Roxanne Shante

Last updated

Roxanne Shante
Roxanne Shante.jpg
Shante in 2016
Background information
Birth nameLolita Shante Gooden
Born (1970-03-08) March 8, 1970 (age 54)
Queens, New York City, U.S.
Genres Hip hop
Occupation(s)Rapper
Years active1984–1996
2008–present
Labels
Formerly of Juice Crew
Website Roxanne Shante on Twitter OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

Lolita Shante Gooden (born March 8, 1970), 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.

Contents

Early life and career

Shante was born March 8, 1970 [1] in Queens, New York. [2] In 1984, she met Mr. Magic and Marley Marl outside the Queensbridge housing project. They discussed U.T.F.O., since the rap trio had failed to make an appearance at a concert. [3] U.T.F.O. had recently released a single called "Hanging Out," which did not gain much critical acclaim; however, the B-side "Roxanne, Roxanne", about a woman who would not respond to their advances, became a hit. [4] Shante, who was a member of the Juice Crew, was contracted to write a track in rebuttal to U.T.F.O.'s rap, posing as the Roxanne in the U.T.F.O. song. Marley Marl produced the song "Roxanne's Revenge" using the original beats from an instrumental version of "Roxanne, Roxanne". The track became an instant hit and made Shante, only 14 years old at the time, one of the first female MCs to become very popular. Following this, the "Roxanne Wars" started, and Shante continued to rap and started touring with her producer, Marley Marl.

In 1985, Shante released a record together with rapper Sparky D, who had earlier released a diss track about her called "Sparky's Turn, Roxanne You're Through". [5] The record called "Round One, Roxanne Shanté vs Sparky Dee" was released by Spin Records and included six tracks: the two original battle tracks ("Roxanne's Revenge" and "Sparky's Turn") as well as "Roxanne's Profile" by Shante, "Sparky's Profile" by Sparky D and a battle track, in which the two rappers freestyle and diss each other, in a censored and an uncensored version. [6] Other hits included "Have a Nice Day" and "Go on Girl". [7] In 1985, Shante battled Busy Bee Starski for the title of "best freestyle rapper" but lost due to improper judging. Judge Kurtis Blow later admitted to Shante that he did not vote for her because she was a girl. [8] The ongoing battle with KRS-One hit its height when KRS-One claimed in his 1986 track "The Bridge Is Over" that Shante was nothing more than a sexual appendage to male rappers. [9] Shante released Bad Sister in 1989, The Bitch Is Back in 1992, and a greatest hits anthology in 1995.

Hiatus

By the age of 25 Shante was largely retired from the recording industry. She continued to make occasional guest appearances and live performances, as well as mentor young female hip-hop artists. She made a cameo appearance on VH1's hip hop reality show Ms. Rap Supreme giving rap-battle strategies to the finalists of the show. She was in a series of Sprite commercials during the late 1990s. She returned to performing, and in 2008, her song "Roxanne's Revenge" was ranked number 42 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop. [10] Shante re-recorded the song the following year. In an interview with EmEz in 2015, she said that she had just been proposed to and that she had previously been married. [11] In the same interview, she said that KRS-One was one of her favorite rappers.

Biographical claims

It was reported by Blender in 2008, [12] and more extensively in a New York Daily News account in 2009, [13] that Shante earned a bachelor's degree from Marymount Manhattan College and a master's and Ph.D in psychology from Cornell University. The articles said that a quirk in her recording contract obligated Warner Music to fund her college education. These were not new claims by Shante; she spoke at length about them on the Beef II documentary which was released in 2004. [14] However an investigation by lawyer and journalist Ben Sheffner for Slate magazine found no evidence of Shante's claims. She was never signed to a Warner Music label, but was under contract to the independent label Cold Chillin' Records, which in turn was distributed by Reprise/Warner Bros. Records from 1987 to 1992. Academic records indicate that she attended only three months at Marymount Manhattan College. Shante never earned a degree and she is unlicensed by New York State officials to practice psychology or similar disciplines. [15] The Daily News then ran a five-paragraph correction. [13] [16] Shante apologized in November 2009. [17]

Roxanne Roxanne film

A dramatized biopic about Shante's life, Roxanne Roxanne , was first shown at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. It received critical acclaim and the lead actress Chanté Adams won best breakout performance for her portrayal of Shante. The film was co-produced by Forest Whitaker and Pharrell Williams; it was written and directed by Michael Larnell. [18] [19] [20] It was bought by the film studio Neon for general release later in 2017. [21]

Legacy

At the height of her career, Shante was referred to as the "Queen of Rap" by The New York Times [22] and has been noted as a hip-hop pioneer. [23] [24] The Sunday Times credited her for popularizing diss tracks. Billboard editor Natalie Weiner wrote that Shante's "blazingly male-shaming diss track" and "hip-hop's first recorded beef" helped move hip-hop further toward the mainstream, calling her "rap's first female star." [25] Consequence considered her "a mentor for generations of female MCs, and an early advocate in rap for female empowerment." [26] In 1989, The Christian Science Monitor stated that the popularity of rappers like Roxanne Shante, Salt-N-Pepa, and MC Lyte created a path for the next generation of female hip hop artists. [27]

Discography

Studio albums

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marley Marl</span> American DJ, record producer and rapper (born 1962)

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MC Lyte</span> American rapper (born 1970)

Lana Michele Moorer, better known by her stage name MC Lyte, is an American rapper. Considered one of the pioneers of female rap, MC Lyte first gained fame in the late 1980s, becoming the first female rapper to release a full solo album with 1988's critically acclaimed Lyte as a Rock. The album spawned the singles "10% Dis" and "Paper Thin".

UTFO was an American hip hop group from Brooklyn, New York City.

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 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. There were two Roxannes in question, Roxanne Shanté and The Real Roxanne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Juice Crew</span> American hip hop collective

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".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Golden age hip hop</span> Hip hop music from around 1985–1995

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 successor 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cold Chillin' Records</span> Defunct American record label

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.

<i>Beef II</i> 2004 American film

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.

<i>In Control, Volume 1</i> 1988 studio album by Marley Marl

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.

<i>Bad Sister</i> (album) 1989 studio album by Roxanne Shanté

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.

The following is a discography of production credited to Marley Marl.

<i>Roxanne Roxanne</i> 2017 film

Roxanne Roxanne is a 2017 American musical drama film written and directed by Michael Larnell. It stars Chanté Adams, Mahershala Ali, Nia Long, Elvis Nolasco, Kevin Phillips, and Shenell Edmonds. The film revolves around the life of rapper Roxanne Shante. It was screened in the U.S. Dramatic Competition section of the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. Adams won the Breakthrough Performance Award at the Sundance Film Festival.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roxanne's Revenge</span> 1984 single by Roxanne Shante

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">10% Dis</span> 1988 single by MC Lyte

10% Dis is a single from MC Lyte's album Lyte as a Rock produced by the hip hop duo Audio Two, who are also credited as songwriters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roxanne Shante discography</span>

The following is the discography of Roxanne Shante, an American rapper.

References

  1. @ImroxanneShante (March 8, 2018). "Today a little Girl was born and her..." (Tweet) via Twitter.
  2. "Roxanne Shanté Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More". AllMusic. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
  3. "About Roxanne Shanté". Mtv.com. Archived from the original on November 4, 2016.
  4. Baker, Soren (August 26, 2014). "Full Force Recalls Making UTFO's "Roxanne, Roxanne," Revisiting Song For New "Full Force: With Love from Our Friends" Album". Hiphopdx.com.
  5. "About Sparky D". Mtv.com. Archived from the original on November 5, 2016.
  6. "Round One: Roxanne Shante vs Sparky Dee – OldSchoolHipHop.Com". Oldschoolhiphop.com. January 7, 2010.
  7. "Roxanne Shante Biography – OldSchoolHipHop.Com". Oldschoolhiphop.com.
  8. Thomas, Dexter (September 2, 2017). "How the best rapper of 1985 was sabotaged because she was a girl". Vice.com. Retrieved January 7, 2021. Years later, Roxanne approached Blow and asked him why he sabotaged her. According to Roxanne, he said it was because she was a girl.
  9. Elafros, Athena. "Are Female Rappers Authentic?". Hip Hop Icons. p. 208.
  10. "VH1's 100 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs". hiphopgalaxy.com. September 29, 2008. Archived from the original on January 25, 2013. Retrieved March 2, 2010.
  11. Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine : The Sitdown with EmEz (August 23, 2015). "The Sunday Sit Down With EmEz: Roxanne Shante". YouTube.
  12. Reilly, Dan (December 8, 2008). "Life After Rock: Roxanne Shanté". Blender.com . Archived from the original on August 27, 2009.
  13. 1 2 Dawkins, Walter (September 2, 2009). "Rapper behind 'Roxanne's Revenge' gets Warner Music to pay for Ph.D". New York Daily News . Archived from the original on August 31, 2009. Retrieved August 24, 2009.
  14. Sheffner, Ben (September 5, 2009). "Copyrights & Campaigns: Roxanne Shanté speaking about her 'Ph.D.'".
  15. Sheffner, Ben (September 2, 2009). "Roxanne's Nonexistent Revenge: Heard about the rapper who forced her label to pay for her Cornell Ph.D.? It never happened". Slate.
  16. Daily News , "Correction", September 4, 2009, p. 33
  17. "ROXANNE SHANTE REVEALS BREAST CANCER BATTLE". The Boombox. November 2, 2009. Archived from the original on March 29, 2019. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
  18. Weingarten, Christopher R. (January 20, 2017). "Sundance 2017: 'Roxanne Roxanne' Salutes Hard Life of Rap Pioneer". Rolling Stone .
  19. Gleiberman, Owen (January 27, 2017). "Sundance Film Review: 'Roxanne Roxanne'". Variety .
  20. "Roxanne Roxanne (2017)". IMDb.com. March 23, 2018.
  21. Winfrey, Graham (January 29, 2017). "Neon Acquires Hip-Hop Drama 'Roxanne Roxanne' — Sundance 2017". Indiewire .
  22. "Home Entertainment Recordings/Recent Releases". The New York Times . December 10, 1989.
  23. Dean, Jonathan; Angelini, Francesca; Cairns, Dan; Thorogood, Tom (August 19, 2018). "100 hip-hop tracks to love: from the ones you know — Run-DMC, Stormzy, Lauryn Hill, Salt-N-Pepa, Snoop — to the ones you should". The Times .
  24. Murphy, Keith (March 28, 2018). "Roxanne Roxanne: 5 Roxanne Shanté Songs That Celebrate The Early Queen of Rap". BET .
  25. Weiner, Natalie (March 1, 2018). "The Story of Roxanne Shanté: How a Teenager From Queens Became Rap's First Female Star". Billboard .
  26. "The 25 Greatest Hip-Hop Debut Albums of All Time". Consequence . March 14, 2018.
  27. Duncan, Amy (November 22, 1989). "Latifah - The Queen of Rap". The Christian Science Monitor .