Extracted from the AOR Vault: 2003
I read that your parents were jazz musicians, how did that influence you musically?
Jean Grae: Greatly. I think just growing up with it around as well as knowing things from a business perspective. And just seeing the life of independent musicians; it was also very inspiring. I think musically it just opened me up to a lot of new sounds and horizons and just constantly being around it. I was never expected to go into an academic field, I think it probably would have shocked them. Yes it really affected me.
You attended the high school of performing arts as a vocal major, assuming that was traditional singing, were you rhyming at the same time, or did that come later?
Jean Grae: Whatever rhyming I was doing I definitely wasn’t thinking of mixing it. The schooling was more music theory and classical oriented. I was writing a lot and doing a lot of spoken word at the time and then it gradually evolved into rhyming, which is basically the same thing; it’s all poetry.
Now did that schooling help in terms of things like breath control?
Jean Grae: I think, definitely. There are a lot of techniques they use. Especially in the production aspect. The knowledge is not lost.
What do you think of the female representation in Hip Hop?
Jean Grae: I think the doors are starting to open for new versatile artist like, Floetry or the different stuff that Erika Badu is doing. I think the mainstream is opening its doors a little more as to having versatility in representation of females in the so called hip-hop or rap world. I don’t want to knock anybody’s hustle if their more into party and club music or if they chose to use sex to sell music, but I think there also needs to be a choice for the consumer to realize there’s other things out there. So far I think it’s been a really good year for introducing a lot of new female artist to the mainstream consumers and hopefully it can only get better.
Do you feel as though the time may actually be right for you because there may actually be a lot of people that want to push the female artists?
Jean Grae: Well, you know it didn’t work as an advantage before when there was a surgance of Foxy, Kim and Eve. Also, my thing isn’t really being looked at as a female artist first. I think in order to stop being separated from our male counterparts we need to stop separating ourselves and calling ourselves female artists, they don’t call themselves male artists. I think there’s a lot of women bringing that to the forefront of the game and bringing their creativity first.
Last thing on that subject, do you feel like you get fair treatment as a female MC in the underground?
Jean Grae: I’ve never been looked at as a female artist first. I was having a long conversation with a guy who was trying to get on me with the whole female thing and he was trying to get me to freestyle and he wouldn’t ask anyway else. It was interesting to see a lot of these guys come to my defense saying ‘She’s not dope because she’s a female, she’s dope cause she’s dope.’ I don’t know if it’s just me coming across that way, in just how I present myself. I’ve never had any trouble in just being looked at as a dope MC whether female or male.
How do you feel about the reaction to your album thus far?
Jean Grae: It’s been incredible. And I feel really blessed to be able to get press and reviews that are competing with albums that have million dollar budgets, and lots of marketing and huge labels. We’re just this tiny company out of nowhere that just made this album at home. I think the reaction so far has been really incredible. Like I said, this album is just an introduction, hopefully with the next one, we can kick down some more doors.
Speaking of which, what are you working on?
Jean Grae: I’m currently working on the second album and an EP. Hopefully I will have the EP out by the end of the year, or early next year. And the album February or March.
Any plans to do any videos for the songs off your current album?
Jean Grae: Off the current album, we’re not sure yet. There’s something we’re looking into doing a video for, so hopefully if we can get the finances up we can have that out as soon as possible. It is important to do a video and this would be a great time.
What would your ideal outcome in Hip-Hop be? Do you want to be famous for doing your own thing or would you be happy no matter how it comes?
Jean Grae: I’m pretty much enjoying myself right now. It would be nice if more artists were more into the idea of creative control and handling your business. Hopefully that’s what the next generation of MCs can do. I’m just enjoying myself day by day and enjoying the love and support I’m getting from people. I’m just going to keep trying to do my thing.
How did you end up on Third Earth Music?
Jean Grae: Actually a pretty small circle of people that goes back around to Kimani of Masterminds. He had asked me, saying “we really want to put out your album.” And I’m glad I said yes because otherwise I probably still wouldn’t have done it.
You produce under the alias “Nasain Nahmeen,” what got you into production?
Jean Grae: Production I guess started a little earlier before I was really into rhyming. My brother actually had a small studio because he was doing music. I used to sneak into that and I would play around with the equipment. I wanted to be a DJ and I had the 8 second sampler and I got into looping and it just became a love of mine.