Jhene Aiko performed her tune "The Worst" on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon last night, supported by The Roots. The song is from her debut EP Sail Out which was released in November of 2013. While the album treatment featured production that sounds like it was done using a lot of samples and synths, here The Roots provide a more organic backdrop - although there's still a lot of synthetic keyboard and drum sounds.
"The Worst" is very much in the style of the newest wave of R&B, known affectionately as PBR&B. The rambling storytelling and lack of a conventional radio friendly hook or chorus are in the footsteps of Frank Ocean's revolutionary 2012 album Channel Orange. Midway through the song, Aiko goes into a rap verse as the song changes up and she switches from a smooth crooning flow to more of a jagged spoken delivery. To me, Aiko's rap alter ego of J. Hennessy sounds a lot like Childish Gambino, whose song "The Worst Guys" featuring Chance The Rapper may be interpreted as the other side of this heartbroken tune. Gambino (aka Donald Glover) was featured on the song and video for "Bed Peace" from Aiko's Sail Out.
