Touring Australia for the first time, WavyLand proudly presents the debut of Roc Marciano, a New York hip-hop mainstay and trailblazing MC and producer. Known for his avant-garde ambient soundscapes, hard-knock life storytelling, and free-flowing, jazz-tempo lyricism, Roc has gained admiration from fans, critics, and peers alike.
In 2022, Roc’s long-anticipated collaborative album with renowned producer The Alchemist, The Elephant Man’s Bones, was named Best New Music by Pitchfork, which described it as “one of the most indulgently sinister rap records of the year.” This release set the stage for an even bigger 2024 for Roc, following his critically acclaimed solo LPs over the past few years, including Marcielago, Mt. Marcito, and the instrumental project Pimpstrumentals.
Roc has also contributed his talents to exciting hip-hop projects, such as Stove God Cooks' debut album Reasonable Drought, which Stereogum praised for its “hazy deep-concentration beats.” His joint project with Vancouver artist Jay Worthy, Nothing Bigger Than the Program, was noted by Pitchfork for the duo’s creative chemistry, highlighting how "Marci’s minimal, often drumless beats are the ideal backdrop for Worthy."
Widely regarded as a godfather of the underground, Roc has significantly influenced the resurgence of contemporary hip-hop. He believes in a constant state of discovery, stating, “From Marcberg on, I always wanted to make music I want to hear.” Born Rahkeim Meyer in Hempstead, Long Island, Roc grew up in the Terrace Ave projects, drawing inspiration from golden age legends like Public Enemy, De La Soul, Rakim, and Big Daddy Kane, as well as new school heavyweights like Nas and The Notorious B.I.G.
His cultural education paid off as he earned a spot in the storied Flipmode Squad, fronted by Busta Rhymes, where he made his debut on the track “The Heist.” Roc later founded the hardcore Long Island group The UN before going solo, achieving critical acclaim with his self-produced breakthrough Marcberg, which garnered praise for its fusion of early 1990s boom-bap and storytelling, followed by the cult-classic Reloaded.
Touring Australia for the first time, WavyLand proudly presents the highly anticipated debut of Roc MarcianoNew York hip-hop mainstayRoc Marcianois a trailblazing MC and producer, beloved by fans, critics and peers for his avant-garde ambient soundscapes, hard-knock life story-telling, and free-flowing, jazz-temp lyricism. In 2022,The Elephant Man’s Bones,Roc’slong-anticipated full-length collaboration album with renowned producerThe Alchemist, was namedBest New MusicbyPitchfork,who lauded the release as “one of the most indulgently sinister rap records of the year” and set the stage for Roc Marciano to have an even bigger 2024. Roc is on the heels of his career-minting run of critically-acclaimed solo LPs the past few years, from his 2018 and 2019 albumsMarcielago,Mt. Marcito his hailed instrumental projectPimpstrumentalsin 2020. He also has been spent the past few years sitting behind the boards for some of hip-hop’s most exciting projects like Stove God Cooks debut album Reasonable Drought, to whichStereogumhailed, “his hazy deep-concentration beats turned out to be an ideal complement to Stove God’s literary crime-life talk”andFlee Lord’s2021 LPDelgado.Most recently,Nothing Bigger Than the Program,a joint project with Vancouver mainstayJay Worthy,was noted byPitchforkfor the duo’s complementary creative partnership, noting how “Marci’sminimal, often drumless beats are the ideal backdrop forWorthy, whose push-pull delivery slips easily into each nook and cranny.” Widely hailed as a godfather of the underground,Rochas helped shape the sound of the next generation, with the emcee serving as a key influence and source for the resurgence of contemporary hip-hop that has had. “I want to constantly be in the state of discovery,” he toldVulturein 2022, discussing what he sees himself doing in the next ten years. “FromMarcbergon, I always wanted to make music I want to hear.”Born Rahkeim Meyer in Hempstead, Long Island,Rocgrew up in the Terrace Ave projects, studying the artistry of everyone from golden age legendsPublic Enemy,De La Soul,Rakim, andBig Daddy Kaneto new school heavyweightsNasandThe Notorious B.I.G. That wide-ranging cultural education paid off, asRocsoon earned a stint in storiedBusta Rhymes-fronted hip-hop collectiveFlipmode Squad.He made his debut for the group on project highlight “The Heist” fromBusta’sfourth albumAnarchyalongsideGhostface KillahandRaekwonofWu-Tang Clanand even worked on an unreleased track withBiggie. But while his time inFlipmode Squadhelped him make a name for himself,Rochas always been known for his independent streak. He leftBustaand Co. to found hardcore Long Island groupThe UNbefore eventually taking a leap of faith and going solo. He found critical and commercial acclaim with self-produced 2010 breakthroughMarcberg, whichPitchforkpraised for its fusion of “early 1990s boom-bap with an impressive flair for storytelling” and the cult-classic follow-upReloaded.
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