For most, Roc Marciano’s career began with _Marcberg_. Praised by fans and critics alike, his self-produced 2010 album refined the tropes and sounds of NY crime rap as much as it reprised them. Over unadorned samples and sparse drums, and with clipped yet intricate lyricism and vivid diction, Marciano detailed the felonious means and luxurious ends of street life in his hometown of Hempstead. The album remains the foundation for Marciano’s singular aesthetic and the blueprint for the recent wave of New York rappers working in the same milieu. He was briefly signed to Busta Rhymes’ Flipmode label in the late ‘90s, and his group the UN appeared on Pete Rock’s _Petestrumentals_ and released an album, _UN or U Out_. Since going solo, Marciano has guested on countless songs and released several acclaimed projects, including _Reloaded_ (2012) and _Marci Beaucoup_ (2013).
