Praxis: Where Sound Meets Resistance

Jahmi Roc
11 minutes ago
2 min read

Introducing Jahmi Roc—the artistic embodiment of scholar and performer Racquel Bernard, where musicology research and live performance merge into one powerful expression.

Decoding the Name: JAH + MI + ROC

My name carries layers of meaning that ground everything I create:

JAH — Spiritual foundation and divine connection
MI — Personal ownership, spoken in Patois (or Spanish)
ROC — Stability, strength, and my roots as Racquel

Born from resilience, heritage, and faith, this moniker represents the convergence of my Jamaican identity, my relationship with God, and my multicultural influences.

Music as Weapon: Reggae Epistemology in Practice

I work within a framework I call Reggae Epistemology—the understanding that words carry illocutionary force, functioning as weapons against oppression. Following in the footsteps of Peter Tosh and other revolutionary reggae artists, I believe music can dismantle unjust systems without firing a single shot.

My mission is intersectional resistance through sound: confronting racism, sexism, classism, transphobia, fatphobia, and domestic abuse. If it's an injustice, I'm addressing it in my music.

Lyrical Specificity & Political Clarity

My songs tackle explicit themes with unflinching honesty:

In "Chant Dem Down," I center the voices of marginalized leaders and call out centuries of systematic erasure—lifting up femme, trans, and women leaders whose contributions have been deliberately deleted from history.

In "I Am," I challenge anti-Black beauty standards and fatphobia, celebrating self-love and body acceptance as acts of resistance against oppressive norms that tell us our bodies aren't worthy.

Vocal Mechanics as Political Choice

The way I use my voice is intentional:

Head voice and mix convey nuance, vulnerability, and personal truth
Chest voice grounds powerful political statements in physical resonance
Harmony layering builds community, even in solo recordings—a practice inspired by my time with the Dartmouth Gospel Choir

Producer Dale "Dizzle" Virgo taught me that even facial expressions while recording alter the emotional resonance of a track. Every choice matters.

From Cosmic Anthem to Dancefloor Revolution

My latest release, "Write Your Name (House Remix)" (January 2026), transforms a message about cosmic belonging into an Afro House ritual for the body and spirit. Produced by Dale "Dizzle" Virgo through DZL Records, this track embodies my core philosophy:

Claiming space and joy without asking for permission.

A Holistic Ecosystem: Theory, Practice & Discourse

My work exists in three interconnected spaces:

The Research — My UCLA Musicology dissertation exploring Empress Epistemologies
The Music — Releases through DZL Records spanning R&B, Reggae, Hip Hop, and Dancehall
The Platform — Jahmi Roc's Jottings podcast, where I explore intentional musicology and sonic joy.

Each feeds the others: dissertation research informs my lyrics, music fuels podcast conversations, and discussions deepen my academic inquiry.

Join the Movement

In an industry that divides "conscious" music from "party" music, I'm proving you can move bodies without losing the message. Some songs don't just play—they declare.

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