Jean Grae Jenius Release is Bittersweet
Jean Grae first hit the music scene in the mid ’90s, with a group called Natural Resources. Since then Grae has release several solo albums including This Week in 2004. She has been a massive underground success, recording with a number of high profile artists such, including The Roots, Talib Kweli and Immortal Technique. Truthfully, Jean Grae is quite possibly one of the most underrated hip hop artists ever. Conversely, she has even been named one of the top ten female rappers of all time.
Recently Grae, signed with Blacksmith (Warner Bros.) and this week, Jeanius, her highly anticipated album with Little Brother producer 9th Wonder, was officially released; after having been leaked and shelved four years earlier.
A few months ago, Grae posted a bulletin announcing her retirement. I’m sure we can all appreciate the frustration of someone who has been working for 15 years in the business with no real break? In an interview with Rob Harvilla of The Village Voice, Grae cleared a few things up. In what seems to be a very honest discussion, Grae talked about her exasperation with the industry, her uncertainty about the future, wanting to win a Grammy and feeling like she was loosing control of certain things. One thing she wanted to make clear is that she is not happy about the video for “My Story”:
“My Story” mentions a heart murmur, an abortion, a miscarriage, and an attempted suicide. Is anything there even remotely embellished?
No. No. No. “My Story” is a really important song. It took me about 10 years or so to do. There’s an energy that happened around that Jeanius album. With that specific song, it was just myself and 9th in the room. We have a very good chemistry working together. We never have to ask, “Go in and do this,” or “I feel like this should happen here.” It was just really natural and pure.
The letters and e-mails that I’ve gotten from men and women on the subject have been extremely important. I think you’ve seen my comments, how I felt about the “Love Thirst” video and putting it out. What really hurts at this point is that they have now gone ahead and done the “My Story” video. I don’t know if they’re done or not. Initially, it was: I’m gonna get to read the treatment. And I said: “Thank you. I really appreciate you took the time out, especially for this song—it is, to me, the most important song on this album, the most important song I’ve ever done. But the treatment that you wrote, it really goes against the whole idea of the song: It’s become, ‘Everything’s gonna be OK; it’s a happy ending’—no.”
The whole idea of it was, no, I wanted to do a song that was this real about it. Taking you into the room. The anesthetic. You’re going through the whole process, especially experiencing it as a teenager. And not having anyone to share that with. And I said: “Please don’t do this.” The next thing I heard, they were going ahead with it. Casting it.
The most hurtful thing being that it’s such an important song. The personal part of me baring my soul is fine. The political aspect of it—you couldn’t have a more pro-choice song. So now, in essence, what you’ve done is taken the choice away for the video for the song called “My Story.” I think it’s the most disrespectful thing ever. It’s really prompting me to have the kind of voice that I know I should have. I can’t let it go. I can’t let something like that go. And it’s not fair.
Well, contention with record label and music industry aside, if Grae is looking for a Grammy, she can’t be planning to retire just yet. I’d say if and when she moves past the creative block, she is definitely one to watch. For now we’ll just have to enjoy Jeanius and I’m ok with that; for now.
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