Sage Francis

Paul "Sage" Francis (born September 11, 1968 in Miami, Florida) is a hip-hop artist based out of Providence, Rhode Island.

Prior to embarking on a full-time career as an MC, Francis was a noted slam poet. During

Paul "Sage" Francis (born September 11, 1968 in Miami, Florida) is a hip-hop artist based out of Providence, Rhode Island.

Prior to embarking on a full-time career as an MC, Francis was a noted slam poet. During the late 1990s, he recorded his first demo tape (1996), fronted the now defunct Providence hip-hop band Art Official Intelligence, and hosted a weekly slot on independent radio station WRIU (the "True School Session"). He also formed the Non-Prophets with producer friend Joe Beats, and the duo released a 12” ("Drop Bass/Bounce/I Keep Calling," Emerge Records, 1999), following up in 2003 with their first full-length offering, Hope. An acclaimed freestyle battler, Francis won the MC battle at the 2000 Scribble Jam. In 2001, he repeated his performance under his "metal" alter ego, "Xaul Zan."