Linqua Franqa

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.
Parker’s music describes subjects such as sociopolitical awareness, depression, the stigma of abortion, addiction, 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, which was produced by local Athens, Georgia musicians Wesdaruler, Letsrunktrack, Murk Daddy Flex and Savannah, Georgia 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.
Since the release of Model Minority, Parker has collaborated with the jazz group, Misnomer, to release music with proceeds going to the Sentencing Project. She has won a Flagpole Athens Music award for best hip-hop artist in 2017 and 2018. Parker recently appeared in the documentary film, Athens Rising: The Sicyon Project: Volume One, which discusses hip-hop artists in the Athens, GA area. She has performed with The Future Is Voting Tour, which featured Jim James of My Morning Jacket as the headliner. On Oct. 27th 2018, she will open for Nancy Whang and Gavin Rayna Russom of LCD Soundsystem. She has been featured in NPR's World Cafe and in the New York Times as a highlight of the South by Southwest festival and Georgia Public Broadcasting presented a video feature of her music and politics.
Parker has been influential in Athens, Georgia hip-hop scene by bringing the music to venues that have largely ignored hip-hop music. She she arrived in the city she noticed a lack of hip-hop music being supported in the Athens music community., which performed their first show at The World Famous in Athens, GA, 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 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; 2018)
EPs and singles
*Lingua Franca (Not on Label; EP/CD; 2017)

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