Sa-Roc is arguably one of the most vibrant MCs in the world today. Her crisp articulation, fiery delivery, and her elevated and insightful lyricism has often placed her within the same conversation of some of Hip Hop’s most notable artists. Once dubbed by Okayplayer as “one of the most formidable microphone mavens in the game,” Sa-Roc is an artist for a socially conscious generation.
There was no lack of early influences; she was raised by an artist father and an avid reader for a mother who would expose their young children to black writers, musicians and performers. She was raised on everything from the syncopated rhythms of hometown Go-Go acts like the Rare Essence and the Backyard band, to the prophetic poetry of Gil Scott Heron and Nikki Giovanni - it was the work of writers like these and more that helped Sa-Roc foster a love for language and writing; and while still young, she began to pen her own poetry and short stories.
Sa-Roc was on the verge of graduating from Howard University as a biology major but decided to leave college, and eventually, leave Washington D.C. for Atlanta.
It was in Atlanta where she was introduced to famed DJ and producer, Sol Messiah. Inspired by one of the acts Sol Messiah was working with, Sa-Roc decided to record some of her poetry and rhymes to his beats. The result was her first EP, Astral Chronicles which dropped in 2008, and a project titled Supernova that same year. Sa-Roc quickly began to gain recognition within the cultural and activist community in Atlanta, performing at social justice and political prisoner fundraisers, and other community-based events.
Her powerful performances, metaphysical lyrics, and skills as an emcee, caught the attention of the independent Hip Hop community in Atlanta. To maximize their momentum, as well as continually sharpening her skills, Sa-Roc and Sol Messiah released a strong series of collaborative projects between 2008-2014: Journey of the Starseed (2010), Ether Warz (2011), and Babylon (2013). Additionally in 2013, she also performed at the historic Zulu Nation 40th anniversary event, a performance which led to her gaining the attention of some of Hip Hop’s most respected pioneers. Sa-Roc was making waves as an emcee with notable stage presence and a prolific output; by 2014 she had dropped a stunning eight projects in six years, including 2014’s Nebuchadnezzar.
Black Thought (The Roots) pulled her on stage at A3C to perform an acapella verse, which led to several opportunities for Sa-Roc to open for The Roots and future creative collaborations with Black Thought. She has opened for the likes of Common, Jay Electronica, and has shared the stage with legends such as Rakim, De La Soul, and Talib Kweli.
Sa-Roc continued her prolific output in 2015, dropping the albums Extraterrestrial, The Gift of the Magi and The Legend of Black Moses mixtape all within the same year. Around this same time, she caught the attention of Rhymesayers CEO Brent “Siddiq” Sayers, leading to her being booked for the seminal Hip Hop festival Soundset in 2015. Witnessing her captivating and commanding presence in person and on stage, talks began immediately to bring her to the label. Signed in 2016, Sa-Roc has thrived within her partnership with the influential label, touring with Brother Ali, in 2017, and releasing a string of powerful music videos along the way, including “Hand of God”, “Goddess Gang”, and “Forever” which struck a chord with many - creating a viral sensation that led to worldwide critical acclaim - amassing over 4 million views on YouTube.
Alongside Sol Messiah, Sa-Roc has accomplished a global reach by touring internationally and gaining fans from South America to Europe. She has performed at the legendary Jazz Cafe in London, including performing live for BBC. In 2020, she embarked on a national tour with rapper Rapsody and made her debut on the world-renowned NPR Tiny Desk At Home series that led fans to describe her simply as “the truth” and technically “the best lyricist in recent times.”
Her Rhymesayers debut album, The Sharecropper’s Daughter, titled in paying homage to her father’s experience growing up sharecropping tobacco, is “a sonic reflection on the generational inheritance of trauma and triumph that shapes our humanity and influences the way we see the world.”
At a time where people all around the globe are calling for social change, Sa-Roc is an MC whose energy and conscious lyrics are here to shake up the rap game and remind us all that Hip Hop was always about giving a voice to the people.
Sa-Roc’s newest single, “Talk To Me Nice”, takes a more assertive tone and focuses on challenging the industry while demanding respect from it - backed by an instantaneous combined 100,000+ plays and views within 3 weeks of being released.
*VIDEO: Sa-Roc - Talk To Me Nice > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEHZEh6Ho-I
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