I want to wish a Happy Mother's Day to all the single mothers out there, including my own. She's married now, just not to my father.
Everyone always asks why I'm not a mother. The reasons are many. I've had a lot of female friends, and even more female rivals. The funny thing is, I have a lot more in common with Roxanne Shante than most them. Born Lolita Shante Gooden in 1969, Shante found a glitch in the matrix when UTFO recorded the song "Roxanne, Roxanne". She jumped into Marley Marl's soundbooth, and the rest is herstory.
"A lot of MC's today really know how to please
but I gave birth to most of them MC's
so when it comes around to the month of May
send me your royalty check for Mother's Day
Because yo, you know you can't deal with this
I'm Shanté the microphone grand mistress
a pioneer like Lola Falana
with a name that stands big like Madonna
Speaking of Madonna, some girls on the mic
rap like virgins and get real tight
but I get loose with the rhymes I produce
that's why I'm queen of the Crew with the Juice
cause I'm the super female that's called Shanté
and like Hurricane Annie I'll blow you away
Whenever I'm in a battle, yo, I don't play
so you best go about your way
and have a nice day"
That's how she broke it down on "Have a Nice Day." But it was really "Roxanne's Revenge" that sparked her career. Far from comedy rap, "Roxanne's Revenge" wasn't no joke. Shante broke it down by explaining "Roxanne's Revenge" is saying that guys should stop talking about girls because it's not working anymore. It's played out! Talking about girls is fine as long as you've got something good to say about them. Why do you always gotta say girls are stuck up?" In the book "Bring the Noise", authors Havelock Nelson and Michael A. Gonzales wrote "Roxanne's Revenge" is - perhaps - best remembered for its brutal grit and casual spunk. It stood out, in stark, funky contrast, against more polished cuts by hitmakers Kurtis Blow, Whodini and the Fat Boys. And Shanté's vicious, profane style caught even the toughest rap customers off guard. She started off "Revenge" by bragging, in breathless, squeaky-voiced tones, about how effortlessly she could rock a jam. Then, over a sample stolen from the instrumental mix of "Roxanne, Roxanne", Shanté got nasty, directing to, among other things, "suck my bush." She was out to define a respectable place for women in hip hop, and her pointed rhyme cut through all the mysogyny and sexism associated with the artform. Not just another b-girl honey, Shanté cold-cocked all the skeezoids and, on rap's battleground she became a force to be reckoned with."
Article comments
1 - Hashim
much, much props to Shante. She should be an inspiration to not just female rappers, but all entertainers who have had a bit of fame and don't know what to do next
2 - jigsaw
Happy mothers day to all the mothers!
That miranda janes something else!
3 - Bennett Dawson
Inspiring! A great way to start out my day, to learn about one very intelligent woman who made the right moves.
ALL young artist's contracts should have this type of education clause.
Thanks for posting this!
4 - Temple Stark
Loving this MJ. Thanks for the writng, history and the "rememories". - temple
5 - Temple Stark
Ms. Jane, This work of art in words you have created now has another venue for success, glory and taking control of the world - and many more eyes - at the Advance.net Web sites, a place affiliated with about 10 newspapers.
I labeled it an "essay" there.
One such site is here.
Also please let your contact know, if you have one, that this article is published at one more place. That helps a lot.
Thank you.
Temple Stark
6 - dj_oneluv
I love Shante' and I love you for writning this!!
7 - Benadra
WOW what can I say this is very powerful. Shant is my all time favorite female MC. This girl was no joke back in the day. Roxanne Revenge was slamin. Queen Of Rox and Bite This were some of my old school favorites. I'm so glade you wrote this article. It should be known we as black people can move forward in many directions. This is hot.
Thank you so much. :)