JWL B is a Tampa-based artist best known for her work with hip-hop provocateurs Yo! Majesty. Her self-titled solo debut—conceived and recorded in a Portland, Oregon basement with producers Final Frontier—displays JWL B's stunning talents as a vocalist and MC and sounds a new depth in the nascent genre of electro-viral.

Naturally, some of JWL's biggest inspirations are Chaka Khan's mic skills, humble beginnings and constant reinvention—"She went solo and blew the fuck up." Rachelle Ferell's musicianship, versatility, and compositional chops—"She is the number one influential person in my life." And of course Prince, for his boldness onstage and outspoken creativity. But what JWL B has achieved with this record transcends her influences, pushing into what were for her unexplored realms.

"Working with Final Frontier was a brand new experience," says JWL B. "Some of the songs had nothing to work with besides a beat and very random song structure. Those dudes would have me come up with something and then they would fill in the blanks later. It really rekindled my creative spark and made me remember that being free is being creative. It wasn't easy, but in the end the experience made me feel like an independent grown woman being celebrated as an individual."
 
Aside from rocking stages and getting the music out and overseas—"Nigeria! Ethiopia!"—JWL B's goals include founding a Tampa soup kitchen to feed the hungry and establishing a foundation to help sexually abused kids via music therapy. She's also become a voice for AIDS-awareness, singing the hook on a 2014 hit for Sweden's House of Wallenberg that's become an anthem for that country's struggle with the epidemic.

After witnessing JWL B perform in Portland, Final Frontier's Crusty Chris (Corey Ravens) and Drew Digga (Drew Laughery, formerly of the rock group Blitzen Trapper) began crafting beats in hopes of an eventual collaboration. Years later, the result is a fascinating record that moves booty and soul.

"I went as far as I could with Yo! Majesty," says JWL B. "I gave it my all, I had a wonderful run with that project, but now it's time to retire and go solo. I'm already looking to the future to explore this new genre further with my Portland boys Drew Digga and Crusty Chris." Listen up.

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