— Rappers Sa-Roc and Rah Digga pulled up to Atlanta’s City Winery during their latest tour and represented strongly for women in Hip-Hop.
With Hip-Hop officially turning 50 years old this year, we have been blessed with a number of iconic moments in celebration of its impressive and impactful tenure thus far. However, some of the moments we’ve had the pleasure of witnessing have flown a bit under the radar despite their underlying importance and magnitude. This was the case when Sa-Roc and Rah Digga — two of Hip-Hop’s most formidable female MCs — made their most recent stop in Atlanta.
Just a few weeks back, at Atlanta’s City Winery located in Ponce City Market, we got to be a part of an incredible experience that was enhanced by the elegant and swanky concert venue. As everyone got situated, Sa-Roc’s official DJ and Atlanta’s own Sol Messiah set the vibe as he manned the turntables and warmed up the crowd.
First to the stage was the one and only Sa-Roc. Having seen her live show a few times now, I was sure I knew what to expect. However, one thing for certain is that no two Sa-Roc shows are the same. While her divine energy, masterful artistry, and queenly presence were all still on full display, this performance was arguably the most intimate I’ve seen likely due to the intimate venue and a strong presence from members of Queen Afua’s Sacred Woman Rites of Passage program — a program that Sa-Roc says herself helped her to develop as a young woman. Furthermore, we were also lucky enough to see Sa-Roc perform her latest single, “Talk to Me Nice.”
Following Sa-Roc was none other than the legendary Rah Digga. As a member of renowned Hip-Hop group Flipmode Squad and a respected MC since first stepping on the scene in 1997, Rah Digga is undoubtedly Hip-Hop royalty and she surely showed it. Delivering hits and deep cuts from her classic 1999 debut solo album, Dirty Harriet, as well as her more recent 2010 album, Classic, the New Jersey-born spitter put on an absolute clinic. As she recited each bar in emphatic fashion — showcasing decades of skill, composure, and overall mastery — Rah Digga was even sure to pay homage to fellow female Hip-Hop artists that have, and continue to, blaze new trails for those coming up behind them.
Being able to see two highly-talented and highly-acclaimed female rappers perform live — one of which dropped her debut album in 1999 and the other who debuted in 2008 — was a truly special experience, especially during Hip-Hop’s 50th year in existence. As time progresses, we’ll hopefully get to see more collaborations between Hip-Hop’s respective generations. In fact, maybe we’ll see more from these two prolific women. Nonetheless, or until then, we’ll luckily be able to cherish this special moment forever.
Be sure to check out our full recap footage above along with photos we captured from the night below.
