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Paul "Sage" Francis (born 1977 in Miami, Florida) is a hip-hop artist based in Providence, Rhode Island. Noted for his intense flow and sharp wit, Francis has won acclaim both as a freestyle battler and as an unapologetically intellectual lyricist. Throughout his many releases, Francis has addressed a wide range of personal, cultural, and political issues.
Career
Prior to embarking on a full-time career as an MC, Francis was a noted slam poet. During the late 1990s, he recorded his first demo tape (1996), fronted the now defunct Providence hip-hop band Art Official Intelligence, and hosted a weekly slot on independent radio station WRIU (the "True School Session"). He also formed the Non-Prophets with producer friend Joe Beats, and the duo released a 12” ("Drop Bass/Bounce/I Keep Calling," Emerge Records, 1999), following up in 2003 with their first full-length offering, Hope. Francis is a contemporary of underground hip-hop artists such as Slug, Eyedea, and the anticon. collective. He is also loosely affiliated with the vague underground hip-hop supergroup The Orphanage.
As a battle rapper, Francis won the 2000 Scribble Jam; a competition considered to be the most sought after prize in the freestyle battling scene. He then came back the next year to finish as a semifinalist, after being defeated by the eventual champion Adeem. Francis set up his own record label Strange Famous Records through which he has put out the majority of his records, mostly collections of live songs, radio freestyles and spoken word tracks.
After building up a reputation and cult following, thanks largely to his self compiled and released albums, and, the internet, he released the track that would add "outspoken hip-hop artist" to his list of reputations, and through internet downloading, expose him to many more people. On October 11, exactly one month after the September 11, 2001 attacks, he wrote and recorded that track - "Makeshift Patriot". The track was released that day as an MP3 and later in several formats.
Francis released his first proper solo album, "Personal Journals", on anticon. Records in 2002. He toured with futurock band Gruvis Malt on the Live Band Dead Poet Tour to support it. Francis subsequently became one of the first hip-hop artist to sign with Punk label Epitaph Records, agreeing to a three-album deal. His first album for Epitaph, "A Healthy Distrust", was released in early 2005. He is currently working on his second album for Epitaph, which he expects to release by early 2007.
In 2004, Francis appeared on-stage at Rock the Bells in San Bernardino, CA. This concert is notable for having been the final (and first in several years) performance of the entire 9-member Wu-Tang Clan.
Francis also raps under the alias Xaul Zan. A fan of metal music, Francis has explained that Xaul is a 'vent of many sorts' *, representative of this side of Sage's character. Whilst no records have been released under this alias, Sage has appeared as 'Xaul Zan' on other artist's records and the "Sick Of Waging War..." album contains some tracks credited to 'Xaul Zan' as performer. Francis also often references or mentions the alias in his lyrics and freestyle raps.
Francis holds two degrees, an AA in communications from Massachusetts' Dean College, and a BA in journalism from the University of Rhode Island. These are probably partially responsible for his intellectual and often slightly journalistic style of writing.
Francis is currently working on the soundtrack of director Gavin O'Connor's film Pride and Glory. Mark Isham is composing the music to which Francis is writing lyrics, speaking the conscience of the main character, played by Edward Norton.
Discography
Albums
- Home Grown Demo Tape (1996)
- Voice Mail Bomb Threat (as Art Official Intelligence, 1998)
- Sick Of Waiting... (1999)
- Still Sick... Urine Trouble (Strange Famous Records, 2000)
- Sick Of Waiting Tables (Strange Famous Records, 2001)
- The Known Unsoldier, "Sick Of Waging War..." (Strange Famous Records, 2002)
- Personal Journals (anticon. Records, 2002)
- Hope (with Joe Beats as Non-Prophets) (Lex Records, 2003)
- Sickly Business (Strange Famous Records, 2004)
- Dead Poet, Live Album (with Gruvis Malt, Strange Famous Records, 2004)
- A Healthy Distrust (Epitaph Records, 2005)
- Still Sickly Business (Strange Famous Records, 2005)
- Road Tested (2003-2005) (with Gruvis Malt, Sol.illaquists Of Sound and The Gimme Fund) (Strange Famous Records, 2005)
Singles and EPs
- Drop Bass/Bounce/I Keep Calling (with Joe Beats as Non-Prophets)
- All Word No Play/Majority Rule/Whore Monger Sing-Along (with Joe Beats as Non-Prophets) (Emerge Music, 2000)
- Makeshift Patriot (Strange Famous Records and HipHopSite Wax, 2001)
- Sage Frenchkiss (Strange Famous Records and Wheatabeat, 2002)
- Climb Trees (anticon., 2002)
- Makeshift Patriot EP (anticon., 2003)
- Slow Down Gandhi (Epitaph Records, 2004)
- Sea Lion (with Will Oldham) (Epitaph Records, 2005)
Releases Featured
- Sleep No More by DJ Signify, Francis performs vocals on Kiddie Litter, Haunted House Party and Cup Of Regret (Lexoleum Records, 2004)
- The Empire Strikes First by Bad Religion, Francis performs guest vocals on Let Them Eat War (Epitaph Records, 2004)
- A Work In Progress by Sixtoo, Francis performs vocals on Testimony (anticon., 2001)
DVDs
- Life is Easy (DVD) (Strange Famous Records, 2005)
External links and further reading
- Official Sage Francis website
- Non-Prophets Forum
- KnowMore: The People's Corporation Watch Project
- A Healthy Distrust Review
- Sage Francis Lyrics
Video links
American rappers | Slam poets | Epitaph Records groups | American vegetarians | 1976 births | Living people
"Sage Francis"