Jhené Aiko | Jhené Aiko and Miyagi Ayo Hasani Chilombo | Source: Getty Images | Instagram/jheneaiko
Miyagi Ayo Hasani Chilombo maintained a positive attitude despite battling a disease that would later take his life. Though he was one of five siblings, he was closest to his sister, singer Jhené Aiko.
Miyagi Ayo Hasani Chilombo drew his first breath on July 7, 1986, born to Dr. Karamo Chilombo and Christina Yamamoto. His father worked as a pediatrician, and his mother was a homemaker.
Two years after his birth, his parents welcomed his younger sister, Jhené Aiko Efuru Chilombo (better known as Jhené Aiko), and the pair would grow up to be the best of friends. Sadly, Miyagi passed away in 2012.
Jhené Aiko performs during the Lovers & Friends music festival at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds on May 6, 2023, in Las Vegas, Nevada. | Source: Getty Images
Miyagi Ayo Hasani Chilombo Received His Cancer Diagnosis in 2010
Miyagi was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2010 that later turned out to be inoperable. According to his sister's website, he turned to Buddhism afterward and always appeared to be in good spirits despite fighting a terminal illness.
He lost his battle two years later and died on July 19, 2012. His family held his funeral service at the Senshin Buddhist Temple in Los Angeles. Shortly before he died, Jhené recorded the song "For My Brother" and released it on Tumblr.
Although it was initially intended just for Miyagi to hear, Jhené "thought it would be nice" to share. "[I] was so nervous to play it for him myself, so when [I] left to San Francisco on Thursday, [I] had my TT play it for him. She said his breath got calm as he listened, and [I] know he heard every word," she wrote.
Jhené Aiko performs on Day 2 of Sol Blume Festival 2022 at Discovery Park on May 1, 2022, in Sacramento, California. | Source: Getty Images
Jhené Aiko on Mourning Her Brother's Passing
In 2017, Miyagi's sister, Jhené, published "2Fish," a book of poems, sketches, diary-like entries, and short stories she began writing at age 16. "2Fish" was the final component of her three-part project M.A.P. — M.A.P. stands for movie, album, and poetry book.
Jhené began working on project M.A.P. that September as a way to navigate her grief following Miyagi's death. The "While We're Young" singer shared that she had always used writing to express herself and move through difficult times.
Jhené Aiko poses for a portrait backstage after her performance at 130 Hope Street on October 19, 2012, in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. | Source: Getty Images
"I feel like when anyone holds anything in, that creates stress, and the pain disables you," she said. She opened up more following the release of her 2020 album "Chilombo." The artist – who now has a son with Big Sean – said she was "in limbo" when Miyagi died.
"On one hand, I got to do so many things. But on the other, my brother, who I was the closest person to, wasn't there to experience it with me," she shared. She also didn't want to be around anyone.
"The more I was around my siblings, the more his absence was evident," she explained. On what would have been his 34th birthday, she posted a touching tribute, writing that despite eight years having passed since he died, "It never gets easier."
Jhené Aiko performs America the Beautiful during the Super Bowl LVI Pregame at SoFi Stadium on February 13, 2022, in Inglewood, California. | Source: Getty Images
Miyagi Ayo Hasani Chilombo's Loved Ones Continue to Remember Him
Besides Jhené, Miyagi's siblings include Jahi, Jamila, and Miyoko Chilombo. In July 2021, Miyagi's sister, Miyoko, posted a heartwrenching anecdote alongside a photo of his bike. She shared that Miyagi could no longer drive after he was diagnosed.
Still, he was determined to get around – so he asked for a bike. His dad got him the two-wheel vehicle, and although he tried riding it, "[...] his body wouldn't let him," Miyoko wrote. She asked to keep it after he passed. "I cry almost every time I ride it," she shared.
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