Roni Marsalis Takes Flight With Her Empowering Record “If I Could Fly”

Roni Marsalis isn’t just an artist—she’s a force. Born in Kansas City, the singer, rapper, dancer, poet, and designer has built a career that defies categories. Whether she’s on stage with John Legend at SXSW, lending her voice to The People’s Champ: A Muhammad Ali Documentary, or leading her lifestyle brand Got Rhymes, Roni has a knack for bringing power, style, and soul into everything she touches. She’s not called the #HIPHOPANGEL for nothing.

Her latest spotlight record, “If I Could Fly,” carries a story as layered as her artistry. Originally written back in 2014, the song was born out of both rejection and resilience. After performing her mixtape track “Born Beautiful” at a competition in New York and feeling overlooked, Roni did what great artists do—she turned to her pen. She found a beat from producer JurdBeats, opened her laptop, and began to write her way back to strength.

The result was a record that feels timeless. Blending boom bap roots with touches of funk, R&B, and soul, “If I Could Fly” soars with lyrical affirmations and poetic grit. Roni explains it best herself: “There are so many quotes in this record, I mean from the hook to the verses. This song is a poem and affirmation about being true to Jehovah’s purpose for your life. If anything I hope people feel fearless in their pursuits to honor their true calling and uniqueness that God put inside of them and never be afraid to stand alone, you always have Jesus!”

That balance of raw honesty and divine love is what makes the track special. You can hear the pain of unfair moments, but also the determination to rise above them. The hook—bright, affirming, and catchy—turns the record into something bigger than a song. It’s a mantra. A reminder that even in isolation, you’re never truly alone.

“If I Could Fly” is more than nostalgic—it’s necessary. It nods to the golden boom bap era but feels fresh in its execution, carried by Roni’s powerful voice and fearless vision. It’s a record meant to lift, to remind, and to energize. Or as she puts it: “make ya fears cry tell’em bye-bye cuz they lie-ied, when they said you couldn’t touch the sky-i.”

This is Roni Marsalis in her purest form—turning setbacks into wings and giving listeners a reason to believe they can fly too.