Exploring Jhené Aiko’s Cultural Background: “I Am the Descendant of Asian and African Ancestors”

The Breakdown: Growing up in L.A.’s melting pot, Jhené Aiko saw herself in many cultures. However, internet sleuths have regularly speculated about her ethnicity, leading the singer to speak up amid the backlash.

For years, Jhené Aiko has faced questions about her ethnicity. The singer has been in the scene since the early 2000s when she provided vocals for the R&B group B2K. During this period, she was marketed as the "cousin" of B2K member Lil' Fizz. Her record label marketed the move as a strategic step to promote her music. However, they had no actual familial relation.

After grinding it out for a few years, Jhené was featured on Big Sean's single "Beware" alongside Lil Wayne, which became her first Top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. That same year, she released the EP Sail Out, featuring the track "The Worst," which earned platinum certification. Her debut studio album, Souled Out, followed in 2014, solidifying her presence in the R&B genre.

However, during her career, netizens have constantly questioned her ethnicity. For those in doubt, here is a rundown of everything Jhené has said about her racial identity and cultural background.

Jhené’s heritage is a vibrant mix of Japanese, African American, Native American, German-Jewish, Spanish, and Dominican roots. Her mother, Christina Yamamoto, boasts Japanese, Spanish, and Dominican ancestry, while her father, Karamo Chilombo, brings African American, Native American, and German-Jewish genetics to the mix.

Jhené is the youngest of five children from her parents' union and has three half-siblings from her father's other relationships, totaling eight siblings.

In a 2021 Instagram post, Jhené expressed her connection to her diverse background. “I am the descendant of Asian and African ancestors,” she wrote. “Violence across the Asian American and Black communities is unacceptable.”

In a later interview with Billboard, the singer discussed the melting pot of cultures she experienced growing up in Los Angeles. Adding, "We were all pretty mixed up. It was a big melting pot. So I saw myself in so many different types of people."

While Jhené embraces her Black heritage, she has chosen to stop using the “n-word” in her music. The songstress got involved in an X exchange with netizens over her racial identity, which led her to address her use of the word.

“The discussion stemmed from the use of the n-word in my music, in the past,” she wrote (via Essence). “I haven’t [said it] in a while and chose not to use it anymore moving forward out of respect and consideration to my ancestors and the individuals who feel uncomfortable when I say it.”

Jhené and her partner, Big Sean, have lost their Los Angeles home to the January wildfires. The couple, along with their 2-year-old son Noah Hasani and Jhene's 16-year-old daughter Namiko Love, are safe, but their property is gone. The wildfires wreaked havoc across Southern California, displacing over 80,000 residents, including several celebrities.

“Me and my children's home is gone,” Jhené wrote on Instagram. “Burned to the ground with all of our things inside. Lord have mercy. Thankful we still have each other ... starting from scratch. My heart is so heavy.” Despite her tragedy, Jhené extended her empathy to fellow victims.