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Souled Out is the debut album by American recording artist Jhene Aiko, expected to be released in 2013, through Def Jam Recordings. It will be Aiko's first release under the label after leaving her contract with Sony Records in 2003. After leaving "Sony Records" Aiko released her first mixtape "Sailing Soul(s)" independently, the mixtape featured appearances from well known artists and was met with critical acclaim. 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.

The writing, recording and producing of the album began shortly after Jhene was signed to Def Jam in 2012. Most of the album was wrote by Aiko herself and will feature production from No I.D., Dot da Genius, Key Wane, TDE and Fistcuffs, who is responsible for producing the majority of Aiko's debut mixtape "Sailing Soul(s)"(2011). The album is expected to feature several musical guests including Kendrick Lamar, Ab-Soul and Kid Cudi.

Background
In 2002 Jhené made her musical beginning when she featured on several B2K, she featured on tracks five through eight on B2K's B2K: The Remixes - Volume 1, "My Name Is Jhene (Intro)", "He Couldn't Kiss (Album Version)", "Gonna Love You Anyway (Snippet)", and "Stuck Like This (Snippet)". "Santa Baby", a cover she recorded, was featured on B2K's Santa Hooked Me Up''. are sung by her. On Pandemonium!, she was featured as a guest vocalist on the song "Tease", and her song "Dog" appeared as a bonus track on B2K's "Pandemonium". The full version of "Stuck Like This" can be heard as the final track on The Remixes - Volume 2. Jhené has 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" which debuted on BET 106 & Park when she was 15 years old. Jhene was set to release her self titled debut album but the album was never released due to tension at the record label Epic, in which Aiko asked to be released from the label. Aiko then began to focus on school. Later at the age of 20, Aiko became pregnant by American R&B singer O'Ryan and gave birth on 24 November, 2008. After Aiko gave birth to her daughter, six months later she began to work and develop on the mixtape. Aiko stated that she was going through trouble at this period in her life saying "At the time I was going through so much in my life that it was so easy to write the songs. I had just had a baby and I was dealing with baby father issues and I had a boyfriend. The songs were just coming and coming. I just had so much to say, and when I was signed, I never really got a chance to write my own music. I always wanted to do a mixtape and before I got pregnant I was about to get back into it ‘cause I was working with different producers and things like that. Fisticuffs, who produced the majority of sailing soul(s), I’ve known them for a while and worked with them on different projects. So yeah, the concepts were just coming and it only took about nine months to complete". All the songs on the mixtape were written by Aiko, 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. In 2011, she also began working closely with artists from Los Angeles-based independent record label Top Dawg Entertainment.

Development
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 spoke on how the meeting came to happen with No I.D. saying "A mutual friend began working with No I.D. He called and said No I.D. wanted to have a meeting with me. He told me he was with Def Jam. The interview was unlike any meeting I had before. He made me feel comfortable. He’s very humble." Aiko revealed that she has signed to Def Jam via her official twitter account, the tweet consisted of an image of Jhene Akio and No I.D. holding a contract. . During an interview Aiko spoke on signing to a label saying "I was really skeptical about doing a label deal, just because of what I had dealt with when I was younger, the more that I worked with No I.D. and was in the studio, I just saw how similar we were. He's older than me, so it was like a very good example of what I'm trying to do. He's peaceful, healthy, and into the same philosophies that I'm into, and it's great to be around that in a working environment, because the music comes out great." Aiko continued to talk on signing with Def Jam saying “It’s a little different now when the label’s involved, everybody has to be on the same page and the same time line.”

Production
"Souled Out" will feature production from producer Fistcuffs, who helped produce the majority of Aiko's 2001 mixtape Sailing Soul(s). The album will also feature production from Aiko's mentor "No I.D. and Dot da Genius whom has worked with Jhene's idol Kid Cudi. Aiko spoke on meeting with Dot da Genius saying "It was memorable when I met with Dot da Genius because I didn't really know I was going to record, and I ended up having a song that I had in my head that just worked perfectly to his track," she explains. "I was really excited to work with him because I like Kid Cudi, and he works with him, and I was like, 'Oh you know, I'm one step closer.'" Aiko will also be working with producer Key Wane and TDE.

In October 2012, after performing at SOB's in New York City, Aiko revealed to The Singers Room that she is recording a project with No I.D. and the rest of Cocaine 80's and that they would also be featured on her upcoming Def Jam debut, Souled Out: "Me and the Cocaine 80s is made up of musicians, singers and producers. I told them I wanted to be a part of the Cocaine 80s. I wanted to be the female voice of the group. They will be featured on ‘Souled Out’. Yes, we are definitely working on a mixtape or album together. That is definitely in the works.

Aiko stated that she was looking forward to working with American artist Kid Cudi saying "It's on my wish list, I'm not gonna say, you know, that he's gonna be on there. One day, maybe", she also revealed that American rapper Big Sean and members of the TDE cats (Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q, Ab-Soul, Jay Rock) may make an appearance on "Souled Out". During a interview Aiko was asked if rapper Kendrick Lamar in which she replied "You know what, I sure do hope so!" during the interview Aiko also revealed that she had recrded a song with rapper Ab-Soul saying "I have an amazing song with Ab-Soul that’s gonna be on there. Of course they’re all busy so you never know. Definitely I’m pushing for that Kendrick collab though".

Aiko revealed that she had been sent many songs for her debut saying "I’ve been getting so many tracks lately and I’m not used to that. I’m used to just having a handful to work with but now that the label (Def Jam) is involved, they’re sending me so much great stuff and I’ve just been writing and writing and writing!" Jhene also stated that she is working on the album everyday either recording or writing, but is taking her time as she doesn't want "to put out some nonsense".

Music and concept
During a interview Aiko revealed that the album has "deeper" concept and features songs wrote around the subject of "relationships" saying "I just reached a little deeper to talk about more of my feelings on stuff aside from just boys and relationship type of stuff, my feelings towards life and what life means to me, and my philosophies, and a lot of the stuff that I tweet about -- I think there's some spiritual element to Souled Out. A lot more than Sailing Souls for sure". Aiko continued to say "Souled out has been getting pretty deep. Especially the deeper I’m getting into writing, you know". "I have some relationship songs on there too but I really just want to pour my soul into Souled Out and give the people a glimpse into the things that I think about daily".


 * 3:16, is a song that last for a duration of three minutes and sixteen seconds that lyrically speaks about "addiction, not just drugs, addiction to anything that you go to when you’re in your darkest place and I think everyone can relate to that. We’ve all been to hell and back and that’s pretty much what 3:16 is all about: going to hell and back".


 * "Everything Must Go" lyrically talks about "how you lose everything eventually and getting comfortable with that idea and that it’s not a bad thing."

Release
said Jhené. “Very soon; I’m trying to really get it out by summer – I’m not going to give any dates yet – but very soon,” explained Jhene. Check out the clip above, where she also speaks on her spirituality and personality.

Confirmed tracks

 * "Everything Must Go"
 * "3:16"
 * "What A Life"

Promotion
On December 5, 2012, Aiko released a viral video for a song entitled "Mirrors".

Live performances
On October 22, 2012 Jhene performed at the SOB’s Friday night in which she performed songs from her mixtape “Sailing Soul(s)”(2011) such as “Higher” and “Space Jam,” Aiko also debuted a new song from the album entitled “What A Life”.

Sailing Soul(s)
Sailing Souls(s) (stylized as .sailing soul(s).) is the debut mixtape by American singer-songwriter Jhené Aiko, released on March 16, 2011. Aiko began working on the mixtape after she gave birth to her daughter, Aiko wrote all the mixtape's songs except from "July" which was written by Micah Powell. Most songs on the mixtape 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 mixtape featured several guest vocalists, including Miguel, Drake and Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar as well as others.

Critically the album received positive reviews, with reviewers saying that the mixtape was one of the "freshest", another reviewer said that the mixtape is making "Noise in the R&B spectrum". The concept follows the story of Aiko having a meeting with a label and she was told by people at the label "I love everything but when you come into these meetings you have to sell yourself." After the meeting Jhene came up with the concept "I’m not a slave to anyone; I’m sailing my soul instead of selling it."

To promote the mixtape Aiko was joined by Grammy-nominated R&B singer Miguel on a one off free secret tour on Sunday, July 15th. 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 while. The concert started 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".

Background
In 2002 Jhené made her musical beginning when she featured on several B2K, she featured on tracks five through eight on B2K's B2K: The Remixes - Volume 1, "My Name Is Jhene (Intro)", "He Couldn't Kiss (Album Version)", "Gonna Love You Anyway (Snippet)", and "Stuck Like This (Snippet)". "Santa Baby", a cover she recorded, was featured on B2K's Santa Hooked Me Up''. are sung by her. On Pandemonium!, she was featured as a guest vocalist on the song "Tease", and her song "Dog" appeared as a bonus track on B2K's "Pandemonium". The full version of "Stuck Like This" can be heard as the final track on The Remixes - Volume 2. Jhené has 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" which debuted on BET 106 & Park when she was 15 years old. Jhene was set to release her self titled debut album but the album was never released due to tension at the record label Epic, in which Aiko asked to be released from the label. Aiko then began to focus on school. Later at the age of 20, Aiko became pregnant by American R&B singer O'Ryan and gave birth on 24 November, 2008.

Development
After Aiko gave birth to her daughter, six months later she began to work and develop on the mixtape. Aiko stated that she was going through trouble at this period in her life saying "At the time I was going through so much in my life that it was so easy to write the songs. I had just had a baby and I was dealing with baby father issues and I had a boyfriend. The songs were just coming and coming. I just had so much to say, and when I was signed, I never really got a chance to write my own music. I always wanted to do a mixtape and before I got pregnant I was about to get back into it ‘cause I was working with different producers and things like that. Fisticuffs, who produced the majority of sailing soul(s), I’ve known them for a while and worked with them on different projects. So yeah, the concepts were just coming and it only took about nine months to complete". All the songs on the mixtape were written by Aiko, 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. In 2011, she also began working closely with artists from Los Angeles-based independent record label Top Dawg Entertainment.

Concept
Aiko described the concept of this mixtape during a interview with Vibe Magazine, in which she said "The concept came from the meeting right before I found out I was pregnant. I had a meeting with this label head and at this point I had done so many meetings. I had been doing it for like five years, and I was excited to have the meeting, but it wasn’t hype. I was going to go in there and be myself, I’m not going to really care. I wore a little bit of makeup and I dressed how I would dress. Went in there, sang for them, did the whole meeting thing and he was like, ‘I love your voice, I love everything but when you come into these meetings you have to sell yourself.’ I was just speechless when he said that, and I have no filter when it comes to speaking my mind so I bit my tongue so hard. I wanted to say, ‘No! I don’t have to sell myself. I am me.’ You like me or you don’t. After that, I found out I was pregnant and I was on Twitter one day and said something about selling your soul, but I spelled it wrong and Chase N. Cashe corrected me. I put “sailing souls” and he said, ‘Oh, that would be a nice name for an album.” And everything started happening after that. Definitely the whole “sailing souls” thing. A lot of people are still confused about what that means, and it just means to stay true to yourself and go with what you feel. Feeling are really the only thing that is real. I kinda want to convey the message to just be yourself. Don’t ever lose yourself for whatever reason—because you want to make more money, because you want to be prettier or whatever. I’m not a slave to anyone; I’m sailing my soul instead of selling it."

Music and lyrics
In a interview Aiko described the music and her style on the mixtape saying "Honestly, I don’t think it fits in and I think that’s why it stands out. It’s about what I’m saying. It’s a marriage [with] real music. Fisticuffs, they don’t use any samples and they use live instruments a lot of the times in their beats, so I would go in there and I would be singing and they would be making the track. It was like a complete marriage of sound. I wouldn’t write anything down, just sing it on the mic and come up with everything off the top of my head. I feel like it doesn’t have to sound like anything that’s on the radio to be good music".

Sailing Souls opening track last for a duration of eight-second which features a "sped up, reversed intro", that then is followed by the albums second song “Stranger”, which lyrically talks of a "woman going through similar issues of the heart, but seemingly with different men". “Hoe” is produced by Fisticuffs, and features a "steady drum beat", the song also includes guest vocals from Miguel and Gucci Mane. The fourth track "July", features vocals from rapper, which has "a lighter feel on production and a simple, repetitive piano chord". “My Mine,” used the topic Cannabis as metaphor for love. “Sailing NOT selling,” featuring a verse from Kanye West,lyrically the song "attack a hot topic in music right now". Do Better Blues,” which was produced by J.LBS talks about "the fearful truth to an ex, saying she is probably NOT better off without him". “Higher” is described as a crazy, "sexy, cool song" with suggestive lyrics in regards to Cannabis, “Break me down/Roll me up/Boy I can be your pipe dream”. “You vs. Them,” is described as "hauntingly beautiful song", that lyrically describes "the apprehension of getting into a relationship, of which, she may be referring to a person or God". "Space Jam" Aiko wrote on the subject of when she found out her brother had been diagnosed with cancer.

Critical Reception
SoulCulture.co.uk praised the album calling it one of the "freshest" mixtapes saying "As R&B mixtapes go, this has to be one of the freshest out in a long time, especially considering there have been a constant flow from male rappers. The tracks are predominantly chilled out, the production is on point from start to finish and as well as the collaborations from the big dogs, there are also solid features from little known rappers HOPE, Roosevelt and Lite". Rap-Up.com also praised the album saying it made "Noise in the R&B spectrum" saying the following "Drake, Miguel, and Kendrick Lamar all showed up on the effort, which mixed her sensually sweet voice with hip-hop-centric beats".

Gstylemag.com reviewed the album positively saying "Usually when you think smooth flow with slow to mid tempo songs you think nap time but this album definitely kept my attention and there was not any point that I felt the urge to fast forward. I did find myself repeating the song Hoe feat Miguel and Gucci Mane more than others at times. Each artist added just the right amount of flavor to the song to make it work and were careful not to outshine each other. The lyrics are what mostly gets me about this song-it’s a song about an aggressive female that knows what she wants but doesn’t want to give the guy the impression that that’s how she usually gets down. It is sung from both the female and male perspective and it doesn’t degrade or disrespect as the title or the worlds “Feat Gucci Mane” may suggest." On reviewer said "This mixtape is amazing, it showcase's Jhene's beautiful voice and heartfelt lyrics (she wrote every song.) This mixtape gives me the same feeling I got when I 1st heard Drake's mixtape "So Far Gone." I believe that every woman can relate to Jhene in 1 way or another. I connect with her music because I am an emotional woman who loves love & honesty and this mixtape leaves me wanting to hear more from Jhene Aiko."

Track listing

 * Sampling credits
 * "Hoe" incorporates lyrics from "Pretty Girls" as performed by Wale.
 * "Sailing NOT Selling" incorporates lyrics from "Eyez Closed" as performed by Snoop Dogg.

Signed Acts
Jermaine Lamarr Cole (born January 28, 1985), better known by his stage name J. Cole, is a German-born American hip hop recording artist and record producer from Fayetteville, North Carolina. In 2009, he became the first artist to sign to Jay-Z's Roc Nation label. His long-awaited debut album titled Cole World: The Sideline Story was released on September 27, 2011. The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, Top R&B Albums and Top Rap Albums chart, selling more than 217,000 in its first week sales. He received a nomination for Best New Artist at the 54th Grammy Awards.
 * J. Cole

Ora sang in bars in and around London, and in 2009 an A&R told Roc Nation about Ora, a few days after Ora flew out to New York and met Jay-Z. In 2009, Ora made a cameo on Jay-Z's video for "Young Forever" and "Over" by Drake. Ora caught the attention of Jay-Z and he signed her to Roc Nation, for which she was featured in a commercial for Roc Nation + Skullcandy Aviator Headphones. Ora's debut album Ora was released on 27 August 2012 and debuted at the top the UK Albums Chart.
 * Rita Ora

Bridget Kelly (born April 8, 1986) is a pop/R&B singer and songwriter from New York City. She is a graduate from Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in Manhattan. She is signed to Roc Nation. Kelly has regularly filled in for Alicia Keys when performing the song Empire State of Mind with Jay-Z.
 * Bridget Kelly

Alexis Jordan (born April 7, 1992) is an American singer and actress from Columbia, South Carolina. Jordan rose to fame as a contestant on the first season of America's Got Talent in 2006. After being eliminated from the show, she began to upload cover songs to YouTube, which received millions of views. The exposure led Jordan to the attention of Norwegian production team Stargate and American rapper Jay-Z, who both went on to sign her to their label, StarRoc their joint label. Her debut single, "Happiness", was released in September 2010, and reached number one in the Netherlands and Norway, and also became a top-three hit in Australia and the United Kingdom. Jordan's self-titled debut album was released on February 25, 2011.
 * Alexis Jordan

Hugo Chakrabongse Levy (born 6 August 1981), known under the mononym Hugo (Thai name: Chulachak Chakrabongse; จุลจักร จักรพงษ์) is a half-Thai Royal Family, half-British singer-songwriter. Based in New York City and signed to Jay-Z's Roc Nation label, his musical style has been dubbed by Roc Nation as "gangsta-rock". He is best known for his bluegrass cover of Jay-Z's "99 Problems", and his debut album, Old Tyme Religion, was released on May 10, 2011.
 * Hugo


 * Jay Electronica

Timothy Elpadaro Thedford (born September 19, 1976), better known by his stage name Jay Electronica, is an American hip hop recording artist, and record producer, currently based in London, United Kingdom. Jay Electronica first gained significant attention after the release of the musical composition Act I: Eternal Sunshine (the pledge), made available on a MySpace page in 2007. It is fifteen continuous minutes of music, without drums, built from Jon Brion's soundtrack to the film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. In late 2009 he released two songs, both produced by Just Blaze, "Exhibit A (Transformations)" and "Exhibit C" the latter of which won a Sucker Free Summit Award for Instant Classic. On November 12, 2010, it was announced Jay Electronica had become an official member of Jay-Z's Roc Nation record label.


 * Willow Smith

Willow Camille Reign Smith (born October 31, 2000) is an American child actress and singer. In the fall of 2010 with the release of her singles "Whip My Hair", "21st Century Girl", and signing to her current mentor Jay-Z's record label Roc Nation. "Whip My Hair" has peaked at #11 on the Billboard Hot 100. The video was nominated for Video of the Year at the BET Awards of 2011.


 * K Koke

Kevin Georgiou (born 22 May 1985), better known by his stage name K. Koke, is an English rapper of Greek Cypriot descent from Stonebridge, North West London. His first mixtape Pure Koke Volume One was an underground success. Volume 1 was given away for free on various online outlets. Having gained considerable critical acclaim within the UK Rap scene, he has recently signed with Roc Nation of Sony Music EntertainmentRCA.

Early Life and Career Beginnings
Milo was born in south-east London of British & Guyanese descent. Milo started singing with local musicians and arts collectives when she was aged fourteen, During Milo's childhood she tried to surround herself with inspiring people. "There was so little of that where I lived; an area which gave little hope to anyone, it's almost like they were told that they had a crappy fate and were willing to just go along with it." Milo is a recent BRIT School graduate.

Limey
Milo began surfing the internet for jazz-inspired hip-hop beats she could sing over, whilst surfing the internet she came across a bead by producer BLCK RSSN. Milo recorded over the beat and the track became her debut recording entitled "Bout You", the song caught the attention of Gilles Peterson for his Brownswood Bubblers compilation series. Rainy received various offers from record labels but turned them down as she felt it was to early. Milo began working on first extended play entitled "Limey". "limey" Featured collaborations with Chet Faker and Ariel Pink producer Cole MGN, and a reinterpretation of Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel's Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me), renamed Come Up and See Me. MOBO awards tipped Milo as a nominee for a award.

Artistry
Milos vocals have been described as "sultry vibrato tones" with a "London accent ring" stunning voice, and beats infused with trip hop.

Milo's style for her first EP "Limey" was described has having "charmingly-crooned vocals and jazz-funk infusion" "Limey" contained "jazz-inspired hip-hop" beats

Her production is inspired by artists such as Kid Cudi, N.E.R.D as well as her reggae-DJing grandfather