Trip (2017)

Trip is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Jhené Aiko. It was released on September 22, 2017, by ArtClub International, ARTium, and Def Jam Recordings. It succeeds Aiko's debut album Souled Out (2014), which was released three years prior, and the collaborative album Twenty88 (2016), while releasing numerous non-album singles in between. The production on the album was primarily handled by frequent collaborators Dot da Genius, Fisticuffs, No I.D. and Key Wane, along with several other record producers such as Amaire Johnson, Frank Dukes, Benny Blanco, Cashmere Cat and Mike Zombie. The album also includes guest appearances from Big Sean, Swae Lee, Kurupt, Brandy, Mali Music, Aiko's father, with the moniker, Dr. Chill, Aiko's daughter, Namiko Love, and Chris Brown.

Trip was released without prior announcement, supported by the lead single "While We're Young". Trip received generally positive reviews from critics and was a moderate commercial success. The album debuted at number five on the US Billboard 200 chart, earning 32,000 album-equivalent units in its first week. It was also certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in November 2018.

Background

In September 2014, Aiko released her debut album, Souled Out, which was met with critical acclaim and commercial success. In 2016, Aiko collaborated with American rapper Big Sean for the 8-track album Twenty88 as a duo under the same name. Trip was originally announced in under the name TRIP 17, creating anticipation with non-album singles such as "Maniac", "First Fuck" with 6lack, and "Hello Ego" with Chris Brown between 2016 throughout early and mid-2017.

Describing the album's conception, Aiko stated that she wanted to create an album to showcase all of her personalities and express these. The album was inspired by different kinds of trips Aiko has experienced including mental, physical, and psychedelic.

Composition

Music and lyrics

According to Pitchfork, Trip is a concept album that "aims to translate the hallucinogenic highs of weed, LSD, and shrooms into sound", with "Aiko’s voice [blending] well into the spare, psychedelia-inspired productions".

Promotion

A 23-minute autobiographical film titled after the album was released a day before Trip on September 21, 2017, co-directed by Aiko.

On October 11, 2017, Aiko announced a headlining North American concert tour in support of the album titled "Trip (The Tour)" with Willow Smith, Kitty Cash and Kodie Shane that will take place in November and December 2017, and a European leg was later announced. Aside from her own tour, Aiko toured with American singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey during January 2018 on the LA to the Moon Tour.

Singles

"While We're Young", premiered on June 8, 2017, along with its music video directed by Jay Ahn. It was released for digital download as the album's lead single on June 9.

A remix of "Sativa", featuring Rae Sremmurd, was released as a single on January 22, 2018. It Peaked At Number 74 At The Billboard Hot 100.

Critical reception

Trey Alston of HipHopDX believed the album to be "a moody yet breezy continuation of [Aiko's] established aesthetic that ultimately lacks growth of her musical capabilities". In a positive review of the album, Pitchfork explains "Trip works because it isn't just about self-medicating or journeying through a grief-ridden mind."

Commercial performance

Trip debuted at number five on the US Billboard 200 chart, earning 32,000 album-equivalent units (including 10,000 copies as pure album sales) in its first week. This became Aiko's fourth US top-ten debut. The album also accumulated a total of 37.8 million on-demand audio streams of the album's songs during the tracking week. On November 29, 2018, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for combined sales and album-equivalent units of over 500,000 units in the United States. In 2018, Trip was ranked as the 126th most popular album of the year on the Billboard 200.

Personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal and Aiko's website.

• Performance
• Instrumentation
• Production
• Technical
• Management
• Miscellaneous
• Notes

"Clear My Mind" and "Hello Ego" from the Target exclusive version are listed as tracks 23 and 24, respectively