As a self-proclaimed Hip-Hop historian, I pride myself on knowing our hip-hop legends and Unsung heroes. So when I tell you the first time I heard Roxanne’s Revenge, I was like, how is this girl my age spitting bars like this and competing with adults in this thing we call hip-hop? And wait, how did she get on the radio? More importantly, would it be possible to make her my girlfriend?
Roxanne made a major impact on the hip-hop culture when she dropped the record “Roxanne’s Revenge.” To re-capture that feeling she brought at that time would be impossible. At least I thought, until now. Being selected to receive The Grammy’s Lifetime Achievement Award shows the entire hip-hop community appreciates her contributions to the genre, and so do I. It is well deserved to see Roxanne Shante finally receive her flowers.
Here is a little-known and maybe unknown history about this great Queen of Hip-Hop. Roxanne is a beautiful 55-year-old Black Woman who was born in Queens on November 9th, 1969. This means she is a Scorpio, and the way she had to navigate through a male-dominated music business at an early age showed her fierce nature from the start.
According to the Netflix movie “Roxanne Roxanne”, she had a rough childhood growing up in Queensbridge Projects, one of the biggest projects in North America. So, let’s put that in perspective. That is 96 buildings, 3,142 units, and approximately 7000 residents. For some that is everyday life and you make the best of the situation, which is what Roxanne did by sharpening her skills and battling at the park. She was winning money and earning a reputation as an ill emcee all while contributing to her family and helping her mother out with her siblings.
Queensbridge Projects also had other legends living there, like the Legendary DJ Marly Marl. He got Roxanne to do a diss record about another group of that time, UTFO.
UTFO consisted of four members, The Kangol Kid, The Educated Rapper, Doc Ice, and Mix Master Ice. Their hit record was called “Roxanne Roxanne”. There was beef between Marly and UTFO that led to Roxanne doing the diss record. The minute that track aired on the radio in 1984, it stayed on repeat. Her voice rang out across all 5 boroughs and Long Island. I am speaking from a first-hand perspective.
We can not finish telling this story without mentioning Roxanne was one of the first female rappers. She was jerked out of her money early in her career but is now receiving the well-deserved payments from back in the day. Hip-hop lovers were impressed with artists like Biggie Smalls and Jay Z who did not write their rhymes, but Roxanne was the first, her claim to fame is everything. It came off the top of the dome meaning she freestyled her rhymes.
