Published: 26 January, 2012
by ROISIN GADELRAB

Talib Kweli had one name on his lips when he spoke to Grooves last year – Jean Grae.

Dubbed by Talib as “one of the last true MCs” and signed to his label Blacksmith Records, Grae has racked up an impressive array of collaborations, having recorded with The Roots, The Herbaliser, Mos Def, Pharoahe Monch and Immortal Technique, among others.

Grae, whose real name is Tsidi Ibrahim, is the daughter of jazz musicians Abdullah Ibrahim and Sathima Bea Benjamin.

She plays the Jazz Cafe on Tuesday (January 31) joined by Mr Len of hip-hop duo Company Flow on the decks and ­supported by Chima Anya with The Outfit.

Originally from South Africa, Grae was raised in New York and trained at the celebrated LaGuardia School of Music and Art.

Her early career was spent as a member ­Natural Resource but the group split in 1998.

She later changed her name from WHAT WHAT to Jean Grae, a nod to the X-Men character Jean Gray, releasing her first solo album Attack of the Attacking Things in 2002.

Last year Grae released Cookies or Comas as a teaser for her forthcoming album, Cake or Death.