*It’s one thing to be targeted for having a lot of money, but according to Janelle Monae’s discovery Jidenna that mind state has spilled over into his skin tone.
In a recent interview with Vlad TV, the singer opened up about how being light-skinned is cause for him and his family being on guard in their homeland of Nigeria.
“When you’re light-skinned you’re a heavier target for being kidnapped,” Jidenna shared. “Because you’re seen as more valuable. You’re seen as white. You have more money. We were robbed. Our family has been assaulted. It’s different. For us, we’ve always been a target. When you come to America, it’s different.”
The light-skinned issue in Nigeria was hard to avoid as Jidenna’s family found themselves bringing weapons and military-style protection as they attended the funeral of the entertainer’s father 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,” said the Janelle Monae protégé. “We were robbed – our family’s been assaulted. We’ve had a lot of issues.”
While his views carry a personal connection, MadameNoire.com noted the backlash Jidenna received on social from those who labeled his comments as “ignorant” for shining a negative light on Nigerian people:
“The one time they ask Jidenna about Nigeria he gives it a negative light… Odiegwu,” wrote one person.
To see Jidenna’s VLAD TV interview, check out the video below:
Check out Jidenna’s smash hit, “Classic Man”:
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