By Houston Williams
Jean Grae, one of Hip-Hop's revered underground lyricists, has issued a message that suggests she is walking away from Hip-Hop music.
The rapper issued a statement through a message from her myspace blog.
“It's been a wonderful and awful journey all at the same time. Mostly leaning towards the wonderful part,” she stated. “Thank you for letting me share what I could with you and sharing yourselves back, as you have really been the reason that I kept on.”
The statement didn't reveal what career options she would pursue.
Jean Grae signed to Talib Kweli’s imprint in 2005, but was a staple in Hip-Hop since the mid-90’s. She was a member of Natural Resource under the name What? What?, but changed it to Jean Grae in 1998. In 2002, she released
Attack of the Attacking Things, her debut. Since her debut, Grae released several mixtapes, albums and a nearly innumerable amount of cameo appearances. She even had a column on AllHipHop and performed at the 2007 AllHipHop Week in New York.
In March, she performed at the SXSW festival in Austin, TX, sharing the stage with Talib Kweli, Pete Rock and Ice Cube. He also appeared on a mixtape for rap act Game Rebellion.
Representatives for Grae didn’t respond for comment.
Below is the blog statement in its entirety:“Everyone who has been on this ride with me since the beginning and continues to be a supporter of music that makes you feel something true and vulnerable and honest by being just that.
It's been a wonderful and awful journey all at the same time. Mostly leaning towards the wonderful part..lol.
Thank you for letting me share what I could with you and sharing yourselves back, as you have really been the reason that I kept on.
It's always nice to know that you could be the voice of someone who didn't have one, or know just how to say it.
No comment or letter or statement of appreciation has ever gone unnoticed.
I love to write, I love to be able to create imagery and a world out of just words.
I will always love what I consider to be true hip hop music... from the bottom of my soul.
I hope you will continue to distinguish those who are contributors to the evolution of hip hop and other black music as both an auditory stimulation and a culture, taking care that they are put in a position to do so.
Thank you listeners, whom I consider my friends and family....
Enjoy.... see y'all around..
It's been amazing.. thank you again.”