It’s no surprise that Big Sean and Jhené Aiko have come together to release a full album. The two have collaborated on a few tracks over the past couple years. Big Sean’s “Dark Sky Paradise” featured Jhené’s smooth vocals on “I Know” and “Stay Down”. Both tracks helped paint out the album’s intimate picture and reassured their undeniable chemistry. The history of Big Sean and Jhene’s collaborations naturally revolve around relationships, something both artists know a thing or two about. TWENTY88 takes the themes of love and lust a step further by stretching it across the whole album. Each song explains the ins and outs of relationships from a male and female perspective.
Right off the bat the album opens up with “Déjà Vu” which balances both sides of the “relationship”. At one point during Jhené’s verse it literally seems like she’s talking to Sean as if they’ve been dating for years. “Cause I stuck around for you/ when your ass wasn’t doing shit but running around the D wrapping nothing but them muthafuckin’ Swisher Sweets”. It sounds so real, you’d think she was talking about her life experience.
Another song off this Twenty88 album that caught my attention is “2 Minute Warning.” The track gets help from Detail and a surprise appearance from K-Ci and JoJo that no I didn’t even expect. Sean’s rapping sounds so genuine it’s hard to focus on anything else.
A couple notable songs on the album that I also enjoyed are “On The Way” and “Selfish”. The production is cohesive with Sean’s sound and Jhene’s vibe. Key Wane produced most of the album along with some assistance from Da Internz on drums. The sound is cohesive and easy to listen to.
When you see the names Big Sean & Jhene Aiko, you automatically expect the music to be smooth and easy to vibe to. Full of relationship ups and downs, this is exactly what a Big Sean & Jhene album should sound like. Simplicity is key and they executed very well. This is something you definitely need in your playlists while you’re taking a drive down Sunset at night. Go cop the new TWENTY88 album on ITunes. Definitely a must buy.