Born in Wilmington, North Carolina and raised in New York City, MC SHA-ROCK is often referred to as the “Luminary Icon” or the “Mother of the Mic.” As Hip Hop’s first influential female emcee, part of the legendary rap group The Funky Four Plus One More, she has built a foundation for other female emcees worldwide.
For over four decades, MC SHA-ROCK has contributed to the Hip Hop movement. In 1981, she appeared on the 20/20 television special “Rapping to the Beat” hosted by Hugh Downs. In 1982, MC SHA-ROCK and members of the group made a guest appearance on Saturday Night Live hosted by Deborah Harry of the rock group Blondie, making them the first Hip Hop group to appear on national television. In 1984, MC SHA-ROCK was featured in the iconic film Beat Street. Her work also includes several documentaries for BBC, Thirty Years of Hip Hop on VH1, and My Mic Sounds Nice on B.E.T, in addition to other networks and TV shows alongside The Funky Four.
MC SHA-ROCK has received dozens of awards and honors for her contributions to Hip Hop culture. She has received an honorary award from the Council of the City of New York for her involvement as a female pioneer emcee and The Women of Distinction Award by The Hip Hop Culture Center in Harlem, New York. She has been featured in magazines such as The Source and Essence along with several books written by Hip Hop historians and authors, acknowledging her dedication and commitment to the culture. Rolling Stone named The Funky Four Plus One More’s single “That’s The Joint” as one of the 50 greatest rap songs of all time.
In 2013, MC SHA-ROCK was appointed as a National Advisor for the Cornell University Hip Hop Library Collection. She was also appointed to the Advisory Board for the Universal Hip Hop Museum in the Bronx. MC SHA-ROCK continues to lecture on university and college campuses around the world.
MC SHA-ROCK has collaborated with many international artists such as Ice T, Nas, Big Daddy Kane, Celo, Marley Marl, Kurtis Blow, Grand Puba, Melle Mel, MC Spice, Malcolm McLaren, and Angie Stone. Archives, artifacts, and memorabilia of MC SHA-ROCK are celebrated and on display at Cornell University and in the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture in Washington, DC.
The 12th District of the Bronx, New York has ordained June 1st as MC SHA-ROCK Day. The New York City Transit Authority has replaced/changed a subway map on 174th Street in the Bronx in honor MC SHA-ROCK.
