Jidenna may come across as calm, cool and collected on his single, “Classic Man” but in a recent interview with VLADTV, Janelle Monae’s protégé shocked many Nigerians when he revealed that his appearance made him bring-in a lot of AK47s and employed military commandos when he came to Nigeria to bury his father for fear of being kidnapped.
When asked to speak about the challenges of skin color in Nigeria. He recalls how his family brought weapons and military-style protection when attending his father’s funeral in an Igbo village.
“The fact that you have African blood in you is gonna make it hard. When you’re light-skinned, you’re a heavier target for being kidnapped because you’re seen as more valuable. You’re seen as white. You have more money. We were robbed – our family’s been assaulted. We’ve had a lot of issues.”
The Classic Man’s views resulted in a lot of backlash from social media with commenters saying his thoughts are “ignorant” and that they paint a negative light on Nigerian people:
“The one time they ask Jidenna about Nigeria he gives it a negative light… Odiegwu.”
But can you really say someone’s own memories and feelings about something they’ve actually experienced are wrong?
Sadly, Jidenna is not as popular in Nigeria as he is in America and very little is known about him.
Here are 7 facts about the ‘Classic man’ singer…
1) He was born Jidenna Theodore Mobisson in Winsconsin, America.
2) His mum, Tama Mobisson is an America-born Accountant while his dad, Oliver Mobisson is a Nigerian and one-time Professor of Computer Science at Enugu State University.
3) Jidenna’s name in Igbo Language means to ’embrace the father’
4) He is the youngest of four siblings.
5) He graduated from Stanford Univeristy in 2008 with a BA in Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity.
6) Jidenna is a founding member of Fear and Fancy, a social club that began in California in 2006.
7) He released his first ever single ‘Classic Man’ in February 2015….