Sasheer Zamata has been announced as a new cast member of NBC's hit comedy show Saturday Night Live making her the first African American woman regular on the long running series since Maya Rudolph left seven years ago.

Zamata was among 12 African American women who were invited to try out for the SNL cast member opportunity in New York on December 16, according to a source to the Daily News.

In addition, she previously performed at Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, a training center for sketch comedians.

The mid-season acquisition hails from the criticism that SNL has suffered due to the fact there were not any African American female regulars on the show, a subject matter that the show mocked itself in a current episode that was hosted by black actress Kerry Washington.

When the Scandal star guest hosted the SNL episode, Washington pretended to be frustrated when she was requested to imitate first lady Michelle Obama, billionaire talk show host Oprah Winfrey, and singer Beyonce in the same sketch.

In the episode's opening skit, a voiceover explained that Saturday Night Live producers were sorry for the numerous black female characters Washington needed to portray in the November 2, 2013 episode due to a lack of a female African American cast members on the show.

Sasheer Zamata is expected to make her first appearance on the next live Saturday Night Live broadcast on January 18, according to a source to Deadline.com.

Actor and Rapper Drake will function as both the guest host and musical guest on that date.