Jean Grae was born in Cape Town, South Africa and began her career as “What? What?” in the mid-1990’s and adopted her X-Men themed rap moniker upon beginning her solo career in the early aughts. She has released several wonderful, under-appreciated albums and EPs filled with sophisticated rhymes and wordplay, artful storytelling, and hard, cold delivery. Her most recent release is the EP jeannie., and her long-awaited Cake or Death album is forthcoming.

Jean Grae provided the song “What You Came For” as the score for a promotion of the Black Panther: A Nation Under Our Feet comics narrated by writer Ta-Nehisi Coates.

She was engaged to fellow rapper and producer Quelle Chris in 2017.