In anticipation of the kick off of her August “Talk To Me Nice” tour, Sa-Roc has today shared her song of the same name and the first single from her forthcoming album. “Talk To Me Nice,”continues the tradition of Sa-Roc sharing a deep connection with her audience, with poise, tenacity and masterful skill. The new single, produced by Sol Messiah, takes a more assertive tone, as she focuses on challenging the industry while demanding respect from it. The sparse, yet menacing track centers Sa-Roc’s voice, showcasing her dextrous wordplay, natural wit and agility.
Sa-Roc has also shared the official video for “Talk To Me Nice,” with the visuals engaging with light and shadow in stark contrasts to symbolize the decentering and marginalization she and many others have experienced in life. The video, directed by David Maxwell, features guest appearances from dancer Storyboard P and members of the art collective Art Comes First, and notably incorporates Afro-punk aesthetics as well the jewelry and motifs of many Black, African and Indigenous cultures, as a symbolic nod to those cultures that have long countered the prevailing social narrative.
Following the release of her Rhymesayers debut, The Sharecropper’s Daughter, which featured official YouTube videos for hits “Forever” (6M+ views), “Goddess Gang” (1M+ views) , Sa-Roc has become arguably one of the most vibrant MCs in the world today. Okayplayer heralded Sa-Roc as “one of the most formidable microphone mavens in the game,” and NPR described her as "a modern day griot whose aura radiates calm in a world of chaos.”
Watch "Talk To Me Nice" | Out Now: https://rse.lnk.to/TalkToMeNice
About Sa-Roc:
By her own admission, Sa-Roc was painfully shy and reclusive as a youth. She was born three months premature and didn’t make a sound during the first fourteen months of her life. She grew up in Southeast D.C. at the height of the crack era, with neighborhoods plagued by poverty and disaffection. These and many other early experiences shaped her understanding of the world around her, deepened her emotional sensitivity, and cemented a social consciousness that’s evident throughout her music. Her early struggle to find a voice—both literally and creatively—would also prove critical in shaping her lyrical expression. In 2018, she channeled much of her pain into a self-empowerment anthem, “Forever”, which struck a chord and led to worldwide acclaim with an official music video that has amassed over 6 million views to date. The song set the stage for her 2020 magnum opus, The Sharecropper’s Daughter, the title of which pays homage to her father’s experience growing up sharecropping tobacco. The album was, in her own words, “a sonic reflection on the generational inheritance of the traumas and triumphs that shape our humanity, and influence the way we see the world.” The Sharecropper’s Daughter received widespread critical acclaim, with many notable outlets singing its praises. American Songwriter called the project “a masterpiece of linguistic agility and dexterity,” while AllHipHop called Sa-Roc “an anomaly, a proverbial one-of-one in a vastly overcrowded Hip-Hop scene.” Sa-Roc was also invited to perform on NPR’s world-renowned Tiny Desk series during their stretch of Covid-induced “Home” concerts, leading their own audience to describe her matter-of-factly as “the truth” and “the best lyricist in recent times.” Following the critical acclaim for The Sharecropper’s Daughter, Sa-Roc returned with a deluxe edition of the album in 2021. The new version featured the addition of six powerful new songs including the sagely reaffirming “Wild Seeds”, the double entendre-riddled “Dusty Roads”, and the poignant closer “The Rebirth” – a transcendent collaboration with the late legend MF DOOM – all raising the bar once more for both the skills and the intention she displays in her lyricism. Now, as Sa-Roc wraps up with recording her follow-up release, she stands ready to reach new heights. At a time when so many have been calling for social change, Sa-Roc is an MC whose energy and conscious lyrics are poised to shake up the rap game and remind us all that Hip Hop was always about giving a voice to the people.
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