Who Was The First Female Rapper
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The first female rapper to emerge from the hip-hop scene is widely believed to be Roxanne Shanté, born Lolita Shanté Gooden in New York on November 9, 1969.
Growing up in the South Jamaica section of Queens, she was inspired by the songs of early greats like Kool Moe Dee, Afrika Bambaataa and Treacherous Three. At the tender age of 14, Roxanne Shanté began her career when a cousin asked her to feature on a track he was producing, “Roxanne’s Revenge”, an impromptu response to the song “Roxanne, Roxanne” from U.T.F.O. Her fierce flow and tight repartees responded to each of the male MCs and gained her instant attention from the hip-hop community.
Roxanne Shanté quickly became a strong figure in the Queensbridge hip-hop scene during the early- to mid-1980s. She released her debut EP, Bad Sister, on the self-owned record label Enjoy, in 1984. In addition to her success as a female MC, she also managed to gain recognition for her distinct, sharp flow and her feminist-based lyrics that highlighted the power held by a woman.
Between the years of 1984 and 1988, four of Shanté’s songs “Roxanne’s Revenge,” “Have a Nice Day,” “Go On, Girl” and “Live On WBLS” made it to the Billboard chart, making her an undeniable pioneer in the rap industry.
Her influence extends far beyond hip-hop’s early days, as she has become a symbol of strength and female empowerment. Her defiant approach to rap and refusal to be backed down made her a role model for generations of young female MCs. Today, her determined spirit and cultural position as one of hip-hop’s first female stars lives on through the work of modern female hip-hop artists.