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.
Sun/Son
Jhené Aiko Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sun son, sun son, sun son, sun son, sun son
There's no more cloudy days
Even when there's no light out
I feel your warm embrace
You love me with passion
When I'm at a raise, you're like the anchor
Just right when I needed savin', oh-oh
Waited awhile, don't know where you was (where you was)
I prayed out loud and then there you were
Made for the vow, you're the way, the one (way, the one)
No doubt about it, you charge me up, you charge me up (sun son, sun son)
My solar power, I'm so in love (sun son, sun son)
You charge me up, you charge me up (sun son, sun son)
My solar power, I'm so in love (sun son, sun son)
Shine on me, so I can be everything I am
Lay your lead, you're takin' me to the promised land
Cherish the days (cherish the days), God bless the child
Your mama's soul, and your daddy's style
Wouldn't you know, isn't it it wild
Your mama's eyes, and your daddy's smile
Waited awhile, don't know where you was (where you was)
I prayed out loud and then there you were
Face to the clouds like a ray of love (ray of love)
No doubt about it, you charge me up, you charge me up (sun son, sun son)
My solar power, I'm so in love (sun son, sun son)
You charge me up, you charge me up (sun son, sun son)
My solar power, I'm so in love (sun son, sun son)
Sun son, sun son, sun son, sun son, sun son
Sun son, sun son, sun son, sun son, sun son
In the song "Sun/Son" by Jhené Aiko, the repeated phrase "sun son" represents a source of light, warmth, and love in the artist's life. It symbolizes a person or presence that brings joy and positivity, even in dark and difficult times. This individual is compared to the sun, which is often associated with divine energy and life-giving qualities. The repetition of the phrase emphasizes the significance and impact of this person in the artist's life.
The lyrics express gratitude and appreciation for this person's unwavering support and love. Even during moments of doubt or struggle, the presence of this individual serves as a grounding force, akin to an anchor. The artist feels fortunate that this person entered their life just when they needed saving, highlighting the importance of their relationship and the positive influence they have.
The verse continues with the artist expressing that they had waited for this person for a while, unsure of their whereabouts. However, through prayer and belief, they finally appeared. The "vow" mentioned refers to a commitment made by this person, highlighting their significance and importance to the artist. The connection between them charges the artist up, bringing energy, inspiration, and love into their life.
The chorus speaks of the transformative power that this person possesses. Their presence shines on the artist, allowing them to embrace and express their true selves. With them by their side, the artist feels supported and guided to a promised land, symbolizing a place of happiness and fulfillment. The mention of their parents' traits, such as their eyes and smile, indicates that this person carries the best qualities of both their mother and father, making them even more special.
Overall, "Sun/Son" is a heartfelt expression of love, gratitude, and the transformative power of a significant person in the artist's life. They bring warmth, support, and inspiration, serving as a guiding light and source of strength.
Line by Line Meaning
Sun son, sun son, sun son, sun son, sun son
The person being referred to as 'sun son' brings warmth, light, and positivity into my life.
There's no more cloudy days
Since the arrival of the 'sun son', there are no longer gloomy or uncertain times.
Even when there's no light out
Even in the absence of literal brightness, the presence of the 'sun son' brings inner illumination.
I feel your warm embrace
The 'sun son' provides a comforting and loving presence in my life.
You love me with passion
The affection and care shown by the 'sun son' is intense and heartfelt.
When I'm at a raise, you're like the anchor
During times of uncertainty or instability, the 'sun son' stabilizes and supports me.
And I am so glad you came
I express deep gratitude for the presence and arrival of the 'sun son' in my life.
Just right when I needed savin', oh-oh
The 'sun son' arrived at the perfect moment, providing salvation or rescue during a difficult period.
Waited awhile, don't know where you was (where you was)
I patiently waited, uncertain of the whereabouts of the 'sun son' until their appearance.
I prayed out loud and then there you were
Through vocalizing my prayers, the 'sun son' manifested and appeared in my life.
Made for the vow, you're the way, the one (way, the one)
The 'sun son' is the perfect companion, destined for a committed and significant relationship.
No doubt about it, you charge me up, you charge me up (sun son, sun son)
It is unquestionable that the 'sun son' energizes and uplifts me with their presence.
My solar power, I'm so in love (sun son, sun son)
The 'sun son' is my source of power and vitality, and I am deeply infatuated with them.
Shine on me, so I can be everything I am
By radiating their light upon me, the 'sun son' allows me to embrace and express my true self.
Lay your lead, you're takin' me to the promised land
With their guidance, the 'sun son' leads me towards a place of fulfillment and happiness.
Cherish the days (cherish the days), God bless the child
I treasure and appreciate the moments spent with the 'sun son', and I invoke blessings upon them.
Your mama's soul, and your daddy's style
The 'sun son' embodies the best qualities of their mother and father, inheriting their essence and characteristics.
Wouldn't you know, isn't it it wild
It is both remarkable and unexpected that the 'sun son' possesses these remarkable qualities.
Your mama's eyes, and your daddy's smile
The 'sun son' inherits the physical traits of their parents, reflecting their mother's eyes and their father's smile.
Face to the clouds like a ray of love (ray of love)
Like a beam of love, the 'sun son' directs their attention towards challenges and difficulties, offering their support.
Sun son, sun son, sun son, sun son, sun son
Continuing to emphasize the significant impact and presence of the 'sun son' in my life.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jhene Chilombo
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Pandulse123
It's actually so beautiful how much Jhene loves her children. She writes such incredible songs for her babies ❤
@TR-1111
111 likes
@markeyamanns7224
Swear, this gon be me!!
@xXXx-fz6mo
Same. Kids will do that to. Love will do that. 😅
@professorx5655
This is so true!!!!
@lateefahwilliamson9986
🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉😂🎉🎉🎉🎉
@11BeanJelly
Her voice is therapeutic. Goosebumps every time 😮
@mogamatyusufmartin9171
Definitely
@leogoma5501
Goosebumps is the word,,,, ts been a while I heard from jhene, but the moment I heard this I went straight to download,,, perfect music 💥💥🎶
@rodebh8054
ضهغللغتامبتلاىيناقنلتفغالت@@mrguacx