Well look what we have here. Just days after debuting her short film Trip, and hours after revealing her emotional “MAP mission,” Jhene Aiko decides to come through and surprise fans with the release of her sophomore album Trip, her first solo project since 2014’s Souled Out.
Laced with a whopping 22 tracks in total, the follow up to last year’s Twenty88 project with boyfriend Big Sean features a slew of guest appearances, including Swae Lee (“Sativa”), Kurupt (“Never Call Me”), Brandy (“Ascension”), Mali Music (“Trip”), and more. Of course her boyfriend Big Sean makes an appearance on the song “Moments,” while her father Dr. Chill and daughter Namiko Love also make appearances.
“This year, I just really want to show every side of me, really dive into who I am […] I’m getting older and I feel like I’m more in tune with who I am and less afraid to express every side of myself,” the 29-year-old singer explained on the Breakfast Club. “[The album is] inspired by every type of trip you could imagine: mental, physical, even psychedelic. I’m at a point where I put it all in the music. It’s a puzzle I want people to put together.”
In a new mission statement from Thursday, which you should peep here, Jhené revealed that she has been on a journey to find herself following the 2012 death of her brother Miyagi. “My brother and I were very close. We were only two years apart,” she said. “I never thought of him as a separate person, but an extension of myself. He was my reflection. In his presence I was confident and always so sure.” Jhene refers to the “MAP" mission as a (m)ovie, (a)lbum and (p)oetry book. So with the first two now out (movie & album), look for her poetry book, 2Fish, to be coming soon as well.
Led by the previously heard single “When We Love,” fans can now stream the project in its entirety for free thanks to the good folks at Spotify. Suggest you roll before you hit play and enjoy the new vibes. (Included below is Trip's short film as well)
Tracklist:
1. “Lsd”
2. “Jukai”
3. “While We’re Young”
4. “Moments” Feat. Big Sean
5. “Olla (Only Lovers Left Alive)” Feat. TWENTY88
6. “When We Love”
7. “Sativa” Feat. Swae Lee
8. “New Balance”
9. “Newer Balance (Freestyle)”
10. “You Are Here”
11. “Never Call Me” Feat. Kurupt
12. “Nobody”
13. “Overstimulated”
14. “Bad Trip (Interlude)”
15. “Oblivion (Creation)” Feat. Dr. Chill
16. “Psilocybin (Love in Full Effect)” Feat. Dr. Chill
17. “Mystic Journey (Freestyle)”
18. “Picture Perfect (Freestyle)”
19. “Sing to Me” Feat. Namiko Love
20. “Frequency”
21. “Ascension” Feat. Brandy
22. “Trip” Feat. Mali Music