Sartorially inspired by the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s, dapper rapper/singer Jidenna dresses up his strain of hip-hop and R&B in a similarly stylish exterior. Released via Janelle Monáe’s Wondaland label, debut album The Chief mixes his poetic, politically charged anger – the bass-booming, drum-clapping Long Live the Chief, and the prowling opener A Bull’s Tale – with a more relaxed, old-school soul vibe, as highlighted on the languid, Monáe-assisted Safari and the twinkly lilt of Bambi. The exclusion of US hit Classic Man (which soundtracks a key scene in the Oscar-nominated Moonlight) leaves the album lacking a truly memorable moment, but the Afrobeat-inspired A Little Bit More and the carefree, soca-style Some Kind of Way showcase a versatile, genre-bending talent.
