Roxanne Shanté continues to show us that her influence in hip-hop is undeniable. The hip-hop pioneer made history this year as the first solo female rapper to receive a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and now she’s returning as the dean of ceremonies for the Rock The Bells Festival. Roxanne chats with xoNecole about her career and latest honor.
“When I first received the news that I was getting that lifetime achievement award, hearing the class that I was accepted into was incredible for me, because it wasn't just myself, but it was Prince, Frankie Beverly, Frankie Valli, Taj Mahal and The Clash," Roxanne tells us. “And when you think about those artists, all you can think about are the hits and the great songs that they made and albums upon albums, and then you include Roxanne Shanté.
Tammy Hurt, Roxanne Shanté and Harvey Mason Jr.
Rob Latour/Shutterstock
“People ask me all the time, what do you think the purpose of you receiving the lifetime achievement award? Not, I didn't deserve it, but it's for all the times that I didn't say yes to things that other people may have said yes to. So it really is an award and a benefit of being able to say, I just stayed me, and when you stay you, the universe gives that to you. So because mine didn’t come from sales of albums, because I didn’t sell millions and millions of albums, and I didn't make millions and millions of records like everyone else. What I did do is I affected many lives, and I was there to push a lot of artists. So it’s for the things that I did behind the scenes.”
Now, Roxanne is gearing up for Rock The Bells Festival, which takes place this Saturday, June 28. The show is packed with groundbreaking artists like Busta Rhymes, Redman, Remy Ma and many more. But that’s not all. This year, the festival is switching it up a bit by featuring R&B acts like Lil Mo and celebrating Uptown Records, who were known for their R&B artists like Al B. Sure, Donell Jones, and Monifah.
“People ask me all the time, what do you think the purpose of you receiving the lifetime achievement award? Not, I didn't deserve it, but it's for all the times that I didn't say yes to things that other people may have said yes to. So it really is an award and a benefit of being able to say, I just stayed me, and when you stay you, the universe gives that to you."
Thai Randolph, strategic advisor and board member for Rock The Bells Festival shares why Roxanne is the perfect person to host the event. “Roxanne Shanté isn’t just hosting—she embodies hip-hop itself. A true pioneer, she laid the blueprint for generations of artists both musically and entrepreneurially,” Thai says.
“Whether you’re listening to her iconic track ‘Roxanne's Revenge’ or catching her captivating energy on Rock The Bells Radio, her authenticity, charisma, and genuine love for the culture always shine through. As a longtime fan, I can't think of anyone better suited to energize the crowd and set the tone for an unforgettable event."
For a lot of people, the rapper’s Netflix biopic Roxanne Roxanne was their first time hearing her life story. The film, which shows a 14-year-old Roxanne navigating life as an inner city kid and creating one of the biggest diss records with “Roxanne’s Revenge,” quickly became a hit with viewers. The radio host says it’s an “honor” that so many people resonate with her story as she wanted it to serve as a cautionary tale for fathers and daughters.
As far as making another film about her life, Roxanne isn’t opposed. “We've been thinking about it, talking to the Rock The Bells family, because we're now branching off and now going into doing podcasts and things like that. We were kind of talking like, you know what? Maybe I need to have a story time,” she says.
“I come with a story time with photos, and that's like one of the greatest things because it's one thing when people tell you a story, but it's another thing when somebody can bring photos and receive other people along with it. So we were thinking about having a real Roxanne story time. We're still thinking about that, but in the meantime, having a radio show that now has about seven million listeners per day, it's also a blessing. So I sit back and I enjoy that.”
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Feature image by Ron Adar/ Shutterstock
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I've always had a love-hate relationship with wigs. Sometimes, I struggle to get them to lay flat and don't get me started with the bonding glue process. So when it comes to wearing wigs, I like to keep it nice and breezy around this b--- (word to Katt Williams), especially in the summertime.
That's why I jumped at the chance to try these three versatile wigs from Luvme Hair. Each one offers a unique look and is surprisingly low maintenance, which aligns perfectly with my philosophy that wearing wigs should make life easier. Let’s dive into the three styles below.
Headband Wig
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This was the first wig I tried on, and I instantly fell in love with it. So much so that it took me weeks to even consider trying the other two. I’m partial to colored hair, especially blonds, browns, and reds, so I was skeptical about the jet black hair. However, I think the color, combined with the curl pattern, worked surprisingly well for me.
One of the things I really liked about this wig was that I didn’t have to braid my hair down first. I could simply throw it over a low ponytail, which is the epitome of a low-maintenance style. The headband has combs inside and velcro on the ends, ensuring a secure fit.
Half Wig
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I had never worn a half wig before, so I faced some challenges. I cornrowed the bottom half of my hair where the wig would sit, but I believe this made it more difficult to use the combs. It might just be me though. I straightened the top part of my hair to blend it with the wig, which looked cute for about five minutes.
Firstly, I have a brown/blonde color mix on the ends of my hair, and the half wig is black. So, I had to hide some of the color (I didn’t have time to dye the wig). Secondly, straightening my hair myself is always a hassle because it never lasts long. Add to that the summer humidity, and you get a hot mess. Despite all this, I managed to get some cute pictures before things got out of control, and that’s all that matters, right?
Would I consider this a low-maintenance hair style? Yes and no. I think it’s unrealistic for me during the summer, especially since I enjoy summer activities. However, when the weather cools down, I’ll definitely rock it, dyed, of course.
Bob
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Now, this is the wig I was nervous about. I never had a bob and I didn't think I would like it. But once I put bobiana on, my mind instantly changed. I finally understood why the gworls rave about the bob so much. It was giving boss. It was giving grown woman. It was giving the bob means business. Iykyk. It was the ultimate statement.
I will say when I first put it on, one side of my wig just would not lay flat. It took some trial and error, but I finally managed to get it to look good. With the bob, I highly recommend braiding your hair down first as small as you can so it can lay as flat as possible. I really liked the ash blonde color, which is perfect for summer. The length also makes it a great low-maintenance style for the season, so you don't have to worry about the hair making your neck sweaty.
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