'Classic Man' Jidenna Explains 'Nigerian' Backlash On The Breakfast Club

Wondaland breakout star, Jidenna talked to The Breakfast Club over backlash he received following his Vlad TV interview where he explained gong to Nigeria and having military-like security at his father's funeral in fears of being kidnapped due to his appearance.

The "Classic Man" singer got a social media beat down by his fellow Nigerians who believes he made it seem he was placing himself on a higher pedestal based on his lighter complexion which he explains in detail that the kidnaping rates and being a foreigner were the main reason for high security.

"Nigeria is a very proud place, and it's also a pace where you try to humiliate if you don't see excellence and I always tell the story of my father. I remember coming to America and in the U.S. you get a high score on the test and the teacher says 'bring it home and show your parents. So I brought it home like 'dad, look I got a 98 on my math exam.'" He said, '98? Where are the other two points? Go there and bring them back. Then, I will celebrate with you." That's how I grew up with everything I did." He said over why he was getting slammed, "So, in Nigeria it's standard to try to check somebody if you see them making a misstep and the words that I said, I didn't make miscalculations in my experience, but I can see how certain people perceived that."

"I was refereeing to my mixed heritage and being a man who may be perceived as more valuable because you're light skin, because you look closer to a white man, which all around the world a white man is perceived as more valuable. Unfortunately, light skin is often perceived as more valuable so my comments were referring to that." He said.

He went on to say that his family that live in Nigeria were worrisome of his safety and advised him to get help, "When I went home to burry my father, it was the highest kidnaping time in our area where I'm from, southeast Nigeria. So, my family in the village was concerned about me burring my father so they said, 'look, you have to take extra precaution this time because 1. You're a foreigner, you're coming from America and 2. Your appearance is going to make you a target.'"

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