BROADCASTS.com

GaptoothDiva chats with phenomenally gifted singer and poet, J’Lee Maldonado about pursuing her dreams in music, poetry and social work, while trying to live a “regular” life.Born January 23, 1983, Jennifer Lee Maldonado aka J’Lee is a 27 yr. old female singer/writer from Astoria Queens, NY. J’Lee is of mixed heritage and was raised by a single mother. Growing up was no easy task for J’Lee so she turned to school, basketball, music, singing, and writing poetry as therapeutic outlets. J’Lee has stated that “a song is just a prayer waiting to be spoken and a prayer is just a song waiting to be sung,” having gone through life with this belief in mind, J’Lee maintains that the ability to be creative has kept her grounded throughout the trials and tribulations she faced during childhood and adolescent years. J’Lee graduated from Skidmore College in 2005 with a B.A. in Government/Law & Society and more recently graduated from VCU in Richmond, VA (where she currently resides) with a Masters Degree in Clinical Social Work. While she is passionate about helping the likes of all people and animals (more specifically pit-bulls), J’Lee considers herself a “contemporary ghetto fabulous hippy” – a compassionate humanitarian who believes that we need to “be the change we seek in the world.” Despite academic accomplishments, J’Lee feels as if something is still missing, as if she’s losing her creative self and true purpose in the day to day hustle known as life, work and bills – and no longer wants to ignore her passion for music.