Jahdira Atkins, professionally known as Billy B, was born in the Cypress Hill project of East New York Brooklyn, New York. For those who don’t know, East New York in the late 90s, early 2000s was nothing like the show on TV. The neighborhood was flooded with drugs and prostitution, the murder rate was one of the highest in America, with the education and employment rates being some of the lowest. So, as you can imagine, life for the young Jahdira was extremely turbulent, yet, she persevered. As a child, Billy sought music as a comfort from the mayhem surrounding her. She fell in love with Missy Elliot’s swagger, Nicki Minaj’s lyrical expertise, Patty Labelle’s soul, and Aretha Franklin’s range. However, Billy didn’t begin pursuing music until 2015. Over the next few years Billy B collaborated with various artists and producers; 808 Mafia, June The Jenius, Dizzy Banko, Nico Demi, Synesthetic Nation, Sukihana , Fetty Luciano , Lola Brooke , Connie Diamond , and Skeme to name a few. She’s also featured in some of Hip-Hop’s biggest publications; Complex, Vibe, The Source, and No Jumper. To accomplish this much, with no help from a label, is a testament to not only her resilience but her musical abilities.