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.
Snapped
Jhené Aiko Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I got ya
Who shot ya?
Yeah
I got ya, I got ya
I got ya, I got ya
If home is where the heart is
He gave me all his heart and
I ripped the shit to shreds
Now he's dead (uh)
An empty shell of nothin' (ayy)
Incapable of lovin' (uh)
Now, no woman will want him
Damn, guess I'm a killer
Call me a murderer
Some kind of monster
I'm just a horrible person
I try to tell 'em
Don't play with my love
This is your warnin'
I do not give a fuck
That's why I line 'em up
Shoot 'em down (shoot 'em down, down, down)
That's why I line 'em up
Shoot 'em down (shoot 'em down, down, down)
That's why I line 'em up
Shoot 'em down
That's right I line 'em up
Shoot 'em down
That's how I do it now
Innocent men, delicate men
They never see that gun in my hand
So they proceed to do what they please
'Til they are bloody screamin' for Jesus
It's either that or me lettin' them
Disrespect me with different women
But I refuse to be the victim
So, I guess I'm a killer
Call me a murderer
Some kind of monster
I'm just a horrible person
I try to tell 'em (I try to, I try to tell 'em)
Don't play with my love (don't play with, don't play with my love)
This is your warnin' (yeah)
I do not give a fuck (no)
That's why I line 'em up
Shoot 'em down (shoot 'em down, down, down)
That's why I line 'em up
Shoot 'em down (shoot 'em down, down, down)
That's why I line 'em up
Shoot 'em down
That's right I line 'em up
Shoot 'em down
That's how I do it now
I don't play that
I don't play around
I don't play that shit
Gotta lay 'em down
I don't play that
When I lay 'em down
Bang, bang
Lay 'em down
I'm a lover not a fighter
But I been hurt many times, I'm tired
They all think that they can try her
'Til those shots are fired
I tried to tell 'em
Don't play with my love (don't play)
This is your warnin' (oh)
I do not give a fuck (ayy)
That's why I line 'em up
Shoot 'em down (shoot 'em down, down, down)
That's why I line 'em up
Shoot 'em down (shoot 'em down, down, down)
That's why I line 'em up
Shoot 'em down
That's right I line 'em up
Shoot 'em down
That's how I do it now
"Snapped" by Jhené Aiko is a song about a woman who has been hurt repeatedly in relationships and has reached a breaking point. The song talks about how she has become bitter and heartless towards men, and now she treats them with the same coldness and cruelty that they showed her. The lyrics "That's why I line 'em up, shoot 'em down" symbolize her tendency to attract men and then destroy them emotionally, leaving them heartbroken and unable to love again. The song finds her taking revenge on the men who come her way, showing no mercy or empathy towards them.
The song uses a metaphor of guns and bullets to describe the pain that the singer feels. The gunshot sounds in the chorus signify the moment she decides to end a relationship and move on. The line "Innocent men, delicate men, They never see that gun in my hand" suggests that the men who come into her life are unaware of the danger they are in, and they often end up getting hurt.
The lyrics of the song can be interpreted in different ways. Some people view it as a feminist anthem that empowers women who have been hurt in relationships. Others see it as a reflection of the toxic and dangerous behaviors that can result from unresolved emotional pain. Regardless of how you interpret the song, it is an emotional and powerful ballad that showcases Jhene Aiko's vocal range and ability to portray complex emotions through her music.
Line by Line Meaning
Bang, bang
The sound of a gun being fired
I got ya
I have you in my sights
Who shot ya?
A question addressed to the victim
Yeah
An affirmation
If home is where the heart is
The saying that home is a place where someone feels loved and comfortable
He's homeless 'cause he's heartless
The person referred to is homeless because they lack emotions like love and compassion
He gave me all his heart and
The person referred to gave all their love to the singer
I ripped the shit to shreds
The singer destroyed the love given to her
Now he's dead (uh)
The love given to the singer is now gone
An empty shell of nothin' (ayy)
The person is now devoid of emotions and love
Incapable of lovin' (uh)
The person is unable to love again
Now, no woman will want him
The person's lack of love makes them undesirable
Damn, guess I'm a killer
The singer compares themselves to a killer
Call me a murderer
The singer acknowledges that their actions are akin to murder
Some kind of monster
The singer refers to themselves as a monster
I'm just a horrible person
The singer views themselves negatively
I try to tell 'em
The singer tries to warn others
Don't play with my love
The singer warns others not to manipulate her emotions
This is your warnin'
The singer warns people about the consequences of playing with her love
I do not give a fuck
The singer does not care about the feelings of others
That's why I line 'em up
The singer lines up potential love interests
Shoot 'em down (shoot 'em down, down, down)
The singer metaphorically 'shoots' the potential love interests down
Innocent men, delicate men
The singer refers to men who she sees as innocent and delicate
They never see that gun in my hand
The singer manipulates others without them realizing it
So they proceed to do what they please
The singer lures men into falling for her and they do whatever they want with her consent
'Til they are bloody screamin' for Jesus
The men only realize the consequences of their actions when it is too late
It's either that or me lettin' them
The singer either has to let others disrespect her or risk hurting them
Disrespect me with different women
The men disrespect the singer by seeing other women
But I refuse to be the victim
The singer does not let others manipulate her
I don't play that
The singer will not tolerate such behavior
I don't play around
The singer is serious
Gotta lay 'em down
The singer has to metaphorically 'lay down' men who disrespect her
I'm a lover not a fighter
The singer is a peaceful person, but will fight for her own self-respect
But I been hurt many times, I'm tired
The singer has been hurt in the past and is now tired of being hurt
They all think that they can try her
Men believe they can manipulate the singer's emotions
'Til those shots are fired
The men realize the consequences of their actions only when it is too late
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Jhene Aiko Chilombo, Kevin Roosevelt II
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jazminroxs9
Lyrics:
Bang, bang
I gotcha
Who shot ya?
Yeah gotcha, gotcha
If home is where the heart is
He's homeless cuz he's heartless
He gave me all his heart and
I ripped the shit to shreds
Now he's dead
An empty shell of nothing
Incapable of loving
Now, no woman will want him
Damn
Guess I'm a killer
Call me a murderer
Some kind of monster
I'm just a horrible person
I try to tell 'em
Don't play with my love
This is your warning
I do not give a fuck
That's why I line em up
Shoot em down
That's why I line em up
Shoot em down
That 's why I line em up
Shoot em down
That's right I line em up
Shoot em down
That's how I do it now
Innocent men
Delicate men
They never see that
Gun in my hand
So they proceed
To do what they please
Til' they are bloody
Screaming for Jesus
It's either that
Or me letting them
Disrespect me with different women
But I refuse to be the victim
So I guess I'm a killer
Call me a murderer
Some kind of monster
I'm just a horrible person
I try to tell 'em
Don't play with my love
This is your warning
I do not give a fuck
That's why I line em up
Shoot em down
That's why I line em up
Shoot em down
That 's why I line em up
Shoot em down
That's right I line em up
Shoot em down
That's how I do it now
I don't play that
I don't play around
I don't play that shit
Gotta lay 'em down
I don't play that
When I lay 'em down
Bang, bang
Lay 'em down
I'm a lover, not a fighter
But I been hurt many times
I'm tired
They all think that
They can try her
'Til those shots are fired
I tried to tell 'em
Don't play with my love
This is your warning
I do not give a fuck
That's why I line em up
Shoot em down
That's why I line em up
Shoot em down
That 's why I line em up
Shoot em down
That's right I line em up
Shoot em down
That's how I do it now
@bethanyelizondo9695
Bang, bang
I gotcha
Who shot ya?
Yeah gotcha, gotcha
If home is where the heart is
He's homeless cuz he's heartless
He gave me all his heart and
I ripped the shit to shreds
Now he's dead
An empty shell of nothin'
Incapable of lovin'
Now, no woman will want him
Damn
Guess I'm a killa
Call me a murderer
Some kind of monster
I'm just a horrible person
I try to tell 'em
Don't play with my love
This is your warnin'
I do not give a fuck
That's why I
Line em up
Shoot em down
That's why I
Line em up
Shoot em down
That 's why I
Line em up
Shoot em down
That's right I
Line em up
Shoot em down
That's how I do it now
Innocent men
Delicate men
They never see that
Gun in my hand
So they proceed
To do what they please
Til' they are bloody
Screamin' for Jesus
It's either that
Or me letting them
Disrespect me with different women
But I refuse to be the victim
So
I guess I'm a killa
Call me a murderer
Some kind of monster
I'm just a horrible person
I try to tell 'em
Don't play with my love
This is your warning
I do not give a fuck
That's why I
Line em up
Shoot em down
That's why I
Line em up
Shoot em down
That 's why I
Line em up
Shoot em down
That's right I
Line em up
Shoot em down
That's how I do it now
I don't play that
I don't play around
I don't play that shit
Gotta lay 'em down
I don't play that
When I lay 'em down
Bang, bang
Lay 'em down
I'm a lover
Not a fighter
But I been hurt many times
I'm tired
They all think that
They can try her
'Til those shots are fired
I tried to tell 'em
Don't play with my love
This is your warning
I do not give a fuck
That's why I
Line em up
Shoot em down
That's why I
Line em up
Shoot em down
That 's why I
Line em up
Shoot em down
That's right I
Line em up
Shoot em down
That's how I do it now
✨✨✨✨✨✨
@kelleyd979
She’s smart rereleasing her old music since it didn’t get enough recognition when it first came out
@jadedivine8842
Yup, I never heard this album. It's completely magical ✨️ This album deserves to be recognized. 🔮
@demimichellepotts4710
"Home is where the heart is, he's homeless 'cause he's heartless." still hits the same after all these years!⚡
@Madeit22.
Me to 👌 Couldn't say it any better xx
@yaazzyy8410
😢😢
@officialqueen3889
I love jhenè she is one of the best artist out idc what nobody say 😗
@nicolemckinney7983
Factually
@liyahli3638
Yess
@sarahdructor3425
Period
@cheychey2848
agreed