The Hip Hop culture has become increasingly preoccupied with the supposed lavish/trap lifestyles of its artists, causing fans to thirst for something more. JZL is the “more” they’ve been waiting for. Reigning as the “Empress of the DMV”, independent artist JZL has lyricist, songwriter, visual muse, youth activist, business owner and TV producer to compliment her crown of light. She is changing the rap game one empowering verse at a time with a bona fide message that transcends the boundaries of hip hop. JZL’s raw talent is demonstrated in both the poetic delivery of her words and her ability to leave every listener craving another track. JZL has been compared to the likes of Lisa “Left-Eye” Lopez, Missy Elliot, and Lauryn Hill, just to name a few. Both through her music and through her personality, this artist embodies the importance of loving who she is and spreading positivity in all that she does. When asked what makes her different than the current hip hop artists' on the scene, JZL respectfully replied that she tries to “stay away from vulgarity and negativity” emphasizing her desire to “reach a boundless audience” through her music. As the Founder and CEO of the edutainment company, ACMATIC™, JZL has dedicated her free time to empowering the inner city youth to live an ACMATIC lifestyle in pursuit of their dreams, promoting personal development and self expression through the creative and digital arts. This is especially important as art and music education is being removed from public schools. Through partnerships with local Boys and Girls Clubs, the DC Public School System and other recreational centers, JZL has proven her dedication to the enrichment of the youth in her community. The Empress has lived a life of constant evolution since childhood. Born in upstate New York, bred by the suburbs of Detroit and sculpted by the southern roots of Kentucky, JZL learned the art of transition. She was drafted for greatness by the northern Virginia prestige and waxed for presentation at the real HU, Howard University, in Washington, DC. Her easily adaptable persona stems from her experiences and her belief that with God no task is impossible. In 2015, after three years of development, JZL became the premier artist and First Lady of Eclectic Music Entertainment (EME), an independent music label, founded and headed by Jay Vega. That same year, the label premiered JZL’s EP, “The ACMATIC Empress Stays Anchored”, on Black Friday as a promotional tool to jumpstart the buzz for JZL’s upcoming mixtape series. Sadly, Jay Vega, passed at the start of February 2016. Not only was his death sudden, JZL was also burdened with discovering this news the morning of her 24th birthday. Forced to switch gears, JZL realigned herself and her team in efforts to restore the vision and plans set out by Jay Vega. At the end of 2016, JZL was struck with yet another tragedy, this time hitting even closer to home. Her youngest sister, Candice (22) was killed in a car accident the week before Christmas. JZL has experienced more calamities in life than many 25-year-old women. Nonetheless, her trademark initials come together to form an anchor representing JZL’s dedication to “stay anchored” even in times of adversity. JZL has entered into 2017 with a positive and magnetic energy. This year she continues the release of the highly anticipated mixtape volume series, “The Awesome Experience of JZL”. Volume 1 of this series is now available on Spinrilla, Bandcamp, and Dat Piff with a remixed edition on Soundcloud. Listeners can expect to experience an eclectic and sophisticated sound with a lyrical message that provides revelation and evokes action. It's Summer 2K17 and JZL has launched #MUZICMONDAYZ as a promotional campaign to get listeners hip to her sound and gain momentum for the Volume II release. Stay anchored and check back in every Monday for some Jamz! JZL’s dedicated fan base refers to themselves as “The Crew”, their tag being #CrewMembersOnly. Within the past year JZL’s fan base has expanded to over 10,000 crewmembers through her online platforms including social media and her website jzldream.com. She is constantly interacting with The Crew and working to change the world, one member at a time. A woman of her caliber can only uplift the community in the coming decades; The world is excited to see where this budding star will go next.