Cristalle Bowen, also known as Psalm One, has been consistently named one of the nation's Best Artists by the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Reader, and in 2022 made her debut as a best-selling author.

Psalm released her debut album, Bio:Chemistry, while studying chemistry at the University of Illinois in 2002, was discovered by Casual of Hieroglyphics fame and brought to Rhymesayers Entertainment by Eyedea (RIP).

In 2006 Psalm One became the only woman signed to the independent label after leaving her job as a chemist and releasing her commercial debut, The Death of Frequent Flyer. In 2011, she made her television debut on MTV's Emmy-winning series, MADE. 

Not just a professional-turned-performer, Psalm has often utilized her platform for educational purposes. In 2012 she released a children's album titled Child Support in conjunction with ASCAP and America SCORES, a nationally celebrated after-school program.

For five years, she regularly balanced time between touring and running the hip-hop influenced after-school program Rhymeschool; as an advocate of equal rights across the board, Psalm One frequently speaks on educational panels and conducts workshops in the academic sphere.

In 2013, she began releasing music under the pseudonym Hologram Kizzie, while co-founding the all-women crew Rapperchicks. In 2015 she self-released P.O.L.Y. (Psalm One Loves You), and embarked on a U.S. tour she orchestrated herself. 

P.O.L.Y. broke new ground for Psalm One, as it shows a beautiful amount of live instrumentation and group vocals. Fittingly, the album was named one of the year’s best by multiple publications.

2015 also marked the Rapperchicks' debut, Shitty Punk Album, as well as the release of Psalm’s incredible triple album Gender Fender Bender. 

Also In 2015,  she challenged her then label Rhymesayers' practices toward women, herself then being the only woman signed to the imprint in its 20+ year history, as well as their only openly queer artist.

By 2020 she led a full on boycott of the label after several abuse allegations regarding several label members came to light. Since then she has joined the board of the S.H.I.F.T. Cooperative, a disaster relief organization, and done an abundance of community and survivor work.

Psalm One is an international touring and recording artist; featured in publications such as Forbes, Billboard, NPR and The FADER. An artist cut from Chicago's vast and unique Hip Hop talent, Psalm has commanded stages of festivals from Paid Due$ to Riot Fest; among artists such as Kendrick Lamar, 50 Cent, Jean Grae, Odd Future, Wu - Tang and so many more...

Not just an MC, Psalm has also been road DJ for rap legends. More than an entertainer, Cristalle is organically a community advocate, scholar and teaching artist.

In 2020, the Rapperchicks became BIG $ILKY, a duo between herself and long time collaborator Angel Davanport. The two released three music projects and launched a web series during the pandemic, to much acclaim. They’ve also pivoted to mutual aid and Covid-19 relief, with Angel forming the S.H.I.F.T. Cooperative and Psalm joining the board. They’ve redistributed tens of thousands of dollars to Midwest families in need.

In 2022 Psalm, forever pushing her craft, released a memoir called Her Word is Bond: Navigating Hip Hop and Relationships in a Culture of Misogyny, published by Haymarket Books, as well as her tenth studio album, Bigg Perrm, with producer Custom Made, in partnership with Filthē Records.

Also in 2022 she began writing for The Chicago Reader, contributing to arts and culture commentary. She also began her role as on-air host for Audiotree Live, a tiny-desk-like music performace show based in Chicago. In 2023 she released the EP followup to Bigg Perrm, The Returrn of Bigg Perrm.

In 2024 she has introduced a new web series, a first look at a cartoon she’s developing, and is of course prepping brand new music. She is not slowing down and is more independent than ever before!