What Jidenna actually means when he says he's a Classic Man | Welcome to Linda Ikeji's Blog

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Saturday 25 July 2015

What Jidenna actually means when he says he's a Classic Man

An interesting interview with the Nigerian-American singer about the substance behind his style. Interview by Deidre Dyer for the thefader.com. Enjoy below...

Have you always been keen on suits?
There have been different moments in my life when I was really into them. Some of the earliest pictures I have are of me in a suit in Nigeria, when I was like five or six years old, with my father. He used to wear three-piece suits and walk with a cane.
Did he wear that every day?
Yeah, every day. But in that day and age, he had bell bottoms. He would walk around with a three-piece suit and he would have a red cap on with a white feather signifying his rank as a chief. My style definitely stems from him, first and foremost.
I grew up designing my own clothes. In Nigeria, everyone makes their own clothes. It's not a big deal to make bespoke suiting, it's just a way of life. I would hire tailors from Nigeria or Ghana. Some of the best tailors in the world are from Dakar.

And what about shirting? That's a very specific collar that you're wearing.
Yeah, all the collars that I wear are in the style of the 1800s.
 
Why that era? I was studying the Jim Crow era and 1865, beyond that Antebellum south. I wanted to know what the freedmen that fought in the Civil War looked like right after the war was over. The freed slaves that went to Nova Scotia or went up north and started settlements—what did those men and women look like? I was fascinated by that. I wanted to have a collar that was very specific to the old Jim Crow, and this was one of them. Some people call it the club collar, or a double round collar.

It seems that in all the aspects of your style, the influence of history is present. Each piece is clearly referencing a specific time. Is a suit a history lesson for you?
That's a great question. For me, I wear a suit because I need to remember what's happened before me. I wear what I want every day. Our generation is super individualistic and that's cool, but it only gets you so far—you need people. We’re social beings and I need to know and remember where I came from.
The suit is actually easy to wear every day. I just gotta switch out my shirt, switch the colors, switch the tie, and then it's a brand new fit. To me, it is the fashion of the times. I just have to remember that every day so I know what I'm fighting for. To me, that’s what my style represents.

Do you consider style a form of resistance?
I think all style is a form of resistance. If you work in a corporate office and you wear a certain type of suit, especially as a woman, you're resisting the outside. Like, I am here. I don't work at McDonald's. I don't work on the street. I work in this office. I'm resisting that life. When I was a boy, I was sagging my pants like everyone else. Some boys become men and continue to sag their pants because that's their form of rebellion. Like ‘I don't want to wear a suit. I don't want to dress up. I don't want to pull up my pants. This is who I am, I'm resisting against that world, and I don't want to live that life.’ So, absolutely—I think everybody resists some other culture when they dress.

There was an interesting vignette in your video for “Classic Man” where you and your suited crew are walking down the block, and you come across two or three guys who are being stopped by the cops. Why was that a crucial scene to include in your video?
There's a lot of anger against police officers, especially in African American and Latino communities, and there has been for a long time. I have that anger, too. I'm very very critical of what this country has done with policing. But I do believe that there are good policemen and women. I wanted to make sure that I portrayed an interaction that I hope to see in these communities. I wanted to show a cooperative exchange, one that's not snitching and not deadly.

I'm sure your time working at the MLK institute was very influential. Who are some of the other influential figures that helped you kind of come to this understanding of the world?
Madame C.J. Walker, Elon Musk, Young Thug, Hillary Clinton, Ghandi and Hitler. I’ve been studying people that were not ordinary, for better or for worse. In Hitler's case for worse and actually, to some degree, Ghandi too— because his opinions of black South Africans were not positive. But women like Madame CJ Walker, the first millionaire, she was unafraid to go out there. She was brilliant and had a brilliant business model. 

What about Young Thug has been so influential?
I think a lot of people try to be someone else, and Young Thug really is who he is. I love his melodies, how he dresses, how he carries himself. The others ones I look at them for their leadership qualities. I look up to Elon Musk for his social entrepreneurship. Hillary is top general, man. Whether or not you like her, women have the very very difficult task of answering the question, 'Do you have to be a bitch to be in power.' When I hear all of these comments about Hillary, it upsets me because it's like, 'yeah she's a bitch...' and I'm like, yo, she's just a leader. You don't have to agree with her, but she's not a bitch. She's just a powerful woman. 

Given your view of style as a means of protest, where does the music come in for you?
Music is the means. In the same way that Marley believed that he would create peace on the earth by spreading reggae music, I believe that these values of human connection and of intimacy are super, super interwoven into "Classic Man" and every record that I put out. That message will be in everybody's earbuds, and therefore it will change the minds, the hearts, and the souls of all human beings around the world. I do believe swank music is the next frontier.

63 comments:

Unknown said...

Seen

Unknown said...

Ok

Unknown said...

Wow! Nice one annd lovely interview. He spoke well and I apr8 d fact dat he says it d way it is. God bless him and I wish him well.

obiora said...

Quite an intelligent kid.

Unknown said...

Bla bla bla... ok

Unknown said...

I love jidenna!!!!!!

Unknown said...

Stop feeding us with this guy,he aint shit and never will be,after spewing ish about Nigeria!

Unknown said...

I love the song sha

AbokiDaWarriBoy said...

The song is dope that's all I know!

Unknown said...

Hmmmm his ordinary word hasmade people that don't know him know him.jidena should not mind the daft and idiot in nigeria.
#sad indeed#

Unknown said...

Hmmmm his ordinary word hasmade people that don't know him know him.jidena should not mind the daft and idiot in nigeria.
#sad indeed#

Unknown said...

Nothing exceptionally insightful about it.

Unknown said...

He's indeed a classic man.....

Unknown said...

Pls Linda, how is this news na?!

A.K.A LIB'ier

Unknown said...

#Yawnnnnnn#......next pls!



#TeamBlessed#

Unknown said...

Issokay seen, thanks for sharing! Linda take note!

Unknown said...

Issokay seen, thanks for sharing! Linda take note!

Unknown said...

Linda, biko how is this news?!

A.K.A LIB'ier

Nana said...

I love Jidenna's comments. He's so classy inside and outside.
This dude is so intelligent. You can see the raw power oozing outta him.
Weldone boy!

Unknown said...

Linda linda.........u don dey carry this guy matter for ur head too much o. *looking @ u with side eye*

Unknown said...

a.k.a EDWIN CHINEDU AZUBUKO said..
.
To be frank this dude can be compared to Obama.... The dude command word and he speaks like a president no doubt....
.
.
***CURRENTLY IN JUPITER***

Unknown said...

Proud of you Mr classic.....

Unknown said...

He's so handsome

Anonymous said...

Vry intelligent man...I love u already nna m

Bold Kid said...

Nice interview!

Ayobami said...

You can say that again Obiora. The result if feeding the mind with knowledge.

Unknown said...

Brillant words spewing from his mouth..but Jidenna resemble foreign cat sha.

Unknown said...

Very very intelligent! He is making me fall in love with ma course more and more!

Gov. Amaechi's Girl said...

Foolish thing. You had to comment twice

Gov. Amaechi's Girl said...

I bet you didnt even read the entire interview before commenting. Atimes i wonder if you have a life. Jobless goat

Gov. Amaechi's Girl said...

Please go drown in the lake.

Anonymous said...

Suprisingly, He actually has some solid points.

ary said...

He is not shallow after all. Nice.

Unknown said...

Lol so suit with red cap and feather?ok nice

NaijaDeltaBabe said...

Okay

Unknown said...

He's cute

Anonymous said...

Stop the hate, he is an intelligent guys, example of good fathering. His father comes up in every statement he makes, to show how he appreciates his upbringing.

Mr. Fantastic said...

This guy is just an ignoramus! Permed hair and you say you studying how African-American civil-rights activists looked? Did MLK or Malcom X, Dubois, James Bevel, James Baldwin to mention a few. Any of them wore curls?? Boy, you can come here to fool the ignorant like you - that's fine. Just know though that on this blog are intellectuals who can perceive the stench of ignorance many miles away. If anything, you are dressed like an "Uncle Tom". Now, off you go to study some more so that you at least show yourself approved in public gatherings where cerebral folks may just be walking by.

Linda post this, I need this guy to read this and get himself PROPERLY enlightened about the brand he represents.

Unknown said...

In a classic man...love this guy

Mihearty said...

Too long. Please am cooking. Got no time for this

Unknown said...

The guy is very intelligent.

Unknown said...

Mumu he is way bigger than u fnk......more he cleared the air bout the controversial interview dt some pple mis interpreted...and even apologized....so fuck off....tnk ur star

Anonymous said...

This guy that is GAY!

Anonymous said...

dumb people dont go to stanford,if naija people spent a little time getting to know him rather than crucify him,then his intelligence wont be news by now

Unknown said...

Classic! Classy! I like your brain space.

Anonymous said...

Whether u all like him or not hes smart and knws what hes doing and hes going 2 be successful. #markmywords. #jake

gentle said...

Nothing insightful?? Wth! Dyu even know the meaning of any word in ur sentence.

Anonymous said...

Would u wish that on your family?
Is that what your mum thought you?
Ps..he didn't say shit about nigeria- even if he did he has the freedom of speech..if there wasnt shit in nigeria why do young people cry here everyday on lib about nigeria- they all say shit too? Did he lie about security? Pls read the 'shit' again and see if he actually said anything bad about nigerians..we are too sentimental over nothing ,sometimes..

Anonymous said...

Yeas o. And I belive that's political science

Manuel Kunmi said...

I done hear oooo

SWILL MARTIN said...

Ooooook heard

Golda Awosika said...

Ds guy is one of the most brilliant artiste I have com across and his music passes on positive vibes to youths and I tnk I want to listen to so much more of it.
#*karlishah*

Unknown said...

Linda has found a new obsession lol.....he speaks well tho.

Unknown said...

I love his song-classic man,Hiptv $ trace play the song every day

Anonymous said...

Wana be white.
Like papa like pikin.
So na which kine hair Wey he carry so?
No be jerry curl.?
Remember Michael Jackson, Jide Oyibo

Anonymous said...

Who dey compiaram with Obama? Obama Na original pikin Wey no fake to resemble anybody

Unknown said...

Abeg help me ask Linda oo

Anonymous said...

@ Dora sister you can lie oooo, everyday fire

2byluv'd said...

Point of correction. Not everyone sows their own cloths in Nigeria Jidenna. Your erroneous generalization is what exasperates me

Lynn said...

When you Libers say he's intelligent, I wonder why you can't differentiate being well read and intelligent. Jidenna is well read. That's my observation

Anonymous said...

You are dump. I guess do only thing you know how to do is to dance shoki and skelewu. Learn to read and listen to intelligent people like Jidenna and not to feed your mind with garbage. NOW GERRARAHIA!
.....Fabulous Diva

Anonymous said...

Shut up! Don't you give your fabrics and styles to tailors to make for you. Do you always buy already made clothes? Take a chill pill. Open your mind, stop the hate maybe you will understand what he is saying
Fabulous Diva

Unknown said...

Ok, he is classic because he designs his own clothes

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