Jidenna Drops Highly Anticipated ’85 To Africa’ Album

Fans have had to wait for two years to get a sophomore album from Nigerian-American singer, Jidenna.

The ‘Classic Man’ hitmaker who dropped his debut album, The Chief, in February 2017 has finally dropped his second album, 85 To Africa.

Jidenna | Photo – Paras Griffin /Getty Images

The album is inspired by a series of unfortunate events that led to Jidenna leaving America for Africa to record. Per his synopsis on YouTube:

“One fateful morning in the summer of 2017, Jidenna Mobisson found himself on the wrong end of the barrel of a gun. Armed with weapons and warrants, local police officers flooded the eight-bedroom mansion he and his team had been subletting in the suburbs of Atlanta. Unbeknownst to the world-renowned entertainer, the home’s owner had been grievously delinquent on mortgage payments and had lost the house in a foreclosure auction. Jidenna was being evicted. As movers dumped his possessions into boxes, the home’s new residents watched from the sidelines and smiled at his misfortune. Reflecting on the moment that would ultimately set the stage for his remarkable new album, “85 to Africa,” he says that being unceremoniously booted from his home of three years, “felt like the story of being black in America. We’re living in this beautiful house by the lake, that cul-de-sac life. Everything is dandy, career’s going well, we’re paying the lease on time, we’re doing everything right and then, out of nowhere, at 6am in the morning, we’re displaced.” His cup-de-sac dreams dashed and a tour looming on the horizon, Jidenna decided to hit the road and not return to the United States until the spirit moved him. “We had no where to come home,” he says, “so we ended up going back to Africa.”

In an interview with MTV previewing his latest studio project, Jidenna explained the cultural significance of the album’s name:

“I wanted this album to be a highway that you could take to Africa. We’re living in a time where there’s a lot less borders between people. There’s some people to build borders and make walls but the rest of us know that we are in a time where global culture is it. This album is a mixture of all of that.” 

The Epic Records artist’s sophomore album features 11 songs. Guests include GoldLink, Fela Kuti’s son Seun Kuti, Mereba, St. Beauty and Mr. Eazi.

In July, the ‘Bambi’ crooner teased the album with a trailer which had fans longing for more. Jidenna hasn’t been shy about showcasing his Nigerian heritage high and proud, so an Afrobeats-inspired album from him is long overdue.

View Jidenna’s 85 To Africa stream below:

https://open.spotify.com/album/238eVufzRziHuYLuBVZh1u