SHARONDA “MECCA” BAKER WAS BORN IN
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, THE YOUNGEST OF
10: 5 GIRLS AND 1 BROTHER FROM HER PARENTS, IN ADDITION TO 3 BROTHERS,
AND 1 SISTER FROM HER DAD AND HIS FIRST WIFE. SHE STAYED UNDER HER
SISTERS EARLY ON DURING HER TEENAGE YEARS UNTIL SHE DECIDED SHE WANTED TO
CARVE HER OWN NICHE IN THIS WORLD, AND MOVE FROM BEHIND THEIR SHADOWS.
TIRED OF THE SAME REGULAR ROUTINE DAY IN, DAY OUT PLAYING THE GOOD GIRL
ROLE AT HOME ON ONE HAND, AND ON THE OTHER HAND, LIVING ONLY 15
MINUTES AWAY FROM NYC’S THRIVING, PULSATING, FAST-PACED ELEMENTS MECCA WAS
LOOKING FOR; SHE DECIDED TO SEE WHAT WAS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WATER.
SO OF COURSE, HOPPING THE NEW JERSEY PATH TRAIN TO SEE WHAT WAS ON THE
OTHER SIDE WAS INEVITABLE, ENTICING, AND INVITING. FOLLOWING IN HER
BROTHER’S FOOTSTEPS, WHO AT THE TIME WAS STOMPING THROUGH NEW YORK CITY
THROUGH THE 80S, RUBBED OFF ON HER. SHE WAS INFLUENCED BY EVERYTHING
ABOUT THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS. HANDS DOWN SHE MADE NEW YORK HER
SECOND HOME OUTSIDE OF HER MOTHERS HOME… SHE BEGAN SNEAKING OUT THE
HOUSE TO GO THERE EVERYDAY.

THAT WAS THE SPARK THAT LIT THE FLAME, SPECIFICALLY DURING THE QUEEN
LATIFAH AND SALT AND PEPA ERA. THAT WHOLE MOVEMENT LURED HER OUT OF THE
HOUSE, RIGHT INTO THE STREETS OF NEW YORK. SNEAKING OVER THE WATER
EVERYDAY BECAME HER RITUAL. SLIDING RIGHT INTO THE HOTTEST CLUBS AT A
YOUNG AGE, GIVING HER A TASTE LIVING FIRSTHAND AT THE
THINGS YOU SEE IN
THESE VIDEOS TODAY. GROWING UP FAST EXPOSED THIS YOUNG LADY TO A LOT OF
THINGS HER PEERS ONLY HEARD ABOUT. SHE CREDITS THE LOVE AND SUPPORT OF
HER FAMILY FOR KEEPING HER FOCUSED, BALANCED, AND GROUNDED WHILE GROWING
UP. SHE ALSO CREDITS THE STREETS A LOT FOR KEEPING HER HEAD ON STRAIGHT
TOO! DETERMINED TO MAKE SOMETHING OF HERSELF, IN ADDITION TO HER FAITH
IN GOD, IS THE REASON SHE IS STILL HERE TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE
STORIES SHE WRITES ABOUT. CREATING CHARACTERS INSPIRED BY EVERYDAY REAL
LIFE EVENTS IN THIS WORLD WAS A NO-BRAINER. IT WASN’T UNTIL SHE MOVED FROM
NEW JERSEY TO ATLANTA WHEN SHE BEGAN TAKING HER WRITING
SERIOUSLY. NEVER MIND THE FACT SHE WAS AWARDED YEAR
BOOK EDITOR, PROM
QUEEN, MOST POPULAR RECEIVING NUMEROUS HONORS, AND AWARDS, THE
ACCOLADES CONTINUED TO COME DURING HER SENIOR YEAR IN HIGH SCHOOL.

SHE HAD NO CLUE WHAT SHE WANTED TO DO WITH HER LIFE AFTER GRADUATION.
IT NEVER SUNK IN THAT SHE WAS BLESSED WITH THE GIFT OF WRITING SHE
NEVER REALIZED HER TALENTS. LIKE ALL TEENAGERS JUST READY TO GET OUT OF
SCHOOL, SHE WASN’T AWARE OF WHAT FIELD SHE WANTED TO GET INTO, SHE JUST
WANTED TO GET OUT OF SCHOOL. HER THEORY WAS LIFE IS THE BEST TEACHER.
AFTER GRADUATION SHE DIDN’T TAKE THE TYPICAL APPROACH OF GOING TO COLLEGE
SINCE SHE DIDN’T KNOW WHAT SHE WANTED TO DO WITH HER LIFE; NEVER MIND
THE FACT SHE HAD HER 3-MONTH-OLD SON’S FUTURE TO THINK ABOUT LET ALONE
HERS. SHE LANDED HER FIRST JOB AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT FOR A
MEDICAL
TRANSPORTATION COMPANY HANDLING THE FINANCIAL AFFAIRS & RECORD
KEEPING FOR THE COMPANY. SHE KNEW SHE WANTED TO DO SOMETHING MORE WITH HER
LIFE. LOOKING TOWARDS THE FUTURE SHE KNEW SHE COULDN’T BECOME
SUCCESSFUL WITHOUT ANY FORMAL TRAINING IN OTHER AREAS.

IN BETWEEN RUNNING THE STREETS, AND WORKING AFTER GRADUATION, SHE
ENROLLED HERSELF IN A FEW COLLEGE COURSES AT VARIOUS SCHOOLS EARNING A TON
OF CERTIFICATES IN GENERAL BUSINESS COURSES, BROKERAGE INDUSTRY
FUNDAMENTALS, MEDICAL BILLING, TAKING ADVANTAGE OF COMPUTER SOFTWARE
APPLICATION CLASSES OFFERED EVERYWHERE TO FAMILIARIZE HERSELF WITH THE LATEST PROGRAMS, FINANCIAL SERVICE PREPARATION CLASSES, FINANCIAL REPORTS/STATEMENTS, PRINCIPLES OF BANKING CLASSES, QUICK BOOKS,CUSTOMER SERVICE COURSES, DESKTOP
PUBLISHING COURSES YOU NAME IT. BROADENING HER HORIZONS,
STRENGTHENING
AND EXPANDING HER KNOWLEDGE ON ANY, AND EVERYTHING AROUND HER TO ENSURE
SHE WAS EQUIPPED WITH WHATEVER SHE WANTED TO DO LATER ON DOWN THE
ROAD.

SHORTLY AFTER SETTLING IN HER HOME IN ATLANTA, SHE BEGAN WRITING
VERSES AND HOOKS {CHORUSES} FOR LOCAL UNSIGNED ARTIST FOR FREE NOT THINKING
MUCH OF IT. POSITIVE FEEDBACK FROM FAMILY, AND FRIENDS MOTIVATED AND
ENCOURAGED HER TO SHOW OFF HER MIC SKILLS. SHE BEGAN WRITING MUSIC FOR
HERSELF SPITTIN’ BARS BACK AND FORTH WITH LOCAL DUDES  IN CYPHERS,WHICH EVENTUALLY
LED HER INTO THE STUDIO TO WORK ON HER OWN MUSIC TAKING HER WRITING TO
THE NEXT LEVEL. HER DELIVERY, AND UNIQUE FLOW CAUGHT THE
ATTENTION OF A LOCAL PROMOTER/MANAGER FROM ATLANTA WHO WAS IN THE STUDIO ALREADY
WORKING WITH A SOLO RECORDING FEMALE ARTIST. WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THESE 2
SOLO ARTISTS HE WAS WORKING WITH INDIVIDUALLY WOULD FORM A GROUP?

THE 2 GIRLS NAMED THE GROUP CHASE. THE GROUP RECORDED A FEW SONGS;
CREATED AN UNDERGROUND BUZZ WITHOUT RIDING THE COAT TAILS OF ANYONE
FAMOUS, HOWEVER, WITHOUT ANY CHEMISTRY, OR HISTORY TOGETHER, THE GROUP CHASE
DISBANDED BEFORE THE GROUP EVEN BLEW UP.
MECCA CONTINUED  TO  EXPLORE  HER TALENT  FURTHER, SHE  RECORDED A SONG WITH HER FRIEND DOC
FROM THE RAP GROUP DARCSYDE, WHO WAS SIGNED TO BLACK HAND ENTERTAINMENT
AT THE TIME.

DOC PLAYED THE SONG IN THE STUDIO IN QUEENS, ATTRACTING THE ATTENTION
OF BLACK HAND ENTERTAINMENTS C.E.O CHAZ, WHO IMMEDIATELY FLEW HER BACK
TO NEW YORK CITY FROM ATLANTA. SHE WAS DRIVEN STRAIGHT TO THE STUDIO,
RIGHT FROM THE AIRPORT WHERE SHE RECORDED HER MEMORABLE VERSE ON THE
COMPILATION CD RELEASED WORLDWIDE BY TVT RECORDS TITLED NEXT UP: RAPS NEW
GENERATION GUEST APPEARING ON TRACK 9 TITLED BLACK HAND ALL-STARS FEAT
MECCA, SPITTIN’ ALONGSIDE DOC, SIN, MEL, SUAVE, DIRT, JFK, AND, ALI
VEGAS (WHO WAS KNOWN AS VIETNAM AT THAT TIME) THE ONLY GIRL ON THE ENTIRE
COMPILATION FITTIN’ RIGHT IN WITH SOME HEAVYWEIGHTS IN THE GAME THEN
AND NOW. ALSO RECORDING A SONG WITH MIC GERONIMO. IN ADDITION TO
CO-WRITING A SONG FOR ANOTHER FEMALE ARTIST WHO WAS ON THE LABEL AT THE TIME.

LATER TO SIGN A SOLO RECORDING CONTRACT FOR AN UNDISCLOSED AMOUNT.
WHICH FELL THROUGH AS A TAX WRITE OFF TO MOST PEOPLE. SHE OPENLY ADMITS
NOT BEING FOCUSED DURING THAT TIME TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITY
PRESENTED IN FRONT OF HER THEN. SHE LAUGHS AS SHE QUOTES ONE OF JAY Z’S
LINES “I’M NOT A RAPPER, I’M A HUSTLER. JUST SO HAPPENS I KNOW HOW TO
RAP!” IN SPITE OF THE SETBACKS DEALING WITH THE POLITICS IN THE
BUSINESS, MORE OF “WHO YOU KNOW THAN WHAT YOU KNOW” LEFT A BAD TASTE IN HER
MOUTH TO SPIT. NOT FULLY UNDERSTANDING THEN HOW IT WORKED TURNED HER OFF
FOR A MOMENT. HOWEVER, SHE NEVER GAVE UP ON
HER WRITING ABILITIES. IN THE MIDST OF WAITING ON A DISTRIBUTION DEAL WHILE SITTING ON BLACK
HAND, SHE EDUCATED HERSELF ON CERTAIN THINGS.

INSTEAD OF COMPLAINING AND MOANING ABOUT HER SITUATION, MECCA STRAYED
AWAY FROM THE STUDIO, STILL  REACHING OUT TO CHAZ FROM TIME TO TIME FOR
CERTAIN ADVICE. MECCA CONTINUED TO WRITE SONGS IN HER NOTEBOOK, ZEROING IN ON
HER WRITING; WHICH ALLOWED HER TO COMPLETE HER FIRST NOVEL IN 2 MONTHS
TITLED HEAT: CODE OF THE STREETS PART 1 IN 2004.

HEAT: MECCA SENT HEAT TO SEVERAL MAJOR PUBLISHING COMPANIES, ALMOST
ALL OF WHICH REJECTED HEAT, OR WANTED TO PUT HEAT OUT YEARS LATER
EXCLUDING 9 OUT OF THE MANY. FRUSTRATED, AND READY TO GIVE UP, SHE BEGAN
WRITING THANK YOU LETTERS BACK TO ALL 9 OF THE COMPANIES WHO SHOWED AND
INTEREST IN HER PROJECT EXPLAINING TO THEM SHE WILL BE MOVING FORWARD
WITH HER OWN PROJECT, THANKING THEM FOR THEIR TIME. THE THANK-YOU LETTERS
SHE WROTE
BACK IN ITSELF MOTIVATED, AND FUELED HER PASSION MAKING HER
EVEN MORE DRIVEN.

SHE SINGLE-HANDEDLY FOUNDED HER OWN PUBLISHING COMPANY WITH HER OWN
MONEY, AND IS ACTIVELY THE FOUNDER AND CEO OF S. BAKER PUBLISHING SELLING
HER BOOKS INDEPENDENTLY. EXPLODING IN THE LITERARY WORLD KICKING DOORS
IN USING GRASSROOTS TACTICS, WITH NO MAJOR DISTRIBUTION BEHIND HER,
SELLING HER BOOKS WORD OF MOUTH, HAND TO HAND IN THE STREETS OUT THE
TRUNK STATE TO STATE MAILING/SHIPPING HER BOOKS PERSONALLY WORLDWIDE USING
HER CONNECTIONS, AND SMALL TEAM SHE ASSEMBLED HERSELF UTILIZING HER
EVERY RESOURCE REACHING OUT TO PEOPLE IN HER CORNER. SELLING, EXPANDING,
AND GROWING LIKE CANCER ACROSS THE GLOBE WORLDWIDE EXCEEDING HER OWN EXPECTATIONS.

WHEN ASKED WHAT ADVICE WOULD SHE GIVE TO ANYONE WHATEVER IT IS YOU’RE
TRYING TO DO, WHETHER YOU ARE TRYING TO BE AN ACTOR, SINGER, RAPPER,
AUTHOR, EXECUTIVE, OPEN A BUSINESS WHATEVER ACROSS THE BOARD, SHE
PROUDLY STATES, “WHATEVER FIELD YOU’RE TRYING TO GET INTO, MAKE SURE YOU
ALWAYS HAVE SOMETHING TO BRING TO THE TABLE. REJECTION HAPPENS TO EVERYONE.
DON’T EVER GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAMS IN-SPITE OF HOW THE SITUATION LOOKS.
ALWAYS HAVE A BACK-UP PLAN. KNOW YOUR CRAFT, AND THE BUSINESS YOU’RE
TRYING TO GET INTO. FINANCE AND SUPPORT YOUR OWN PROJECT WITH YOUR OWN
MONEY. EDUCATE YOURSELF ON THAT SPECIFIC FIELD. SET SMALL ATTAINANABLE
GOALS AND TRACK YOUR PROGRESS. YOU SHOULD NOT BE IN THE SAME SPOT NEXT
YEAR IF YOU DO SOMETHING ABOUT CHANGING YOUR SITUATION RIGHT NOW LITTLE
BY LITTLE. ALWAYS REMEMBER THROUGH ALL THE TURMOIL, THROUGH ALL THE
POLITICS, DON’T EVER LET THE SITUATION DISCOURAGE YOU AND BLIND YOUR
VISION OF YOUR TALENT! STAY FOCUSED THROUGH THE UPS, AND DOWNS. WE
ALL KNOW THE SAYING. WHAT DON’T KILL YOU CAN ONLY MAKE YOU STRONGER.
REAL TALK.”