Prime Picks: "Talk to Me Nice" by Sa-Roc

Sa-Roc returns with pose, tenacity, and bars.

Sa-Roc returns with “Talk to Me Nice,” a compelling lyrical bar fest that underscores the artist's strength, determination, and adversity throughout her life. It showcases her lyricism, demonstrating her ability to use vivid and nuanced language to convey her experiences.

Produced by Sol Messiah, the song’s verse is filled with metaphors and allusions that add depth to the lyrics. For instance, Sa-Roc’s line “I got them snakes fired up like kundalini, biting the most prestigious” employs the Kundalini symbol (a form of divine energy in Hinduism often represented as a coiled serpent) to denote her power and influence.

The song begins with Sa-Roc describing her unwavering resolve in the face of adversity: “I stand straighter than an arrow when they tell me to buckle / Dragged myself out of the mud still got the scars on my knuckles.” She presents herself as a figure of resilience and strength, someone who refuses to be defeated or swayed by external pressures.

In the following lines, she likens her ability to use words to the firing of a six-shooter and her ability to slip away undetected to escape with a duffel bag. This metaphor highlights the power of her words and her skill as an artist while conveying a sense of elusiveness, suggesting she is not easily defined or confined by societal expectations.

When she says, “I turned the tragic to a classic like the color purple, Celie,” she is likely referencing the protagonist Celie from Alice Walker’s novel The Color Purple. This allusion may suggest how she, like Celie, transformed her painful experiences into something meaningful and powerful.

The line “My critics thought they could defeat me, I outsmarted them all” further emphasizes Sa-Roc’s perseverance and determination to succeed despite her doubts and criticisms.

Sa-Roc acknowledges her unique position in the music industry, identifying herself as the “one and only rap god” and her listeners as monotheists. This is a bold declaration of her self-worth and confidence in her talent.

She also references her struggles before her rise to fame: “See I was a subject of them 90s coke trials, now I keep that copal blazed in villas coastal.” This line indicates a transformation from a complicated past to a thriving present.

A standout line in the verse is “Every Goliath got a David with an Excalibur drawn.” This metaphor emphasizes that even the most formidable challenges can be overcome.

The verse concludes with a series of lines highlighting her accomplishments, stating that her “whole body of work is solid gold like Tutankhamun.” This line reinforces the value and significance of her music, comparing it to the treasures of an ancient Egyptian pharaoh.

The phrase “Talk to me nice” is repeated in the chorus, serving as a call to respect and acknowledge her talent and success. She warns her detractors to be cautious with their words and actions, reinforcing the idea that she should be treated with the respect she deserves.

“Talk to Me Nice” is a song that emphasizes Sa-Roc’s unique identity, self-confidence, and place in the music industry. It presents her as an incredible MC who has faced and overcome significant challenges to achieve her success, and it calls for recognition and respect for her work and her journey.