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The Roxanne Wars were a well-known series of hip hop rivalries during the mid-1980s, yielding perhaps the most answer records in history. The dispute arose over a failed appearance at a radio promotional show. It was an iconic moment for hip hop in that it was probably one of, if not the first ever "rap beef" between two artists. [1] There were two Roxannes in question, Roxanne Shanté and The Real Roxanne.
In 1984, the hip-hop trio U.T.F.O., produced by the R&B group Full Force, released a single titled "Hanging Out", which did not do well. However, it was the single's B side, "Roxanne, Roxanne", a song about a woman who would not respond to their advances, that gained much attention and airplay.
Soon afterwards, 14-year-old Lolita Shanté Gooden walked outside a New York City housing project called Queensbridge, when she heard Tyrone Williams, disc jockey Mr. Magic, and record producer Marley Marl talking about how U.T.F.O. had canceled an appearance on a show they were promoting. [2] [3] [4] Gooden offered to make a hip-hop record that would get back at U.T.F.O., with her taking on the moniker Roxanne Shanté, after her middle name. The three took her up on the idea, with Marley producing "Roxanne's Revenge". The single was released in late 1984, taking the original beats from an instrumental version of "Roxanne, Roxanne". It was confrontational and laced with profanities, but was an instant hit that sold over 250,000 copies in the New York area alone. The original issue of the "Street Version" was recorded on tape in Marley Marl's apartment, entirely free-styled by Gooden in seven minutes and in only one take. The recording was pressed onto 100 copies which were rushed out onto the streets to combat U.T.F.O.'s "Roxanne, Roxanne" release. Select Records claimed copyrights on the instrumental which led Pop Art Records to negotiate an agreement where all future copies of "Roxanne's Revenge" would feature a different track. It was subsequently re-released in early 1985 with new beats, re-rapped and the obscenities removed.[ citation needed ]
Following this, U.T.F.O. and Full Force decided to release their own answer record. While not directly aimed at Roxanne Shanté, this record featured Elease Jack, who took on the moniker of The Real Roxanne (and was soon replaced by Adelaida Martinez). [5] This also was a hit, but it may have also produced an undesired result: while there had been answer records before (such as the semi-disco song "Somebody Else's Guy" and "Games People Play"/"Games Females Play"), they usually ended with the second recording. But in this saga, with a third record in airplay, a whole new trend began. Roxanne Shanté responded back by releasing "Bite This" and "Queen of Rox (Shanté Rox On)". The airwaves so became occupied with the "Roxanne" records that other MCs decided to get into the act. Over the next year, anywhere from 30 to over 100 answer records (according to different claims) were produced, portraying Roxanne's family, or making various claims about her. The ones that were more well-known were the following:[ citation needed ]
Marlon Lu'Ree Williams, better known by his stage name Marley Marl, is an American DJ, record producer, rapper and record label founder, primarily operating in hip hop music. Marlon grew up in Queensbridge housing projects located in Queens, New York. He performed in local talent shows during the early days of rap music, further fueling his interest.
The new school of hip hop was a movement in hip hop music, beginning in 1983–84 with the early records of Run–D.M.C., Whodini, and LL Cool J. Predominantly from Queens and Brooklyn, it was characterized by drum machine-led minimalism, often tinged with elements of rock; rapped taunts, boasts, and socio-political commentary; and aggressive, self-assertive delivery. In song and image, its artists projected a tough, cool, street b-boy attitude. These elements contrasted sharply with funk and disco, novelty hits, live bands, synthesizers, and party rhymes of artists prevalent in the early 1980s. Compared to their older hip hop counterparts, new school artists crafted more cohesive LPs and shorter songs more amenable to airplay. By 1986, their releases began to establish hip hop in the mainstream.
Lolita Shante Gooden, better known by her stage name Roxanne Shante, is an American rapper. She first gained attention through the Roxanne Wars and was part of the Juice Crew. The 2017 film Roxanne Roxanne is a dramatization of Shante's life.
Queensbridge Houses, also known simply as Queensbridge or QB, is a public housing development in the Long Island City neighborhood of Queens, New York City. Owned by the New York City Housing Authority, the development contains 96 buildings and 3,142 units accommodating approximately 7,000 people in two separate complexes. The complex opened in 1939 and is the largest housing project in North America.
UTFO was an American hip hop group from Brooklyn, New York City.
Full Force is an American music group of hip hop and R&B singers and producers from Brooklyn, New York.
The Bridge Wars was a hip hop music rivalry during the mid-to-late 1980s and early 1990s, that arose from a dispute over the true birthplace of hip hop music and retaliation over the rejecting of a record for airplay. The Bridge Wars originally involved the South Bronx's Boogie Down Productions, led by KRS-One, and Marley Marl's Juice Crew, hailing from Queensbridge. KRS-One and Marley Marl have since officially retired the feud, with the release of their collaborative 2007 album Hip Hop Lives.
The Juice Crew was an American hip hop collective made up largely of Queensbridge, New York–based artists in the mid-to-late 1980s. Founded by radio DJ Mr. Magic, and housed by Tyrone Williams' record label Cold Chillin' Records, the Juice Crew helped introduce New School artists MC Shan, Big Daddy Kane, Biz Markie, Roxanne Shante, Masta Ace, Tragedy, Craig G and Kool G Rap. The crew produced many answer records and engaged with numerous "beefs" – primarily with rival radio jock Kool DJ Red Alert and the South Bronx's Boogie Down Productions, as well as the "posse cut", "The Symphony".
Golden age hip hop refers to mainstream hip hop music created from the mid or mid-late 1980s to the early or early-mid 1990s, particularly by artists and musicians originating from the New York metropolitan area. A precursor to the new-school hip hop movement, it is characterized by its diversity, quality, innovation and influence on overall hip hop after the genre's emergence and establishment in the old-school era, and is associated with the development and eventual mainstream success of hip hop. There were various types of subject matter, while the music was experimental and the sampling from old records was eclectic.
Shaun Shiller Fequiere, known by his stage name Kangol Kid, was an American hip hop producer, songwriter, break dancer, and emcee. Kangol is best known as a member of the old school hip hop group UTFO.
Cold Chillin' Records was a record label that released music during the golden age of hip hop from the late 1980s to the early 1990s. A producer-and-crew label founded by manager Tyrone Williams and run by Len Fichtelberg, most of the label's releases were by members of the Juice Crew, a loosely knit group of artists centered on producer Marley Marl. In 1998, the label shut down, and the majority of its expansive catalog was bought by Massachusetts-based LandSpeed Records.
Beef II is a 2004 American documentary film and the sequel to the 2003 documentary Beef, which continued to document the history of rivalries in hip-hop and rap music. Like its prequel, the film was executive produced by Quincy Jones III (QD3), written by Peter Alton and Peter Spirer, and was this time narrated by actor Keith David.
A diss track, diss record or diss song is a song whose primary purpose is to verbally attack someone else, usually another artist. Diss tracks are often the result of an existing, escalating feud between the two people; for example, the artists involved may be former members of a group, or artists on rival labels.
In Control, Volume 1 is the debut studio album by American hip hop record producer Marley Marl of the Juice Crew. It was released on September 20, 1988 through Cold Chillin' Records with distribution via Warner Bros. Records.
Adelaida Martinez, better known by her stage name the Real Roxanne, is an American female hip hop MC who recorded for Select Records.
Bad Sister is the debut album by Roxanne Shanté, released in 1989 on Cold Chillin' Records. The album peaked at No. 52 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
UTFO is the debut studio album by American hip hop group UTFO, released in 1985 by Select Records. The most notable track on the album is "Roxanne, Roxanne"—the track that ignited the Roxanne Wars. The tracks "The Real Roxanne" and "Calling Her a Crab " are answer songs.
"Roxanne's Revenge" is the debut single by American rapper Roxanne Shante. It was produced by a then unknown Marley Marl and released in 1984 through the independent label Pop Art Records. In the song, a 14-year-old Roxanne Shante, whose real name is Lolita Shanté Gooden, responds to UTFO's hit song "Roxanne, Roxanne". In addition to her feud with UTFO, this also caused between 30 and more than 100 "answer songs" from different hip hop artists to be produced at that time, in what would be called "Roxanne Wars".
Doreen C. Broadnax, known professionally as Sparky D, or spelled Sparky Dee is an American hip–hop musician and rapper. Broadnax is noted as one of the first female battle rappers, first gaining attention through the Roxanne Wars; when she responded to Roxanne Shante's "Roxanne's Revenge" with "Sparky's Turn " in 1985.
The following is the discography of Roxanne Shante, an American rapper.