McGloster

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What’s been going on since your debut self-titled album?
It actually didn’t drop because something had happened at Epic [Records]. My A&R got fired and all this crazy stuff, so I ended up just asking for a release from Epic and from TUG, and I just started to focus more on school. You know, I was still singing, and I was still working with a couple of the producers that I had met while I was signed, but I was more focused on school. Then, I got pregnant when I was 20. Like, I took my last meeting a couple of weeks before I found out I was pregnant.

Let’s rewind a little bit. What occurred that made you sever ties with Epic and TUG?
I kinda felt like they were lagging their feet, and I wanted to finish school and not really be tied up into the music so much at that time. I believe I was 16 or 17.

Were their arguments and bad relationships forming with them when you decided to leave?
No. Everything ended well. Like I said, my A&R stopped working for Epic. His name was David McPherson. They had brought a new A&R on board, and she didn’t really didn’t know a lot about my projects, so she kind of just put me on the back burner. And it was obvious that they were not going to do anything [with me]. My mom was my manager at the time, and I sat down with her and I was like I would just rather be released and be free to do whatever I want rather than wait. The same thing with TUG ‘cause they were pretty much doing the same thing. I wasn’t really working and I was doing everything on my own, so I decided I would just rather be a free agent.

When most people hear your name or see who you are, they automatically think about B2K. Weren’t you related to one of them?
I’m glad you brought that up because I’ve been wanting to tell everybody this. Like, I want to scream it at the mountain top! The whole me being Lil’ Fizz’s cousin was a marketing tool. At the time, I was 12 so I didn’t really care. I wasn’t really involved in that decision, but Drew, that’s his real name, is really close with my family. I’ve known him since I was eight and he was like a cousin. He used to be in a group with my oldest brother when they were little, like 10, so I did grow up around him, but I didn’t know that they were going to say in parentheses by my name “Lil Fizz’s cousin.

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The Vixen Q And A: Jhene Aíko Talks 'Sailing Soul(s),' Explains Relationship With B2K & Chris Stokes + Plots To Save The World
VIBE.COM By: niki.a.m. Posted 3-28-2011 12:09 pm

Tags:

Jhene Aiko

http://vibe.com/content/vixen-qa-jh...-relationship-b2k-chris-stokes-plots-save-wor

Jhene Aiko’s thoughts and ideals for the world may serve a better purpose within the pages of a fictional literary work, but her lyrics are conceived from non-fiction tales of love and love lost. Also birthed are the hopes of a utopian universe where people relate to one another on a peaceful, non-judging plateau, freeing themselves from the chains of who others want them to be. She’s literally trying to save the world with the wedlock of writing and sound. Over Fisticuffs’ productions, the 23-year-old Piscean singer and superheroine sings her hopeful mission that is far from fictional. Willing to share her personal story and path with VIBE Vixen, she adamantly denies a bloodline with Lil’ Fizz of B2K, explains why Tupac is her idol, credits Brandy for teaching her how to sing and explains why she’d sign to Kid Cudi’s future label, hands down. –Niki McGloster

---

What’s been going on since your debut self-titled album?
It actually didn’t drop because something had happened at Epic [Records]. My A&R got fired and all this crazy stuff, so I ended up just asking for a release from Epic and from TUG, and I just started to focus more on school. You know, I was still singing, and I was still working with a couple of the producers that I had met while I was signed, but I was more focused on school. Then, I got pregnant when I was 20. Like, I took my last meeting a couple of weeks before I found out I was pregnant.

Let’s rewind a little bit. What occurred that made you sever ties with Epic and TUG?
I kinda felt like they were lagging their feet, and I wanted to finish school and not really be tied up into the music so much at that time. I believe I was 16 or 17.

Were their arguments and bad relationships forming with them when you decided to leave?
No. Everything ended well. Like I said, my A&R stopped working for Epic. His name was David McPherson. They had brought a new A&R on board, and she didn’t really didn’t know a lot about my projects, so she kind of just put me on the back burner. And it was obvious that they were not going to do anything [with me]. My mom was my manager at the time, and I sat down with her and I was like I would just rather be released and be free to do whatever I want rather than wait. The same thing with TUG ‘cause they were pretty much doing the same thing. I wasn’t really working and I was doing everything on my own, so I decided I would just rather be a free agent.

When most people hear your name or see who you are, they automatically think about B2K. Weren’t you related to one of them?
I’m glad you brought that up because I’ve been wanting to tell everybody this. Like, I want to scream it at the mountain top! The whole me being Lil’ Fizz’s cousin was a marketing tool. At the time, I was 12 so I didn’t really care. I wasn’t really involved in that decision, but Drew, that’s his real name, is really close with my family. I’ve known him since I was eight and he was like a cousin. He used to be in a group with my oldest brother when they were little, like 10, so I did grow up around him, but I didn’t know that they were going to say in parentheses by my name “Lil Fizz’s cousin.

Click to expand...