Sa-Ra Creative Partner’s (pronounced Sah-Rah) recently sent me through a time machine back to the 1950s when Marvin Berry called his cousin to tell him of the new sound he discovered when Marty was playing at the high school dance in “Back to the Future”. The difference was I didn’t discover anything; they did. I became an immediate fan of their diverse style.

A new sound has been crafted by Sa-Ra’s three group members Shafiq Husayn, Taz Arnold, and Om’Mas Keith. My hour conversation with Shafiq, and Taz paralleled the anomalous fluidity cemented on vinyl when listening to “The Hollywood Recordings”; the trio’s first complete album. This task was accomplished by stirring the intellectual pot generating a superlative aura. In general terms, this group is as delightfully complex in theory as they are as musicians.

Sa-Ra means “offspring of the most powerful in the universe.” A concept discovered through a lecture of ancient Egyptian philosophy, the group produced their own definition. Confident their unique sound will be the blueprint for a new genre of music, they feel Sa-Ra will eventually be the name of a music type. “Oh, that music is Sa-Ra. Oh, they sound Sa-Ra,” said Taz when describing how future artists will be classified that represent this sound. Sa-Ra will one day be known not only as a group, but as a genre of music as well.

“The Hollywood Recordings” has one consistent theme: unpredictable. With electronic funk beats canvassing the sound of the album, the style rests on the other end of the spectrum. Talib Kweli, Erykah Badu, and Kurupt all make appearances on the album. When juxtaposed, these three artists are classified in three different realms of music, so to bring them together to enhance their production, singing, and rapping Sa-Ra has introduced, a fan can only relish in the innovative manner in which they have expressed their adeptness in the scope of modern music. As with many artists, complexities and variations hide deeply in the shadows of authenticity. Once they discover a sound that works, mistakenly they enter a dormant trance of trying to replicate the same sound without entertaining the possibilities dwelling inside their soul to unleash diversity upon their fans. The evolutionary process never takes place.

With a merged sound of Maxwell-like vocals and underground rap over Parliament beats, but not limited to any present genre, Sa-Ra has distinguished its sound by encompassing a myriad of resonance in “The Hollywood Recordings”. “Glorious” and “Rosebuds” are two of a few carried over tracks from some of the group’s previous recordings.

Rap and Hip-Hop have become synonymous terms during the last decade, but Sa-Ra clearly defines the difference between the two. Rap is a musical genre. Hip-hop encompasses a culture of which rap resides under the umbrella. Simply put, hip-hop is much bigger than rap. It’s a complexity deeper than self-admiration camouflaged in club beats. The culture requires responsibility, and carries over when making rap music. “If you’re not conscious, you are not connecting with hip-hop. You’re just going through the motions,” said Taz. With rap clearly in a state of emergency and in need of resuscitation, Sa-Ra is introducing listeners to a new sound.

Most rappers bring in other artists to sing. The other tone deaf artists sing their own hooks. But Sa-Ra displays talent in each faze of song production. They write, rap, sing, and produce.

Their influences include artists Pete Rock, Louis Armstrong, Herbie Hancock and David Bowie to name a few. Hancock left a lasting impression when Sa-Ra had the opportunity to learn from him. “He is a master teacher,” Shafiq said. This variety of musicians has decisively affected Sa-Ra’s array of music. They cannot be labeled with the ongoing development brewing in the studio when these talented artists come together to concoct melodies.

It’s understated the amount of work that takes place when artists are trying to make a name drawing mass appeal, especially when holding true to their underground roots. They call it “The Grind.” With the nonstop effort it takes to have your ideas and sounds taken seriously, it is imperative to have resilience. This couldn’t be truer when trying to establish a genre of music. “The whole process of creation is thoughts, words, actions” said Shafiq. Sa-Ra has reached the third stage in their effort, and the light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter.

They have arrived as hip-hop artists. To label them as rappers only does not give them the respect they deserve. They embody what fans of the hip-hop culture understand it to be. The nineteen track album shows diversity, intelligence, exploration, and a genuine feel defining the sound of Sa-Ra. As a fan, you may not know what to expect, but you can anticipate the group to immerse you with an assorted composition of music.

By: Trent Hensley