Photo Courtesy of Watts / DAILY NEWS
In 1984, at the age of 14, Roxanne Shante, a single teenage mom raised by one parent, hailing the projects of Queens, released "Roxanne's Revenge," a response to rap group UTFO's mega-hit "Roxanne, Roxanne." She was signed by Warner Music, released two albums and by the time she was 19, she'd been chewed up and spit out of the beast. Disillusioned, broke & living back in Queensbridge, she remembered a very small yet very important clause in her recording contract - Warner Music would fit the bill for her education. For life.
Well, fast forward to 2009, Ms. Shante (born Lolita Gooden) holds her PhD in Psychology from Cornell University. By all means, if you're going to get a doctorate degree, you might as well go Ivy League, right?
It wasn't easy to get Warner to cough up the dough, but Roxanne had some help from women like Marguerita Grecco from Marymount Manhattan College.
Today, Roxanne awards $5,000 scholarships to female rappers through the non-profit Hip Hop Association.
Roxanne's first video:
Well, fast forward to 2009, Ms. Shante (born Lolita Gooden) holds her PhD in Psychology from Cornell University. By all means, if you're going to get a doctorate degree, you might as well go Ivy League, right?
It wasn't easy to get Warner to cough up the dough, but Roxanne had some help from women like Marguerita Grecco from Marymount Manhattan College.
Today, Roxanne awards $5,000 scholarships to female rappers through the non-profit Hip Hop Association.
Roxanne's first video:
Roxanne + Biz in 1986
Roxanne + Biz in 2008 at Big Daddy Kane's 20th Anniversary Show
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