Linqua Franqa

Linqua Franqa
Birth name	Mariah Parker
Origin	Athens, Georgia, United States
Genres	Hip Hop, Rap
Occupation(s)	Musician, rapper, politician
Years active	2017-Current
Labels	Happy Happy Birthday to Me Records
Website	linquafranqa.bandcamp.com

Mariah Parker, better known by her stage name, Linqua Franqa, is an American musician, rapper, and politician from Louisville, Kentucky. She currently resides in Athens, Georgia. Parker moved to Athens to attend school at the University of Georgia where she took a undergraduate linguistics survey course as an elective and became interested in the field where she decided to study linguistics as her degree program. Her musical style was heavily influenced by her studies in the linguistics program and became her topic of study. Her research area is described as hip-hop in education. She received a Master's Degree in Linguistics from the University of Georgia where she is currently pursuing a PhD.

Parker’s music describes subjects such as sociopolitical awareness, depression, the stigma of abortion, addiction, gender, racial and class struggles. Her style has been described by the New York Times as merging rap, spoken word, singing, a social conscience, humor, and physical presence with music created with manipulated jazz samples. She has released two EPs and a full-length album titled Model Minority through Happy Happy Birthday to Me Records. The album was produced by local Athens, Georgia musicians Wesdaruler, Letsrunktrack, Murk Daddy Flex and Savannah producer Dope KNife. Critics described the style as influenced by Digable Planets vintage Wu-Tang Clan, A Tribe Called Quest, Tarantino soul, with influences of Ol’ Dirty Bastard and Kool Keith style wordplay with other influences described as Lauren Hill, and Mos Def.

Since the release of Model Minority, Parker has collaborated with the jazz group, Misnomer, to release music with proceeds going to the Sentencing Project. Parker recently appeared in the documentary film, Athens Rising: The Sicyon Project: Volume One, which discusses hip-hop artists in the Athens, GA area.

Parker has been influential in Athens, Georgia hip-hop scene by bringing the music to venues that have largely ignored hip-hop music. When she arrived in the city she noticed a lack of hip-hop music being supported in the Athens music community. Teen Vogue states that Parker was instrumental in working to integrate predominantly white music spaces in the Athens area. She helped to organize events for Hot Corner Hip Hop showcase, which performed their first show at The World Famous in Athens, GA, which became successful and allowed more hip-hop music to be performed in the Athens area. Because of her legacy demonstrated through her activism work as well as her performances and music, Creative Loafing considers her a prominent MC in the Athens, Georgia area. Athens, Georgia's Flagpole Magazine states that she is part responsible for putting hip-hop in Athens back on the map. This prominence has led to local accolades such as wins in the Flagpole Athens Music Awards for best hip-hop artist in 2017 and 2018, and the Vic Chesnutt Songwriter of the Year award, and Georgia Public Broadcasting presented a video feature of her music and politics. Because of her popularity Parker has appeared at several locally high profile shows as a headlining act and has opened for high profile musicians. She was considered a headliner act of the Athfest music festival and Athens Popfest. She has performed with The Future Is Voting Tour, which featured Jim James of My Morning Jacket as the headliner. She was an opening act for Nancy Whang and Gavin Rayna Russom of LCD Soundsystem. Her popularity in Athens got Parker a slot in the South By Southwest Festival, where she received praise for her performance from NPR's World Cafe and in the New York Times as a highlight of the South by Southwest festival.. On November 1st, 2018, 10:00PM ET she was featured on the Adult Swim online program, Bloodfeast, which featured a one hour long live performance.Adult Swim - Bloodfest Presents Linqua Franqa

Political Career

Parker's experience with politics began at 17 when she canvased for the first presidential election of Barak Obama. She spent time volunteering while she was an undergraduate student at Warren Wilson College. While in Athens, Parker participated in protests for progressive issues which included protests against Athens Georgia bars for accusations of discrimination, Cine Athens, a local movie theater, the local Women's March in Athens, Georgia, and the March for Our Lives protest. Parker joined Tommy Valentine’s campaign for Athens-Clarke County commissioner for District 9 in 2018. She later ran for Athens-Clarke County Commission in District 2 that same year. She ran on a platform promoting fair wages and an equal share in meaningful work, affordable and sustainable transportation options, access to affordable child care and youth development programs, access to jobs training programs and improved relationships with local law enforcement, citywide anti-discrimination ordinance, and policies to expand access to healthy food options in the district. She joined candidates in a joint statement opposing cooperating with ICE by the Sheriff's Office. She won the District 2 seat and was sworn in on a copy of Malcolm X’s autobiography, which received international coverage. At 26 years old she is among the youngest commissioners to take office in Athens. The pictures presented of Parker's oath went viral on social media. Another picture behind her depicting portraits of her predecessors, all who appear to be white men was also another viral image. Parker won the election by 13 votes. Yes! Magazine describes Parker as one of the youngest and most progressive politicians to win in Georgia. Parker claims that after the ceremony there were incidents of death threats against her, though the controversy has subsided. Since being elected, Parker has led talks about climate change, argued against the Epps Bridge development, as well as a proposal to televise government work sessions which passed. Parker has helped to organize forums to talk about policing in Athens. Parker has participated in voter participant work and has organized voting drives to bring high school students from Cedar Shoals High School to early voting precincts. Parker has been an advocate for students and has discussed equitable classroom spaces and increase their civics education. She is in the process of working on a grant for a civic literacy course.

Discography

Studio Albums

• Model Minority (Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records; LP/CD, Vinyl; 2018)

EPs and singles

• Lingua Franca (Independent; EP/CD; 2017)

External Links

• Official Website - Music
• Allmusic
• Discogs
• District 2 Campaign Site

📰 Article(s) of the same category(ies)

• Angelia Robinson
• Emilee Morgan
• MANDELBARTH
• Casper Esmann
• Ryze Hendricks
• Adolph "Fito" Kahn
• Timbe

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