Before Cardi B, Nicki Minaj, Lil Kim, and Missy Elliott, there was Roxanne Shante. On Friday, Netflix released Roxanne Roxanne, a biopic based on the life of a talented young girl from Queensbridge, New York who changed the rap industry forever by creating a place for herself in an industry that never made room for her.
Lolita Gooden, later given the name "Roxanne Shante" had earned the title of battle rap champ of Queensbridge at nine years old and had a hit single on the radio that triggered nationwide response before she turned 16 years old. Shante is credited as the original godmother of female rap, making and inspiring some of the first diss records ever and helping to progress the then newly-discovered genre called hip-hop into the mainstream.
Despite her previous accomplishments, there was not much that the public knew about the rapper. Roxanne Roxanne offers an in-depth look at her life and the trials she faced that are still relevant to all women today, including the extreme jealousy and domestic abuse she faced at the hands of her child's father. In an interview with Pitchfork Magazine she said:
"It was very therapeutic. Because you know that you survived it. There are a lot of women who have went through what I went through. There's a lot of women who are still going through it today. And one of the main things is being able to say, 'You know what, if I was able to get away from it at that age, you'll be able to do it now.' I want young girls to take away from the movie that anything is possible."
The story is riddled with the recurring theme of toxic masculinity, male dominance, and the values of sisterhood as we get an in-depth look at the life of a woman who paved the way for hip hop.
Al Pereira/Getty Images/Michael Ochs Archives
Shante spent her childhood taking bets for battle raps and boosting clothes from local shopping malls to help her then, depressed mother take care of her three younger sisters. In 1985, she was discovered by a local DJ who got her song, later coined Roxanne's Revenge, on the radio and she blew up nearly overnight. She told Billboard:
"Since it wasn't a battle, I didn't think that anything was going to come of it. In battles, I was rhyming for 30 to 40 minutes, so four minutes was nothing for me. I stuck with the storyline, and the next morning I was 'Roxanne.' Male rappers felt like I was throwing things off. If the best in the game is a little girl, then rap is no longer going to be seen as this masculine thing."
The biopic offers a brutally honest transparent vision of what life was, and still was like for a woman of color seeking to thrive in a male centric-industry.
Shante lived a life similar to most women of color who hold a position of power in their industry: filled with people who will try to play with your money and men who feel like they are entitled to your body, your career, your agency, and your craft when it was never theirs to begin with.
Netflix
I started rapping when I was 12, so the Hip Hop Pioneer's story resonated with me. I've been in front of some of the biggest names in the industry and realized that my identity as a woman will always overshadow my talent, so I took a hiatus. For years I felt devastated and discouraged.
Men always tell me, "I know it's easier for you in this industry, because you're a woman. All you have to do is open your legs or flash a titty." I always thought to myself, I didn't sign up to flash a titty. I'm here to rap.
There were so many moments in Roxanne Roxanne that resonated with me personally, it was almost eerie. And it reminded me that I'm not the only woman enduring these trials. Despite all of the misogynistic barriers to entry in the rap game, Roxanne Shante is a reminder to us all that our body, lives, and careers are our own.
I watched the movie last night, and as a female MC, I wish that this story that had been told a long time ago, but Shante feels like the time is just right.
"What would make a Roxanne Shante movie come out now? The thing about it is it's because it's the woman's time now. Though it has always been the woman's time, it's time to come to the forefront. It's time to show the strength. … This movie will serve that purpose where [women] can sit back and say 'I was that little girl in the group home.' Or 'I was that woman who went through depression and through heartache and heartbreak.'"
Roxanne Roxanne was produced by creative minds like Pharrell Williams, Forest Whitaker, and Roxanne Shante herself. The film stars newcomer Chante Adams as the titular character, Mahershala Ali, and Nia Long. Check out the official trailer for the biopic below.
- Roxanne Shante Biography - Biography ›
- Roxanne Shanté - Wikipedia ›
- Roxanne Shanté Interview: How a Teenager From Queens Became ... ›
- The Story Of Rapper Roxanne Shante Is Coming To Netflix ›
- Rapper Roxanne Shante Relives "Things That I Survived" In New ... ›
- Roxanne Roxanne | Netflix Official Site ›
- Roxanne Roxanne | Official Trailer [HD] | Netflix - YouTube ›
- Roxanne Roxanne (2017) - IMDb ›
- Watch Netflix's first trailer for hip-hop biopic 'Roxanne, Roxanne' ›
- Netflix's Roxanne Shanté Biopic 'Roxanne Roxanne' | Billboard ›
- Meet Chanté Adams, Roxanne Roxanne's Magnetic Newcomer ›
- 'Roxanne Roxanne' Tells An Often-Ignored Piece Of Hip Hop History ›
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Anyway, I personally think that the less shallow folks out here may contemplate calling things “quits” or they at least distance themselves a bit from their partner (and what I’m referring to is serious relationships) due to all of the stress and strain that oftentimes comes with the holidays whether it be financial, familial, due to their tight schedules or something else.
Listen, I would hate for you and your man to miss the fun and happiness of experiencing this time of year, all because you are so overwhelmed or irritated that you can’t really enjoy it. That’s why I have a few practical tips for how to avoid allowing the typical holiday season stress from INFECTING your relationship.
Manage Your Expectations
GiphyUnmanaged expectations. If there is a main reason why the holiday season tends to be so stress-filled for so many people, I’d bet good money that this is the cause. And when you’re in a long-term relationship, expectations can manifest themselves in all sorts of cryptic and/or unexpected ways. You might have relatives who assume that you are going to be with them for Thanksgiving or Christmas when you have other plans in mind. You might be thinking that you are going to spend one amount for presents while your man is thinking something totally different. When it comes to scheduling, your signals may be crossed.
And you know what? To all of these scenarios, this is where clear and consistent communication come in. Don’t assume anything. Don’t dictate anything either. From now until New Year’s, mutually decide to check in once a week, just to make sure that you are both on the same page as it relates to the holidays and what you both are thinking will come along with it. The less blindsided you both feel, the less stressed out you will be. Trust me on this.
Set (and Keep) a Budget
GiphyOkay, so I read that last year, 36 percent of Americans incurred some type of holiday-related debt. Hmph. Last year, there was still some sense of normalcy in this country, chile, so I can only imagine what finances are gonna look like over the next several weeks. That said, since I don’t know a lot of people who don’t find being broke stressful, make sure that you and your bae set a budget and then stick to it this year — no ifs, ands or buts.
Because really, y’all — it doesn’t make sense to deplete savings and/or max out credit cards for a few days of giggles only to be damn near losing your mind because you don’t know how to make ends meet come Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
And by the way, this tip doesn’t just speak to things like food and gifts; I also mean travel. If it doesn’t make a ton of sense (or cents) to be all over the place this year — DON’T BE.
Keep Matthew 5:37 at the Forefront
GiphyIf off the top of your head, you don’t know what Matthew 5:37 says, no worries, here ya go: “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.” That verse right there? Oh, it’s a boundaries lifesaver! I say that because do you see “maybe” or “I’ll think about it” in there? Nope. LOL. It says that you should tell people “yes” or “no” and leave it at that — and that complements Anne Lamott’s quote, “’No’ is a complete sentence” impeccably well. Yeah, you’ve got to remember that anything beyond a yes or no to a request is privileged information; you don’t owe anyone details or an explanation.
Besides, if you are really honest with yourself, when someone asks you something and you give a “Umm, let me think about it” kind of reply, more times than not, you already know what your answer is going to be — so why not let you both off of the hook? Give your response. Commit to that. And let everyone (including yourself) get on with their lives and schedules.
I promise you that when it comes to those holiday parties, you are pissing more folks off by not RSVP’ing or doing so and not showing up than just saying, “Thank you but not this year” off the rip.
Remember That Your Personal Space Is Privilege Not a Right
GiphyA friend of mine recently bought a new house and invited me over to come see it. He’s a single man with no children, so as I was taking in all of the space that he had, especially as I walked through his finished basement, I joked about relatives coming to live with him. “Hell no” and “absolutely not” were pretty much his immediate responses as he went on to say that some folks even had the nerve to be offended when he told them that he had no intentions on taking DNA in.
Ain’t it wild how people think that your stuff is their right? And yes, that brings me to my next point. Your home is your sanctuary space. If you want to host folks this year — cool. If not, ALSO COOL. Please don’t let folks (family included) guilt you into how they want you to act or even into what they would do if the shoe was on the other foot. You are not them — and as one of my favorite quotes states, “If two people were exactly alike, one of them would be unnecessary.” (A man by the name Larry Dixon said that.)
Hell, my friends? They know that I am good for sending them random things that they need or even want all throughout the year. Coming over to hang out at my pace, though. Uh-uh. Chalk it up to being a card-carrying member of the ambivert club yet I like keeping my living space personal — and I sleep like a baby, each and every night, for feeling that way.
Always remember that your space, your time, your resources, your energy and shoot, yourself period (including your relationship), are all things that are your own. You get to choose how, when and why you want to share them. The holiday season is certainly no exception.
Cultivate Some “You Two Only” Traditions
GiphyIt’s not uncommon for some couples to hit me up after the holiday season to “detox.” Sometimes it’s due to the financial drama (and sometimes trauma) that they experienced. Sometimes it’s because they allowed their relatives (especially in-laws) to get more into their personal business than they should’ve. More than anything, though, it tends to be because they didn’t get enough quality time together and so ended up feeling “disconnected.”
Please don’t let that happen. Listen, I’m not even a holidays kind of woman and yet, I will absolutely sit myself down with some hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies to enjoy a Hallmark holiday film or two. Aside from the fact that most of them are lighthearted and sweet, I also like that they usually focus on couples loving on each other amidst all of the holiday beauty and ambiance — which is something that all couples should set aside some time to do.
Maybe it’s a vacation. Maybe it’s a staycation. Or maybe it’s my personal favorite, A SEXCATION. Whether it’s for a few days, the weekend or even overnight — don’t you let the holidays go by without setting aside time for you and your man to celebrate one another. Don’t you dare (check out “Are You Ready To Have Some Very Merry 'Christmas Sex'?”).
GET. SOME. REST.
GiphyI once read that 8 out of 10 people get stressed out over the holidays and 3 out of 10 lose sleep during to it — and when you’re stress-filled and sleep-deprived, that can absolutely lead to hypersensitivity, making mountains out of molehills and even not being in the mood for sex.
Your relationship can’t afford to go through any of this, so definitely make sure to prioritize rest. I don’t care how unrealistic it might seem during this time, sleep should never be seen as a luxury; it will always and forever be a great necessity.
That said, try to get no less than six hours of shut-eye in (check out “6 Fascinating Ways Sex And Sleep Definitely Go Hand In Hand”) and even ask your bae to take a nap with you sometimes (check out “Wanna Have Some Next-Level Sex? Take A Nap, Sis.”). Not only will sleep help to restore your mind, body and spirit but, when it’s with your partner, it’s an act of intimacy that can make you both feel super connected, even in the midst of what might feel like chaos.
___
Holiday season stress is real. Still, never give it the permission or power to throw your relationship off. Put you and your man first and let the holidays be what they are gonna be, chile.
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Using the same material from the interior of the Volvo EX90, Hudson crafted a wool-blend car coat and waistbelt that combine the vehicle’s Scandinavian design with his signature tailoring and intention. The exclusive collection launched on October 20, and each piece is made-to-order by Sergio Hudson Collections.
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In October, I traveled to Charleston with a group of journalists to get a firsthand look at Hudson and Volvo’s location. During a fitting, Hudson said his goal is to make “great work that can stand the test of time.”
“People can look back on and say, ‘I remember when Sergio did that collaboration with Volvo,’” he continued. “Thinking about aligning yourself with classic brands that speak to where you want to go. And I think that's what this collaboration kind of means to me and my business.”
Hudson pinpoints his mom as the biggest influence for his designs. This collaboration was no different.
“This particular coat reminded me of the swing coats that my mom used to wear in the early 90s. You know, diva girls in the early 90s had Sandra suits,” he said, referring to Jackée Harry’s character in 227. “My mom wore those and she would have these matching swing coats to go over them. And that's where the initial idea came. This would be around the same time that we had our Volvo. So she would put on her suit, her swing coat, get in that red Volvo, and go to church.”
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With this capsule and beyond, Hudson wants to see more staples rotating in and out of closets this fall. He advises fashionistas to build her closet out with essentials to mix and match that aren’t just stylish but also sustainable.
“It's just those special pieces,” he said. “You can wear the same shirt and pants every day and nobody will notice. But if you have a special boot, a special coat, a special bill, a special bag, that kind of speaks to everything that your style stands about, that is something you should focus on.”
These are the same kind of staple pieces that return to our Pinterest boards and TikTok feeds season after season. Fast fashion has never been Hudson’s aim. “I'm trying to create a special pieces that can stand the test of time,” he said in his warm, Southern accent. “I'm only creating those kind of pieces from here on out.”
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For Hudson, this collaboration is revolutionary. It’s his first time working with a car company and experimenting outside of his wheelhouse in this way.
“This is a Scandinavian brand, and, you know, it's 70 years old. I'm an African-American boy from South Carolina that has had a brand for 10 years. So I think bridging those two worlds and seeing the similarities was the beauty of this project,” he explained.
Though Hudson and his partner and CEO of Sergio Hudson Collections Inga Beckham have made massive strides in just 10 years, Hudson said the industry is far from where he wants to see it when it comes to Black representation. He pointed to how few Black designers were at this year’s Met Gala despite the theme being Black dandyism.
“The fact that I dressed 18 people speaks to how many of us weren't there,” he said. He implored more of industries, fashion and beyond, to collaborate with Black designers often.
“Allow mentorship. Allow funding. Allow great design to shine through,” he implored. “When it comes to being a designer of African descent, when you can't get the funding that your counterparts have, you can't compete. When you get opportunities like doing a collaboration with Volvo, or you get opportunities to be at the Met Gala, that's putting us on the equal playing field, but really the funding behind it is what we need to take it to that desk level.”
Featured image courtesy