OKLAHOMA CITY — When Jabee Williams takes the stage, he doesn’t just rap — he collaborates, breathes joy into, and speaks truth about the reality of his community in Oklahoma. He’s not only known for his music, but also his activism in OKC and beyond. Williams is currently on tour across the U.S. with Minneapolis artist, Brother Ali.
This is Williams’ first tour since joining hip-hop label Mello Music Group. His new project, anchored by the phrase “The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak,” isn’t just an album — it’s a praise song to Black people and a war cry for them.
“The message is, ‘I’m from OKC, I get to paint stories and pictures for people who’ve never heard of me,’” Williams said.
Jabee raps to challenges white comfort across the U.S.
Brother Ali, who is headlining the tour, is a rapper with albinism. He is white, with a predominantly white fanbase. Williams wondered whether certain songs would make Ali’s fans uncomfortable.
“But then I thought, this might be my only opportunity to speak to this many white people,” Williams said. “It’s important that they hear the truth, uncomfortable or not.”
For Williams, it’s a risk worth taking to refuse self-censorship at a time when democracy and free speech in the U.S. are at stake.
Instead of catering to the audience, Williams’ album, “The Spirit Is Willing but the Flesh Is Weak,” puts Black joy and spirituality in the spotlight, despite the injustices of the world attempting to suppress it.
Jabee’s price for the tour
Life on tour looks glamorous on stage, but behind the scenes, the grind is real. For Williams, the road also comes with sacrifices.
“I wish people understood the sacrifices, missing family and work — it takes a toll,” Williams told the Black Wall Street Times. “Not that it isn’t fun. I enjoy it. But it’s a sacrifice.”
He said it’s been helpful collaborating with Brother Ali, Murs and DJ Abilities. “It’s been so dope…Especially the shows when we get to freestyle together. What keeps him going is that collaboration.
Jabee’s message for young Black artists
To the next generation watching him carve a path through Oklahoma’s red dirt and beyond, Williams has this to say: “Never give up. Never let anyone see you sweat. Be careful of snakes — people who act like they support you but really want to stop you,” he said.
It’s not just advice. It’s survival — the kind of wisdom forged in the fire of an industry that hasn’t always made space for rappers in OKC. But Williams isn’t asking for space. He’s made space for himself.