Saba & Jean Deaux

Biography

Jean Deaux, born Zoi Harris on May 4, 1995, in Chicago, Illinois, grew up in a creative family with interests in photography, film, writing, and public speaking. Initially pursuing videography and editing from age thirteen, she discovered music through family connections at YOUmedia open mics hosted by Brother Mike, where her cousin John Walt introduced her to cousins Saba and Joseph Chilliams. Their basement became her artistic home, shaping her sound within the Pivot Gang collective; she started recording at fourteen with braces, sneaking out to studios with Kembe X and Alex Wiley in The Village collective.[1][2][4][6]

Deaux's career began around 2012 as a rapper, releasing her debut mixtape Soular System Vol. 1: Dark Matter[s] in 2014 after securing an early deal via Pivot Gang, followed by OUTER BODY EP in 2016 and Krash EP in 2018. A late bloomer in singing, she evolved from raw hip-hop rhymes to versatile R&B-infused slow jams and songwriting, addressing personal traumas like sexual assault, family loss—including cousin John Walt in 2017—and her mother's relationship in introspective projects. She gained recognition through features on tracks by Saba, Smino, Mick Jenkins, Isaiah Rashad, Terrace Martin, and Kehlani, establishing herself in Chicago's hip-hop renaissance while touring with Pivot Gang family.[3][4][5][6]

Her musical style blends hip-hop, R&B, and soul with honest, vulnerable lyricism focused on healing, joy, and growth, rejecting genre limitations. Prolific as a songwriter for herself and others, Deaux emphasizes relatability and has expanded into filmmaking, continuing to challenge herself vocally and perform with anxiety-driven passion.[1][2][3]

Fun Facts

• She started recording in studios at age 14 with braces still on, sneaking out to sessions with Kembe X and Alex Wiley.
• Her stage name Jean Deaux comes from twisting 'John Doe' in a Rick Ross lyric, originally her Twitter handle.
• A late bloomer in singing, R&B was central to her childhood but she grew into it professionally despite initial rap focus.
• Her debut mixtape Soular System took over two years amid city pressure, introspectively covering sexual assault trauma and her mother's relationship.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Saba - Cousin and key early mentor who provided studio access and helped develop her artistry (Early sessions in Saba's basement; inspired healing through music like Care for Me) [Around 2010-2018]
• Brother Mike - Created open mic space at YOUmedia that fostered her crafts and family reconnections (YOUmedia performances) [Pre-2010s]
• John Walt - Cousin who reconnected her with family and introduced her to Saba/Joseph Chilliams (YOUmedia introduction) [Childhood to 2017]

Key Collaborators

• Saba - Cousin, frequent collaborator, and Pivot Gang family; shared tours and tracks (Photosynthesis (Bucket List Project, 2016)) [2010s-present]
• Pivot Gang - Musical family and collective (Bring It On, One More Time, Edward Scissorhands (You Can't Sit With Us, 2019)) [2010s-present]
• The Village 777 - Early hip-hop collective (With Alex Wiley, Kembe X, Monster Mike, Isaiah Rashad, Spiff, The Magician) [Early 2010s]
• Smino - Featured artist collaborations (Amphetamine (blkswn, 2017), Taranphoeno (TEMPO, 2018)) [2017-2018]
• Medicine Woman - Musical collective (With Ravyn Lenae, Drea Smith, Via Rosa) [2010s]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia