Jhené Aiko Shares New Album Westwide Whimsy Feat. Kendrick Lamar, Ab-Soul, Larry June, & More

It's been six years since Jhené Aiko graced us with her last album Chilombo. She announced the long-awaited follow-up, titled Westside Whimsy, only a couple days ago, not giving us much time to process the information. Today, we get to hear the 20-track collection that has some major features including Kendrick Lamar, Ab-Soul, Larry June, Tyga, and OHMA. Westside Whimsy is equal parts heartbreak and the light that emerges in the aftermath of personal strife. A press release describes the album as "a love letter to Jhené Aiko’s hometown of Los Angeles," with her chosen collaborators celebrating “the diverse musical legacy and contemporary energy of Los Angeles." Aiko was born in Los Angeles and has referred to her hometown as "Slauson Hills," a nickname for the areas surrounding Slauson Avenue where she grew up.But immediately, Aiko makes clear that this project is much more personal than celebrating her hometown. The opening track "Wild Cat(s)" has her reconciling and compartmentalizing difficult emotions, reflecting on her own upbringing and parents' relationship — an air sign mother and a fire sign dad. "I'm adapting, emotionally detaching/ I guess that's what happens when you're...