“This mixtape was a pivotal moment for me.”

Jhené Aiko is celebrating the 10-year anniversary of her breakout mixtape, Sailing Soul(s), by bringing the project to streaming services and digital retailers for the first time. The project features artists like Kendrick Lamar, Kanye West, Miguel, and Gucci Mane.

Aiko released an Instagram message reflecting on the project’s meaning and impact on her life:

this mixtape was a pivotal moment for me. when i was 12 i was signed to a label, singing songs i had no real connection to. besides that, i had no real stories of my own to tell at 12 lol. then i took a break to focus on school. in my teens i was singing demo records and taking meetings. i met with one record exec who told me i needed to do a better job at ‘selling’ myself when i came into meetings. dressing like myself, singing like myself, talking like myself… wasn’t enough. i thought, ‘why do i have to sell myself? why do i have to try to convince you of my worth? of who i am??? 🧐’ from that point on i decided i would never try to “sell” myself. i would simply BE myself and whoever felt a connection would SEE ME and my worth.

Catch up on all the lyrics to Jhené Aiko’s ‘Sailing Soul(s)’ below:

“The Beginning”

“Stranger”

“Hoe” feat. Miguel & Gucci Mane

“July” feat. Drake

“My Mine”

“Popular”

“Real Now” feat. K. Roosevelt & Lite, Hope

“Sailing NOT Selling” feat. Kanye West

“Do Better Blues” feat. Hope

“Higher”

“You Vs. Them”

“Space Jam”

“Growing Apart Too” feat. Hope & Kendrick Lamar