'Roxanne Roxanne' Sheds Light On One of The First Major Black Female MCs In The Game
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 ›
Taylor "Pretty" Honore is a spiritually centered and equally provocative rapper from Baton Rouge, Louisiana with a love for people and storytelling. You can probably find me planting herbs in your local community garden, blasting "Back That Thang Up" from my mini speaker. Let's get to know each other: @prettyhonore.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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How A Stay At Switzerland's Luxurious 7132 Hotel Reminded Me To Live The Life I Deserve
Sometimes, as women—especially as single Black women—we simply need to be reminded that we are deserving of living a life we dream of. Even if that means creating it for ourselves. I recently set out on a weeklong trip to Switzerland, a trip I’ve been wanting to take for years, and near the end of my visit, I had an epiphany.
“DeAnna, this is the life you deserve,” I thought to myself as I took in the gorgeous bathroom in my suite at the famous 7132 Hotel and Thermal Spa. It was one of the most luxurious hotels (and bathrooms) I had ever stayed in—and that’s saying a lot for someone who often travels for work.
To help you better understand why this was such a mental awakening for me, I first need to give a bit of my backstory. I’m in my late thirties. I’m an attorneyand a journalist. I own a home and have traveled the world extensively. Essentially, I’ve done everything in life I set out to do. However, when it comes to dating, I struggle. Not because there is anything wrong with me per se, but because my career and “lifestyle” often create problems in my romantic relationships.
View from my hotel room
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I’ve been told everything from, ‘I can’t continue to date you because you seem to choose your career over wanting to settle down and have kids’ by a man after only the second date to ‘Maybe if you just sat down somewhere for a while, I’d actually wife you’ by someone who has honestly never proven themselves to be the settle down type. And these are only a handful of the things I’ve been told over the years.
It’s been frustrating, to say the least, and there have even been seasons where I purposely dimmed my light in hopes that my career wouldn’t push away potential suitors. I know what you’re thinking, “Girl, why would you even consider that? If they’re for you, it won’t matter what you do.” Hey, don’t judge me, but also, I one hundred percent agree.
My hotel bathroom
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That’s why this recent moment in Switzerland was right on time. When I first walked into the hotel to check in, I was blown away by the surrounding beauty. It was a five-star property with one of the world’s most famous thermal bathhouses. Yet, it was something about seeing that 90% of the hotel’s guests were couples, that forced me to sit back for a bit of introspection—while soaking in the thermal spa, of course.
As I went through the mental conversation, there was a battle of sorts. On one hand, I knew that being able to partake in experiences like the one I was having at that moment was important to me. I knew that, at times I actually love being able to dabble in the finer things—after all, I’ve worked hard to be able to afford them. On the other hand, and sadly, I knew that sometimes being a single Black woman that publicly showcases her “luxurious” habits can intimidate men and even scare them off from pursuing you under the guise of them feeling like they “can’t do anything for you, because you have everything.”
My hotel room
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So, what is a girl to do?
Do I minimize/hide the life and experiences that I have? Do I play down the hard work I’ve put in to get where I am professionally? Or, do I risk being single in exchange for being able to have said life, without backlash?
Luckily, the joy that I felt while being at this property won. There was something about taking a full day to simply pamper myself at the bathhouse and in my in-room steam shower and soaker tub, indulging in cuisine from a 2-star Michelin restaurant and doing all of this while surrounded by an amazing group of Black women that reminded me—this is certainly the life I was meant to live and that I deserve. Even if it means that right now, I’ll just have to provide it for myself until the right partner comes along. And honestly, I’m okay with that.
Restaurant at 7132 hotel
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