''85 to Africa'' is the second
studio album by Nigerian-American recording artist
Jidenna
Jidenna Theodore Mobisson (born May 4, 1985), known mononymously as Jidenna, is an American rapper and singer. In 2015, Jidenna released two singles, "Classic Man" (featuring Roman GianArthur and Kendrick Lamar) and " Yoga" (with Janelle Monáe ...
. It was released on August 23, 2019 through Wondaland and
Epic Records.
It follows the release of both his debut effort ''
The Chief'' and the EP ''Boomerang'' (both released in 2017). The album features guest appearances from
GoldLink
D'Anthony William Carlos (born May 17, 1993), better known by his stage name GoldLink, is an American rapper and singer. In 2014, he released his debut mixtape, ''The God Complex'', which received critical acclaim. In June 2015, GoldLink was cho ...
,
St. Beauty,
Mr Eazi
Oluwatosin Ajibade (born 19 July 1991), better known by his stage name Mr Eazi, is a Nigerian-born, Ghana-based singer. He is a pioneer of Banku music, a fusion of sound he describes as a mixture of Ghanaian highlife and Nigerian chord progressio ...
,
Mereba
Marian Azeb Mereba (born September 19, 1990), known mononymously as Mereba, is an American singer, rapper, songwriter, and record producer.
Early life
Mereba was born in Montgomery, Alabama on September 19, 1990, and raised in Pennsylvania. S ...
and
Seun Kuti
Oluseun Anikulapo Kuti (born 11 January 1983), who is called by the name Seun Kuti, is a Nigerian musician, singer and the youngest son of the famous Afrobeat pioneer, Fela Kuti. Seun leads his father's former band Egypt 80.
Biography
The y ...
. Reviews for the record were positive, often praising the production and lyrical content. ''85 to Africa'' charted at number 112 on the
''Billboard'' 200. The accompanying
single
Single may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Single (music), a song release
Songs
* "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004
* "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008
* "Single" (William Wei song), 2016
* "Single", by ...
s "Tribe", "Sufi Woman", "Zodi", and "Sou Sou" were released.
Critical reception
''85 to Africa'' garnered positive reviews from
music critics.
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...
writer Andy Kellman wrote that: "Continuing where the ''Boomerang'' EP left off, even tighter lyrical, sonic, and collaborative connections are made with his father's home continent. The rapping and singing dandy is still chiefin' — coasting on charisma and wit more than skill, preening and gloating through much of the LP in his inimitable way, humble enough to accept one of the humorous nicknames bestowed on him."
Brody Kenny of ''
HipHopDX
''HipHopDX'' is an online magazine of hip hop music criticism and news. The website's current president and publisher is Sharath Cherian and the Head Of Content is Jerry L. Barrow. ''HipHopDX'' is the flagship publication of Cheri Media Group.
...
'' praised Jidenna's "charismatic performances" throughout the album and its world-spanning production but was critical of his lyrics being "shoddy" and "egregious" at points and not bringing more focus to himself, concluding that: "
ere's no sense of shyness in Jidenna when he performs, his vocals ringing out proudly and loudly at the top of the mix. But he might be holding himself — and his music — back by not presenting himself as boldly as he could. He can use his voice for rapping and singing, but he's still getting the hang of using it to truly deliver a message."
''
Pitchfork
A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves.
The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to ...
'' contributor Rawiya Kameir was also critical of Jidenna's "hardy, awkward rapping" not quite living up to his ambitious ideas but gave praise to DJ Dahi and Nana Kwabena's "cinematic and expansive" production, the "universally understood" cultural references and the record's second half for best embodying its "metaphorical highway to Africa" concept, concluding that: "It feels necessary to celebrate the visibility of these songs, propelled into the mainstream without the rubric of any A-list affiliation. It would be unwise to extrapolate too much from such anomalies, but it's hard not to feel that Jidenna's right about something."
Dean Van Nguyen of ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' found criticism in the album's production being "clean to the point of sterility" and Jidenna himself being a "competent rhyme-spitter" that "lacks distinction", but gave praise to "Worth the Weight" and "The Other Half" for showcasing his "star quality", concluding that: "In these moments, Jidenna gives reason to believe he can outlast the gimmicks."
Track listing
Notes
* – signifies a co-
producer
Charts
Release history
References
{{Authority control
2019 albums
Jidenna albums
Epic Records
Albums produced by DJ Dahi
Albums produced by Lil' C (record producer)
Albums produced by Roman GianArthur