Born in Cape Town, South Africa on November 26, 1976, the daughter of South African jazz musicians (her father and mother are the celebrated musicians Sathima Bea Benjamin and Abdullah Ibrahim), she studied Vocal Performance at the LaGuardia School of Music & Art before majoring in Music Business at New York University. She also did some modelling during her teen years.
Ibrahim initially worked under the names Major Woody & Da Easter Bunny because she thought it would be funny to hear those names announced at shows. After working with groups including Ground Zero, she joined a hip hop music group called Natural Resource in the mid-1990s, along with rapper Ocean. In 1996 they released a pair of 12-inch singles called Negro League Baseball b/w "Bum Deal" b/w "They Lied," and "Bum Deal(remix)" b/w "They Lied(remix)" b/w "I Love This World" on their own label Makin' Records. She also appeared on singles by fellow Makin' Records artists Pumpkinhead and Bad Seed, and on the O.B.S. (Original Blunted Soldiers) double 12-inch single alongside crew members Pumpkinhead, Bad Seed, and Meat-pie, and produced much of the material released on the label under the pseudonym Run Run Shaw. During this period she established strong ties with the Brooklyn Academy crew, with which she would appear throughout her career.
Solo career (1998-2004)
Natural Resource dissolved in 1998, after which Ibrahim changed her stage name from What? What? to Jean Grae, a reference to the X-Men character Jean Grey. Under her new moniker, she released her first LP—Attack of the Attacking Things—in 2002, and followed it in 2004 with This Week. Throughout her career she has also recorded tracks with numerous major hip hop artists, Atmosphere, The Roots, Talib Kweli, The Herbaliser, Da Beatminerz, Phonte, Mr. Len, Masta Ace, Vordul Mega, C-Rayz Walz, Mos Def, and Immortal Technique among them.
Jean has recorded an unreleased album with celebrated North Carolina producer 9th Wonder, of Little Brother fame, entitled Jeanius. This unfinished record was leaked on the internet, and subsequently work was stopped on this album. However, at the release party for 9th Wonder's Dream Merchant Volume 2 album she stated that Jeanius was still going to be released. This album was eventually released first through Zune Live Marketplace two weeks before its disc release on July 8, 2008. The album features the track "My Story", about the abortion she had as a teenager. Her rapping on the album was described by Robert Christgau as "remarkable for its rapidity, clarity and idiomatic cadence. The writing has a good-humored polysyllabic literacy.". Elsewhere, it's been reported that her proposed fourth album, provisionally titled Phoenix has gone into production. It has been reported by several camp insiders that 9th Wonder will handle the lion's share of the production duties with unknown UK producer Passion hifi and NY resident Clinikal providing a beat each.
Blacksmith Music (2005-present)
Previously signed to Babygrande Records, she signed a deal in 2005 with Talib Kweli's Blacksmith Records. On 28 April 2008, Jean Grae posted a blog on her MySpace page saying goodbye to her fans.[9] She later cited disenchantment with the music industry and desire to start a family as the reasons behind the 'retirement' and said that she was working on new material and still wanted to continue in music: "You know what? I need that Grammy. I think I might be able to stop after that". In July 2008, Talib Kweli posted a blog explaining Grae's album, mentioning that she was not retiring. The blog ends encouraging fans to purchase the album, referring to Grae as "one of the last true MCs left." Grae returned to doing live performances later that year.
On September 18, 2008, Jean Grae posted a Craigslist ad offering her creative services for $800/16 bars. On her MySpace blog entry, she states, "I don't wanna complain anymore, I just wanna change some things about the way artists are treated and the way you guys are allowed to be involved, since it IS the digital age."
Intro
Jean Grae Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Roll your windows down
And turn the woofers up
New giddy city get that liquor in your tinted cups
Picture me kicking this pretty then remember the words
We keep it gritty like the greats at the edge of the curb
Live and learn, living legend, Ninth and Mers, burn first
Now its Jeanie's turn to recite it to get your urn church
And button up, your luck is slowing and your cussing me, fuck!
This ain't a test nigga no pencils, only ink
And blood splattered like your toes on my drink
The dream shattering girl
Without collateral earls
Unimaginable, chatter like a lateral curls
Tight expanding your world
And my mic can just spike this gang
Like a roofie or a volleyball move like in the aim
To get analogies right, you dumb as Mallory right?
The Jeanie smarter than you thought at first apparently, right?
Please don't be mad at me, i'd rather be liked
Cause your opinion really matters automatically, psyche!
I give a fuck about what you can think that you ain't get the plus
My pimp lean is cool, back up like these blacks on the bus
School niggas. School. You learn! Get your learn on!
We finna teach you something!
Justice League, Brooklyn Academy, we're all making records!
Pumpkinhead, we still family yeah!
We bring it down like this from New York to Kaki-laki
Kick back, and flick your wrist
This shit got me mumbling, should we bring it back?
Mad dub pour it like the flow without the We get the love from the Joneses and Jazzy, N.O.R.E.'s
Border cross in, transporter, illegal drugs
So much that pass porters in need of illegal tucks
Call your peoples up and tell them it dropped
Be like a felon gold poppers from one hell of a knock
I pop lock these words, till you pop a nerve
Then i'll be girl stance like you got served!
In "Intro," Jean Grae invites her listeners to roll their windows down, turn the woofers up, and picture her rapping with grit and edge at the edge of the curb in New York City. She references the legendary Ninth and Mers (hinting at 9th Wonder and Murs) as she boasts about her own place in the pantheon of hip hop greats. Her flow is full of sharp, witty wordplay and analogies that hint at the struggle and hustle involved in the music industry. She encourages listeners to get their "learn on" and highlights the importance of education and community, shouting out Brooklyn Academy and Pumpkinhead as being part of her extended family. She finishes the song with a final rhyme and a challenge to keep up with her hypnotic flow.
Line by Line Meaning
Come on
Encouragement to start listening
Roll your windows down
Lower your car windows to listen to the song
And turn the woofers up
Increase the bass volume of the music system
New giddy city get that liquor in your tinted cups
Enjoying the nightlife of the city and drinking alcohol in the car
Picture me kicking this pretty then remember the words
Imagine Jean Grae rapping while keeping her lyrics in mind
We keep it gritty like the greats at the edge of the curb
The rap style is raw and unpolished, like the legendary rappers who started on the streets
Live and learn, living legend, Ninth and Mers, burn first
Experience life, become a legend, take risks and burn bright
Now its Jeanie's turn to recite it to get your urn church
Jean Grae is ready to perform and win over her audience
I mean chuch, get your blushing up
A play on words to say that listeners should get excited and energized
And button up, your luck is slowing and your cussing me, fuck!
Get ready, your misfortune will disappear while listening to this awesome song
This ain't a test nigga no pencils, only ink
There is no need for corrections, the lyrics are already on point
And blood splattered like your toes on my drink
The rap style is fierce and confrontational
The dream shattering girl
Jean Grae is not afraid to challenge status quo or dreams that are unrealistic
Without collateral earls
Achieving goals without any support or help (earls = elders)
Unimaginable, chatter like a lateral curls
Something that is beyond imagination, like gossip that spreads sideways
Tight expanding your world
The music experience is intense and mind-expanding
And my mic can just spike this gang
Jean Grae's microphone can turn up the energy and excitement of the listeners
Like a roofie or a volleyball move like in the aim
The effect of music is similar to either a spiked drink or a well-executed volleyball play
To get analogies right, you dumb as Mallory right?
Listeners who don't understand the metaphors in the lyrics are compared to Mallory, the dim-witted character from the show 'Family Ties'
The Jeanie smarter than you thought at first apparently, right?
Jean Grae is smart, and her lyrics are not to be underestimated
Please don't be mad at me, i'd rather be liked
Jean Grae wants the audience to enjoy and appreciate the music without criticism or negativity
Cause your opinion really matters automatically, psyche!
Jean Grae knows that the audience's opinion is important, but she also wants them to enjoy the music without overthinking
I give a fuck about what you can think that you ain't get the plus
Jean Grae doesn't care about listeners who don't appreciate the music fully
My pimp lean is cool, back up like these blacks on the bus
The music is stylish and trendy, and the listeners should back up to enjoy it better
School niggas. School. You learn! Get your learn on!
The song contains important lessons to learn and appreciate
We finna teach you something!
The song will educate the listeners on some crucial topics
Justice League, Brooklyn Academy, we're all making records!
Shoutout to the record producers who helped create the song
Pumpkinhead, we still family yeah!
Tribute to Pumpkinhead, a fellow rapper who recently passed away
We bring it down like this from New York to Kaki-laki
The music style is consistent and relatable across different cities and cultures
Kick back, and flick your wrist
Relax and enjoy the music in a carefree manner
This shit got me mumbling, should we bring it back?
The song is so good that Jean Grae wants to listen to it again
Mad dub pour it like the flow without the We get the love from the Joneses and Jazzy, N.O.R.E.'s
Jean Grae is proud of her music style, which doesn't rely on being commercial or mainstream
Border cross in, transporter, illegal drugs
The song references crossing borders with illegal drugs, which is a common practice in the music industry
So much that pass porters in need of illegal tucks
The people who transport drugs across borders need to be discreet and avoid suspicion
Call your peoples up and tell them it dropped
Spread the word about the new song and encourage people to listen to it
Be like a felon gold poppers from one hell of a knock
Listen to the song with the energy and excitement of someone who just won a big award or committed a serious crime (e.g., knocking over a bank vault)
I pop lock these words, till you pop a nerve
Jean Grae puts so much energy and passion into her lyrics that it will energize and excite the listeners as well
Then i'll be girl stance like you got served!
Jean Grae will strike a proud and confident pose while performing, similar to the dance moves from the movie 'You Got Served'
Contributed by Grayson A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Mike
This beat is 🔥. Thanks 9th.
Isyss Fauroux
Compilation of all her videos assimilated and shared as sustenance to the starving by theoriginalgompers..Check out who SHOULD be receiving accolades for style, raw, wicked talented flow and intelligence-pushing femme fatale! I said it before, far too many "rap fans" wouldn't know anything about their supposed genre roots being real or plastic, Hollywood or HipHop, "World's Best Rapper?" Really? I counter that with a simple "Why?" I just want to know how the culture is being "scored" these days.
Troy Lewis
like the cover Whos The Black Sheep... wheres the Black Sheep!!!
Mike Jackson
Bootleggers f*cked up the game. I love the original version of this album, yo. This version is dope tho...mucho respect tho.