AJAF IS PUTTING DOWN NEW ROOTS IN LATEST ALBUM

Photo via Evie Seetoo

Aidan Jaffe has put out more music in his four years of high school than some artists do in their entire career. Jaffe’s first single came out during his freshman year, under the moniker AJAF, and instantly he knew he was on the right track. Four years later, beats first, lyrics second (slowly but surely improving over time, and landing at quite an impressive spot) Aidan Jaffe has become a seasoned professional in just a few seasons. 

Following his graduation this past spring, Jaffe is celebrating the release of his sophomore soft R&B rap album ROOTS.

“When you're not as big of an artist, some people might say it's not worth it to put out a whole album,” but according to him, AJAF does not exist for streaming numbers, it’s a project to channel creative passion into. “I feel like a whole project is way more exciting because I get to showcase a whole theme and a whole story throughout, rather than just putting out one single that doesn't mean that much.”

Photo via Evie Seetoo

Throughout those four years his music, and his confidence changed a lot, “I mean, it started off with ‘I'm making these beats and I don't have anybody to rap over them, why wouldn't I, I'll just do it,’” Jaffe explained of the early days of his music. “As it went on, it's like, okay, I can kind of make good music with my voice. Right now, I'm just doing it because it's what's most accessible, what's most easy to do.”

Collaboration has always been an important part of Jaffe’s artistry, and as he moves into an era of singularity in his life, he hopes to not lose that. In the fall he will attend Drexel University’s Westphal College for Music Production; being around people similar in their goals but so diverse in their music taste – two things that he has always looked for in collaborators – will hopefully take his art to the next level.

The second most important part of his music is having fun. His friends shape a lot of his music both literally, with background vocal features on “No Sleep” off of his debut album Safari, and through messages in his lyrics. As he moves throughout his career he holds his favorite lyric from “The Law” (off of Roots)  “only act when you get applause” near to his heart, looking out for people in life that “are only going to do something if they know they're gonna get a reaction out.”

Photo via Evie Seetoo

When one door closes for Jafe, another one opens. For him these doors are the ones to his bedroom, in which he’s leaving behind the makeshift music making corner he fastened, and the plentiful production studios of his future. It is only upwards for AJAF, and the liminal genre he finds himself a part of, from here.