On December 16, 2011, Aiko signed a recording contract with American record producer No I.D.'s record label Artium, distributed through Def Jam Recordings. She has been described as having gentle and pop-tinged vocals. [Tyler Antonius]
Jhené Aiko was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of Christina Yamamoto and Dr. Karamo Chilombo (birth name Greg Barnes), a pediatrician. She is of mixed race background—her mother is of Japanese, Spanish, and Dominican descent, while her father is of African American, Yaqui, Choctaw, Cherokee, Navajo, and German Jewish descent. She often states her ethnicity as "Japanese, African American, Native American, etc." based on percentages but identifies with all parts of her heritage. Aiko has also stated that she has French ancestry and has stated regarding her ancestry, "I’m a quarter Japanese. That’s the only percentage I know for sure because it’s my grandfather's. And then everyone else is pretty much like mixed." Her older sisters Miyoko and Jamila were in the R&B group Gyrl and toured with Immature, who were signed to MCA/Silas Records. This led to Jhené’s first meeting with producer Chris Stokes when she was five years old, and eventually he heard her sing. When B2K signed with Epic Records, Jhené was signed as well. She served as the opening act for B2K on their Scream Tour 3.
Aiko began her musical career contributing vocals to several B2K releases in 2002. She featured on tracks five through eight of the R&B group's remix album B2K: The Remixes - Volume 1. "Santa Baby", a cover she recorded, was also featured on their album Santa Hooked Me Up and she appeared as a guest vocalist on the song "Tease" from Pandemonium!. Her song "Dog" appeared as a bonus track.
Aiko also appeared in numerous music videos including O'Ryan's debut video, "Take It Slow", B2K's debut video "Uh Huh" and "Why I Love You", P.Y.T.'s "Same Ol' Same Ol' (Remix)" featuring Sarai, Play's "M.A.S.T.E.R. (Part 2)" featuring Lil' Fizz video and Morgan Smith's 2004 video "Blow Ya Whistle". Jhené also has songs featured on the soundtracks of Barbershop, The Master of Disguise, You Got Served, The Proud Family, and Byou. She released a video for her single "NO L.O.V.E" (re-recorded from Tha' Rayne version in 2002) which debuted on BET's 106 & Park when she was 15 years old.
Aiko was set to release her debut album, then-titled My Name Is Jhené, however the album was never released due to tension at the record label Epic, which ultimately led to Aiko asking to be released from the label. She then began to focus on school and continue her education.
In 2007, she made a return to music, in an interview she spoke on the choice saying “Shortly before I conceived my daughter, I stepped back into the field and took a meeting with a label head. In this meeting, I was innocently told, to ‘sell’ myself when walking into these meetings. “That’s when I decided I would ‘sail’ myself rather than sell myself.” Aiko released a mixtape on March 16, 2011 entitled Sailing Soul(s) via her official website, JheneAiko.com. All the songs on the mixtape were written by her, except “July” which was written by Micah Powell and most of the songs were produced by Fisticuffs, except “July” and “You vs Them” which were produced by Bei Maejor, “Real Now” which was produced by Roosevelt, “Do Better” which was produced by J. Lbs and “Growing Apart” which was produced by Tae Beast. The album's artwork was shot by photographer Jay 3. The mixtape also features collaborations from Miguel, Drake, and Kanye West, as well as others.
To promote the mixtape Aiko was joined by Grammy-nominated R&B singer Miguel on a one-off free secret tour on Sunday, July 15. The free tickets were given away at the Key Club box office on July 6 from 11AM-5PM on a first-come, first-served basis. The concert started at 7:00pm and finished as 9:30pm, lasting a duration of two and a half hours. On October 21, 2012 Aiko released a music video for the song "My Mine". Aiko also released a video for the mixtapes second track "Stranger". Datpiff certified the mixtape gold with downloads of 100,000. In 2011, she also began working closely with artists from Carson-based independent record label Top Dawg Entertainment such as Schoolboy Q and Ab-Soul.
In 2012, Aiko met with No I.D., record producer and vice president of A&R at Def Jam, who ended up signing Aiko to his Artium Records imprint through Def Jam. Aiko released the track "3:16AM" which was made available for digital download on iTunes September 4, 2012. The song was released as the first single from Sail Out. In 2012, Aiko was also the opening act on the highly anticipated “Life Is Good/Black Rage” concert tour headlined by fellow American artists, rapper Nas and singer-songwriter Lauryn Hill. In June 2013, Aiko was featured on the Big Sean song "Beware", which ended up reaching the Top 40 in the United States. This was her first song to chart on the US Billboard Hot 100. In October 2013, it was revealed Jhené Aiko would open for Canadian rapper Drake on his Would You like a Tour? concert tour. She had previously collaborated with Drake on his third album Nothing Was the Same (2013), lending her vocals on the tracks "Wu-Tang Forever" and "From Time".
Aiko then released her debut EP Sail Out, on November 12, 2013. "Bed Peace" featuring Childish Gambino was released as the album's second single on September 17, 2013. The single's artwork was inspired by John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s Bed-Ins for Peace protest against the Vietnam War. The EP features guest appearances from American rappers Vince Staples, Childish Gambino, Kendrick Lamar, and Ab-Soul. The EP debuted at number eight on the US Billboard 200 chart, with first-week sales of 34,000 copies. On January 14, 2014, "The Worst" was serviced to rhythmic contemporary radio in the United States as the album's third single. On May 2, 2014 "The Worst" rose from three to one on the airplay Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop, in doing so she became the first female artist to top the chart as a lead with a debut single since Jazmine Sullivan reached the same feat with "Need U Bad" in 2008. "The Worst" also rose forty seven to forty three on the Hot 100. The song peaked on the US Billboard Hot 100 at forty-three, becoming Aiko's first solo release to chart in the region, the song also peaked at number eleven on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.
On January 18, 2014, Aiko appeared on Saturday Night Live performing the song "From Time", with the episode's guest host, Drake. In a January 2014 interview with Vibe, Aiko announced her debut studio album Souled Out would be released in May 2014. However the album would be delayed. On March 16, 2014, Aiko premiered a song titled "My Afternoon Dream," along with an accompanying music video directed by Aiko and Krissy. It has yet to be revealed if the song, produced by Key Wane, will feature on the album.
On June 23, 2014, Aiko posted the cover art and a snippet of Souled Out's first single, titled "To Love & Die", on her official Instagram page. The single's artwork was described as "space-y" by Adelle Platon of Vibe magazine. The song was released for digital download on iTunes, the following day. On June 26, 2014, Canadian singer-songwriter The Weeknd, announced he would be headlining the "King of the Fall Tour", essentially a mini-tour across America in September / October 2014, the tour will consist of four shows and start on 19 September 2014 in New York, at the Barclays Center and end on October 10 in San Francisco, at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium. Aiko and frequent collaborator Schoolboy Q, were confirmed as the tour's supporting acts.
Aiko is a Christian, having been baptized when she was 16 at the evangelical Pentecostal Foursquare Church. At the age of 20, Aiko became pregnant by American R&B singer O'Ryan and gave birth to her daughter Namiko on November 19, 2008. Before losing her brother Miyagi to cancer on July 19, 2012, Aiko recorded "For My Brother" on her laptop, which was initially intended only for her brother's ears. He died soon after hearing the record. On August 27, 2013, Aiko was involved in a car accident in Los Angeles along with her daughter Namiko, older sister Miyoko, and her daughter's father O'Ryan. Aiko suffered a broken wrist, chipped tooth and had stitches in her chin. Her daughter, however, was unharmed in the accident.
Do Better Blues
Jhené Aiko Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If i could do better..
Then you could better too.
But i don't want better
Cause it only gets better witchu!
[HOPE]
Now thats a crazy way to start a verse ain't it?
UH. I got advice from both Jay and Steve.
My business need me focused this focus is what i need.
Baby we don't need to chop it up. Darling we need to cleav.
Instead of yelling fussing loud cussing in the street.
So grow the f**k up one time my baby please.
Know this pride is gon' kill us and yo friends don't feel us but..
[Jhene-Chorus]
If i could do better
Then you can do better too.
But i don't want better
Cause i'm only better with you. whoa.
If you could do better
Then i can do better too.
But i don't need better
It only gets better with you.
[Verse]
If i were your rib then you were my shoulder
I'll be your rock cause you were my boulder.
When we're together they can't stop both us.
[they can't stop both us. they they they cant stop both us.]
My only plans with you are
Spending my one life staying with you
The wrong that keeps me right and
The light that keeps me guided.
Ooh. whoa oh.
[Jhene-Chorus]
If i could do better
Then you can do better too.
But i don't want better
Cause i'm only better with you. whoa.
If you could do better
Then i can do better too.
But i don't need better
It only gets better with you.
[HOPE]
UH.
In a relationship she wants 3 things:
1. Eyes that wont cry.
2.Lips that won't lie.
3. Love that won't die.
[repeat 3 times]
[HOPE]
Look here..
Baby I want you more than anything
Believe this shit or not.
I'm your rock I'm your black knightbaby i'm ya Pac.
I'm ya Clyde you my Bonnie.
Murder Mami from the spot.
We gon make it through the rough patch
And make it to the top.
Baby see you my real future mother of my kids.
I know you gon forgive me for the dumb sh**t i did.
You know I'm gon forgive you for the dumb s**t YOU did.
One love. One heart. But you need new friends.
Take that witcha.
[Jhene-Chorus]
If i could do better
Then you can do better too.
But i don't want better
Cause i'm only better with you. whoa.
If you could do better
Then i can do better too.
But i don't need better
It only gets better with you.
[HOPE]
UH.
In a relationship she wants 3 things:
1. Eyes that dont cry.
2. Lips that don't lie.
3. Love that don't die.
[repeat 3 times]
[Jhene-Chorus]
If i could do better
Then you can do better too.
But i don't want better
Cause i'm only better with you. whoa.
If you could do better
Then i can do better too.
The song "Do Better Blues" by Jhene Aiko ft. HOPE reflects on a relationship that faces difficulties and insecurities, yet strives to remain together. In the first verse, HOPE opens up about her struggle to decide whether to stay or leave the relationship, seeking advice from her friends Jay and Steve. She acknowledges the need for her and her partner to communicate better and mature together, putting their pride aside to make the relationship work. Jhene takes over the chorus expressing her love for her partner and how she doesn't want anything better than what she already has. She believes that at the end of the day, all that matters is how they make each other feel and how they grow together.
In the second verse, Jhene compares their relationship to a "rock and boulder," emphasizing the strength and security they provide for each other. She states that they cannot be stopped when they are together, and her only plan is to spend her life with her partner. HOPE closes the song with a repetition of the three things she believes everyone wants in a relationship: eyes that don't cry, lips that don't lie, and love that doesn't die. She reflects on how much she wants her partner in her life, referring to herself as his "rock" and his "black knight," reminding him that their love can get through anything.
Line by Line Meaning
My gut told me "stay or leave."
At the beginning of this relationship, Hope was faced with a tough decision about whether to commit or end things.
Now that's a crazy way to start a verse ain't it?
Hope acknowledges that starting a verse with a line about her own thoughts and emotions may seem unconventional.
I got advice from both Jay and Steve.
Hope sought advice from two different people who she trusts and respects.
My business need me focused, this focus is what I need.
Hope recognizes the importance of staying focused on her personal and professional goals in order to have a successful relationship.
Baby we don't need to chop it up, darling we need to cleav.
Rather than arguing and fighting, Hope believes that she and her partner need to be honest with one another and cut through any misunderstandings.
Instead of yelling fussing loud cussing in the street.
Hope believes that arguing in public is unnecessary and inappropriate for a healthy relationship.
So grow the f**k up one time my baby please.
Hope is asking her partner to mature and take responsibility for their actions in order to strengthen their relationship.
Know this pride is gon' kill us and yo friends don't feel us but..
Hope recognizes that pride and the opinions of others can negatively impact a relationship if not addressed.
If I were your rib then you were my shoulder, I'll be your rock cause you were my boulder.
Jhene is saying that she and her partner rely on each other and provide mutual support.
When we're together they can't stop both us.
Jhene feels that their strength as a couple overcomes any external obstacles or criticism they may face.
My only plans with you are spending my one life staying with you, the wrong that keeps me right and the light that keeps me guided.
Jhene considers her partner her soulmate and the one person who keeps her centered and focused on her journey in life.
In a relationship, she wants 3 things: 1. Eyes that won't cry. 2. Lips that won't lie. 3. Love that won't die.
Hope is outlining the three main things she looks for in a committed relationship: honesty, loyalty, and longevity.
Baby I want you more than anything, believe this shit or not.
Hope is professing her love and commitment to her partner, even though it may be hard to believe.
I'm your rock, I'm your black knight, baby I'm ya Pac. I'm ya Clyde you my Bonnie. Murder Mami from the spot.
Hope is highlighting her dedication to her partner, referencing loyalty and strength in tough times.
We gon make it through the rough patch and make it to the top.
Hope is confident that she and her partner can overcome any challenges and reach their goals together.
You know I'm gon forgive you for the dumb s**t YOU did.
Hope is acknowledging that both partners in the relationship make mistakes, but forgiveness is necessary in order to move forward.
In a relationship, she wants 3 things: 1. Eyes that don't cry. 2. Lips that don't lie. 3. Love that don't die.
Hope is reiterating the three things she believes are essential for a healthy, long-lasting relationship.
Contributed by Mia M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@ceeceenarine4156
THIS ALBUM SAVED MY LIFE
@cassysx1725
NO FR!!!!!! Omg
@TheRealTMoon
Swear
@audiknight1728
Only if she knew...tuh
@noumeg7782
Really
@takecareOOMel
Big same!!!
@PROSPERITY4U
This whole album was just a bop. Name one song you DIDNT like In her music career. You can’t!!!!
@oneupppppp
People watching this like:
- in bed
- not in full screen
- reading comments
@kyseandurr
Most definitely
@harrietnehale
Accurate