FR333 is an Oakland based musical duo comprised of producer, XOA (Allie Howard) and rapper/vocalist, MADlines (Maddy Clifford). XOA grew up playing several instruments,

focusing mostly on guitar. Feeling limited by traditional instruments, XOA began creating unique but familiar sounds by using effect pedals, synths and samplers. In the Spring of 2015, she recorded and produced two EPs, Fire and Water, a follow up project from her debut album, Amble (2013). Soon after, XOA wanted to begin collaborating with other artists. MADlines began rapping in high school in her hometown of Seattle. As a seasoned performer, she had the opportunity to rock hundreds of stages. She eventually relocated to Oakland, released three independent musical projects, yet she yearned for a steady producer to work with, a solid sound to hone her lyrical abilities. MADlines discovered magic in XOA’s instrumentals, which gave her the opportunity to experiment like never before.

It all started when XOA reached out to MADlines in 2015 after hearing her speak on a local Bay Area radio show on KPFA 94.1 called Women’s Magazine. XOA sent MADlines an email to see if she would be interested in collaborating on some music and provided a link to her soundcloud. They met in person in Berkeley, realized their shared Northwest roots and a desire to create outside the box. Afterwards, the two spent months continuing to correspond over email before developing unique songs and putting plans in motion for an album.

Over the past few years since they joined forces, they have been commissioned by and collaborated with Undercover Presents, Flyaway Productions and Goethe Institute in the Bay Area all while producing their trio of themed EPs; TH3 Mind, TH3 Body, and TH3 Spirit.

FR333 draws upon a diverse array of influences, from Timbaland to Radiohead, from Yeah Yeah Yeahs to Bahamadia, from Zion I to Omar Rodriguez-Lopez. It isn’t easy to put a finger on their breed of hip-hop, but the shifting nature of their creativity is something that they fully embrace. FR333 embraces the self-proclaimed genre, Goddess Trap. Although their songs often hone 808s and pay respect to the highly popular Southern rap genre of Trap, FR333’s music conjures something more seductive—the radical yet simple notion that black womxn are human, and in fact, magical beyond measure.