'Don't call yourself half black, and half white' - Jidenna speaks on racial discrimination

Friday, 31 March 2017

Nigerian-American singer, Jidenna has spoken on the racial discrimination between black and white people. 

The 'Classic Man' singer who is currently in South Africa promoting the release of his debut album, 'The Chief,' granted an interview to Times Live, where candidly gave his thought on racial divide between people.

 'If people come at me as somebody in between races, they are killing themselves. I am a human. It's like my dad said, 'don't call yourself half black, and half white,'  if anything you're twice, but you're not half anything.  One of my jobs is to teach everyone that we're all human. That's what mixed people do,' Jidenna said.

He added that he intends to help bring people together through his music and spoke openly about the inspiration behind the track 'White Niggas' on his album.

'White Niggas encourages people to really put themselves in other peoples' shoes,' he explained.

He further disclosed that growing up as African child in America, they (African children) were teased a lot, but he promises to embed a sense of pride amongst the African youth.

'I know growing up it was hard to claim your 'Africanness.' We were teased a lot. Now I get parents telling me that their kids are proud to be Nigerian. I'm all about building up and building pride in who we are.'

The music star also told Timeslive that helping to educate children in Nigeria was something that was close to his heart and that day he would help build a stronger nation.

The Chief Album' is his first studio album which was released in February 2017.