Artist: Sage Francis

Paul "Sage" Francis (born november 18 1977 in Miami, Florida) is a hip-hop artist based in Providence, Rhode Island. He is a vegetarian and also chooses to abstain from drugs and drinking, though doesn’t label himself as "straight-edge" because he believes "you shouldn’t define yourself by what you don’t do." Noted for his intense flow and sharp wit, Francis has won acclaim both as a freestyle battler and as an unapologetically intellectual lyricist. Francis uses a broad emotional palette to address a wide range of personal, cultural, and political issues. His unconventional style and persona have given him crossover appeal, but at the same time alienated some hip-hop listeners.