Jhené Aiko is back today with her latest confessional freestyle, “Triggered,” sparking social media speculation that her words are aimed at her ex, Big Sean. The song is produced by Julian-Quan Viet Le and The Fisticuffs, and features self-reflective lyrics typical of Aiko’s freestyles. She accompanied the release with a note revealing that she wrote the song during a period of intense emotions:
Aiko doesn’t directly name-check Big Sean on the song, there seems to be a connection between the “Triggered” title and a comment she wrote on Big Sean’s Instagram page earlier this year:
You are so special. To me. To the world. While we’re both still on this planet I just want to say… I love you beyond measure. Even tho I get big mad and u trigger the fuck out of me. U make me feel. And I appreciate that. Because I thought I was dead inside. My ego has no say when it comes to you. And my heart has been broken a thousand times just to expand. It always finds room for you.
Aiko later clarified in a series of tweets that “Triggered” is not a diss song and was written in a moment of frustration that has since passed:
Last year, Aiko sparked breakup rumors after she covered up her tattoo of Sean’s face. At the time, she denied that they were at odds, but seemed to confirm their split earlier this year.
On the track, Aiko sings about a relationship that she knew was doomed from the start:
Who am I kiddin'?
Knew from the beginning
You’d ruin everything, you do it every time
You are my enemy, you are no friend of mind, muhfucker
Soon after, she threatens to exact revenge:
Don’t know what I’m capable of
Might fuck around and go crazy on cuz
Might fuck around, have to pay me in blood
This ain’t the way that you want it
Might catch a case in this bitch
Don’t let me catch you face-to-face in this bitch
The Los Angeles-born singer also hints at being disrespected in said relationship:
Tryin' my hardest not to disrespect you
After what you did, man, what you expected?
You muhfucker
Although “Triggered” seems to contain parallels to their relationship, the two artists are on good terms, as she wrote in an Instagram comment earlier this year:
I got tons of love for him. My next album is all freestyles where I touch on many subjects and relationships…past, present and future. I know you all love the drama and would like to think everything I do is about him, but I’ve been through plenty of other things and situations that I pull inspiration from when I sit down and create a song.
Big Sean isn’t Aiko’s only high-profile relationship. She was briefly married to producer Dot Da Genius, and has a daughter with R&B singer O'Ryan Omir Browner, the younger brother of her “Post to Be” collaborator Omarion.
Watch the video above and read all the lyrics to Jhené Aiko’s “Triggered (Freestyle)” on Genius now.
