Yohance Serrant is " M.E.R.C.U.R.Y. "

M.E.R.C.U.R.Y. aka Merc80 was born Yohance Serrant in East Oakland, CA by his father, a musician from Trinidad, and mother, a nurse from Richmond, CA.

From day one as an infant, M.E.R.C.U.R.Y.'s father had his hands on the African drums, and they both would perform at African cultural shows together. M.E.R.C.U.R.Y.'s house was filled with music, with his father playing sounds from Africa and the Caribbean, his mother playing Soul and Classic Oldies, and his sister playing R & B and Hip Hop.

Around high school he gave himself the name M.E.R.C.U.R.Y, which stands for "Messenger Expressing Rhymes of Consciousness Unto Revolutionary Youth". He likes to be called "Merc" for short.

The Roman god Mercury was his favorite mythological figure because this character served as the messenger between Gods and humans. Merc felt it was the purpose of the poet/musician to be the communicator between the spiritual world and mankind. He's also a Gemini, who's ruling planet is Mercury, and he describes his rap style as being like the liquid-metal by the same name.

By the age of 15, Merc was on stage with his group opening shows for acts such as The Roots, Raekwon, Black Moon, Tha Alkaholiks, Aceyalone, and many others. While in college he made another album with former group members. Even while in graduate school for Urban Planning at UCLA, Merc kept recording and performing.

M.E.R.C.U.R.Y is now on his journey as a solo artist and finished his debut EP " Because I Feel Like It ". This is a personal and reflective album dealing with many of the trials Merc has gone through in his life, while also bringing back hardcore lyricism from the early underground Hip Hop scene he was cultured by.

Our Fellow Hip Hop Activist has his own website as well Merc80.com and dont forget to Follow Him On Twitter @Merc80

Posted in: Aceyalone,Black Moon,M.E.R.C.U.R.Y.,Raekwon,Tha Alkaholiks,The Roots,Yohance Serrant