Tsidi Ibrahim, November 26, 1976), known professionally as Jean Grae (formerly What? What?), is an American hip hop recording artist, emcee, producer, actress, and comedian from Brooklyn, New York City. She rose to prominence in the underground hip hop scene in New York City and has since built an international fanbase. She is known as an important figure in hip hop and popular culture. Grae, unlike many rappers and emcees, seeks to "rupture the normative narratives of black sexuality" and resist the bondage of heteronormativity. Thus she adopts the language of men to "assert her mastery over lyricism and her desire for both men and women". Nonetheless, her unique music style, gritty rhymes, and lyrical mastery have earned her recognition as a favorite emcee by many rap artists such as Talib Kweli, Jay-Z, and Black Thought of the Roots.