BL Shirelle is the Co-Executive Director of Die Jim Crow Records, the first non-profit record label for prison-impacted artists in United States history. She is also a phenom rapper, producer and justice-impacted artist herself, raising up her community and sharing art with the world.
After surviving a police involved shooting and serving ten years in prison, Shirelle is dedicated to social change and activism through her music and work with DJC Records. BL harnessed her skills as an administrator and manager, with a natural talent for engaging fans and supporters, executive producing albums, and strengthening programming with our constituents. Appointed Co-Executive Director of DJC in 2022, BL leads the label’s communications and development, while sharing programming duties with her Co-ED, Fury Young.
Her label debut solo album Assata Troi garnered critical acclaim from Los Angeles Times, Pitchfork, NPR, Passion of Weiss, BBC, Interview Magazine and The Philadelphia Inquirer, among others. Assata Troi is an epic fusion of hard-hitting poetry, rap, and R&B with a gritty rock edge.
BL Shirelle has been a performer/guest speaker at Augustana University, Columbia University, Stockton University, Goucher University, and Susquehanna University, and a teacher's assistant at Yale Divinity School of Music and Wesleyan University.
