Jenny H.B.O releases new song "I Got a Message"
Jenny H.B.O., also known as Jennifer Ray, is a music artist whose name stands for “The Highly Blessed One. ”Her name once had a very different meaning when she rapped as “the Hottest Bi*** Out” while performing secular music with her cousin AYO. Back then, the initials H.B.O. were part of a bold punchline she used, reflecting a lifestyle and mindset that did not match who she truly was or who God was calling her to be. Everything began to change after her pastor preached a message called “Misguided Passion,” which spoke directly to her heart and helped guide her back to her purpose and her faith. She first started out in Christian Hip Hop, and back then her name was Little Preacher. Growing up in foster care, she carried a strong desire to make money and help her family, so she turned to commercial and secular rap for a while. Her brother even helped set up meetings with Sony Records for her and her cousin. But every time, something stopped it from going forward. The name H.B.O. is now a reminder that God gifted her with music and that she has a responsibility to use it the right way. Archbishop Leonard Naylor is currently her pastor .She now believes God never allowed her to record secular music because she was not meant to spread just any message.
Jenny H.B.O. is originally from the Bronx, New York. When she was 10 years old, her life changed after she found a gun in a park that had been used in a robbery. She fired it, and by grace no one was hurt. Shortly after that, her grandmother moved the family to Port Charlotte, Florida for a fresh start. She lived in Florida until she finished high school and then moved back up north to Massachusetts. She likes to say she has the best of both worlds: New York hustle and Southern hospitality. As an artist, she does not like to be placed in a box. She is multi-genre and loves anything related to the arts. She sings, raps, and creates music that has been labeled Hip Hop, Reggae, Gospel, Rap, R&B, Soul, Inspirational, and Christian Hip Hop. Still, she does not tie herself down to any one label. Her songs often talk about love, faith, hope, social issues, social justice, and restoration. She understands that music has power, and she uses that power to build and heal.
Her musical influences are strong and meaningful. Bob Marley is one of her biggest inspirations because he understood how powerful music can be. She admires how his songs helped stop conflict and brought peace. Lauryn Hill, the Queen of Hip Hop, is another major influence. Jenny loves “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” and respects how the album is still loved decades later. She is also a fan of the Fugees. On the worship side, she loves William McDowell, whose music she says brings her into the presence of God. Kirk Franklin’s songs also played a major role in her life, especially when she was a teenager in foster care. She used to play “My Life Is in Your Hands” on repeat and even imagined him calling her on stage one day so she could rap.
Her latest project is an album called Rapha’s Way, which is available on all digital platforms. It was released on December 12, 2024, which was also her 40th birthday. The word “Rapha” is Hebrew and means “to heal,” “to restore,” or “to make whole,” and that meaning runs through the whole project. Creating Rapha’s Way was not easy. Jenny was going through deep pain while working on the album. She had lost both of her parents less than a year apart. The father of her children had also left her for the third and final time, and she was now raising her twin sons alone. She poured some of that hurt into the song “Be Restored (I’m A Genius Like My Momma).” She also began to explore new sounds like reggae and Afrobeats, stepping into new musical territory.
One of the hardest parts of the process was keeping her energy high. She felt excited about the music God was bringing out of her, but not everyone around her shared that excitement. She had to fight to protect her peace and her fire. One of the songs on the album, “Yea Mi on Fiyah,” is a dancehall-style track that is also a prayer, asking God not to let anything put out her flame.
During this season, Jenny was on leave from work. She spent a lot of time at the park writing the songs for the album. This time of freedom, reflection, and healing was very important. She went to therapy, worked out at the gym, and did her best to heal from deep wounds. Some recording sessions were so emotional that she had to stop because the tears would not stop flowing.
The first track on Rapha’s Way is called “Yahweh (This Girl Is on Fiyah).” She completely freestyled the track while her voice was almost gone. She pushed herself hard to record it. She was so hot in the studio that her friend Irv had to turn up the air conditioning and loan her a T-shirt. On that song, she released a lot of stored-up pain, and it became the starting point for the whole project. Jenny hopes this album will bring healing and inspiration to everyone who hears it. With songs like “Black Man,” she wants to lift up Black men and remind them that they are kings. With “Be Restored,” she shares the heartbreak of being hurt by someone she loved while also leaving women with a message of hope. She wants women to know they do not have to become bitter; they can aim for something better. She respects artists like Mary J. Blige, “I love Mary J Blige, but she left us with ‘I'm Going Down’ and ‘No hope’.” she states. She even echoes Tupac’s spirit with the idea of saying, “I’m not mad at you; I pray you be restored.”
Jenny is also aware of the brokenness in the industry, especially with all the talk and scandal around powerful figures. She wants Rapha’s Way to be a tool of healing in the middle of all that darkness. She aims to use her story and her sound to bring restoration where there has been harm and confusion. On stage, Jenny H.B.O. brings that same energy to the people. This past summer, she performed at several local festivals in Springfield, Massachusetts. She hit the stage at the Harambe Gospel and Hip Hop Day, the Caribbean Festival, and the Stone Soul Festival’s Gospel and Hip Hop Day. At each event, she shared her blend of faith, fire, and real-life stories, leaving the crowd with more than just a beat but with hope, healing, and a reminder that she truly is “The Highly Blessed One.”
Listen to 'I Got A Message"
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