Biography
Born Christalle Bowen in Englewood, a Chicago suburb, Psalm One sang in her church choir as a teenager and took up several instruments. She first encountered hip-hop during middle school through local performances by up-and-coming artists including Common and All Natural. While majoring in chemistry at the University of Illinois, she made her stage debut at a student union showcase.
Under the name Psalm One she finished her debut EP Whippersnapper in 2001 during her junior year and appeared on the Nacrobats’ “Simply Beautiful,” which was included on the Pugslee Atomz-produced Chicago rap collection Network of Stars. Before completing her degree she released her first full-length album, Bio: Chemistry, in 2002.
After graduation she returned to Chicago and took a job as a chemist in a food safety laboratory, yet continued rapping on the side. In fall 2002 she joined the Nacrobats as a full-time member and issued the solo EP Personal Surplus. When the group disbanded the following summer she kept working with former Nacrobats colleague Overflo on material that became her first Rhymesayers release, The Death of Frequent Flyer, issued in 2006.
In late 2004 the Birthwrite label put out a reworked edition of Bio: Chemistry titled Bio: Chemistry II: Esters and Essays, and during the same stretch she toured as support for Del tha Funkee Homosapien.
Under the name Psalm One she finished her debut EP Whippersnapper in 2001 during her junior year and appeared on the Nacrobats’ “Simply Beautiful,” which was included on the Pugslee Atomz-produced Chicago rap collection Network of Stars. Before completing her degree she released her first full-length album, Bio: Chemistry, in 2002.
After graduation she returned to Chicago and took a job as a chemist in a food safety laboratory, yet continued rapping on the side. In fall 2002 she joined the Nacrobats as a full-time member and issued the solo EP Personal Surplus. When the group disbanded the following summer she kept working with former Nacrobats colleague Overflo on material that became her first Rhymesayers release, The Death of Frequent Flyer, issued in 2006.
In late 2004 the Birthwrite label put out a reworked edition of Bio: Chemistry titled Bio: Chemistry II: Esters and Essays, and during the same stretch she toured as support for Del tha Funkee Homosapien.
Albums
