The Roxanne Wars
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(I made some corrections to the video, so reuploaded it, wanted it to be accurate!)
Documentary of The Roxanne Wars in 1984 and 1985.
NETFLIX is releasing a Biopic Movie ROXANNE ROXANNE, which is all about a RAP BEEF in the 1980s between the Rapper ROXANNE SHANTE, and the Rap Group U.T.F.O.
This BEEF, which became known as the ROXANNE WARS spanned more than a year and prompted over 100 answer songs.
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The Roxanne Wars is the infamous RAP BATTLE between a head strong young girl named Lolita Shante' Gooden, who is better known as ROXANNE SHANTE, and the Rap group U.T.F.O. who created the now famous rap song ROXANNE ROXANNE, and then of course.. The REAL Roxanne.
The BEEF first started with the popular 80s rap group U.T.F.O. backing out of a promotion agreement with part-time music producer Marly Marl, who just happen to live across the street from what would later become one of the most infamous Female Rappers in hip-hop history.
Lolita was a young, ambitious, and talented rapper that was destined for the music industry, and after over hearing a conversation about a concert cancellation, she approached producer Marley Marl and offered to make a hip-hop record that would be aimed at getting back at U.T.F.O. for their failed concert appearance.
Lolita took on the moniker Roxanne Shante' to write an answer rap called ROXANNES REVENGE in response to the PROMOTION that Marley Marl and Disc Jockey Mr. Mike were discussing.
At this time, U.T.F.O. had a popular B-Side rap song called Roxanne Roxanne, that was doing pretty well on the radio. The Rap was about UTFO trying to seduce a girl named Roxanne, but no matter what they did or said, she turned them down.
Roxanne Shante's Rap Single Roxanne's Revenge was released in late 1984 and the music beat was an instrumental version of UTFO's Roxanne Roxanne with her own lyrics over that.
Once marley Marl realized how popular the song was, and After some legal issues, Roxanne released a new version of Roxannes Revenge in 1985 that had a new music beat and the foul language had been removed from the track.
UTFO was upset about Roxannes Revenge at first, but Seeing that this beef with Roxanne could be an opportunity, UTFO made an answer rap song called THE REAL ROXANNE.
They wrote and produced this rap song in which they take pot-shots at themselves, and then hired a rapper named Elease Jack to sing the lyrics.
UTFO intended for Elease to take on the name THE REAL ROXANNE, to try and discredit Roxanne Shante' as being the original.
The song was a HUGE hit and was played all over the US, but shortly after the songs release, UTFO and Elease had a falling out. She was not credited on the song and UTFO quickly replaced Elease with another rapper named Adelaida Martinez.
Adelaida would carry on the moniker of The Real Roxanne persona for many years to come, even though she was essentially just impersonating Roxanne Shante.
To UTFO and FULL Force, they felt they had accomplished their mission. They successfully made a hit answer record which not only helped keep their own Roxanne Roxanne Rap song relevant and still hugely popular,
But they were also able to at least partially take control of the identity of ROXANNE, and convince a lot of the public that THE REAL ROXANNE and Shante were just one person.
And even if not everyone was fooled, it certainly confused the public enough that many didn’t even care.
After the success of UTFO's Real Roxanne, things started to sorta get a bit crazy.
And While its not uncommon for an answer record to go back and forth once or twice.. The Roxanne Saga was just heating up.
With Roxanne Roxanne, Roxannes Revenge, and now The Real Roxanne all getting play time on the radio, tons of Rappers started putting out ROXANNE Diss tracks of their own.
The first diss track to follow up THE REAL ROXANNE was by rapper Sparky D.
She hailed from Brooklyn and put out an answer tape entitled Roxanne - Your Through. Which defended UTFO and was aimed at trying to discredit Roxanne Shante' as being a young and childish rapper.
But this wasn’t the last answer tape to come out..
It seemed everyone now wanted in on the Roxanne Wars. From people claiming to be Roxannes Doctor, her Brothers, little sister., and even her Parents.
In all there were a record breaking 25 recorded responses in 1985 that were officially documented in the Roxanne Wars, but historians speculate that there may have been over 100 Roxanne Answer tracks floating around by the late 80s.
By late 1985, U.T.F.O. takes another pop shot at Roxanne by releasing a new diss track called Roxanne, Roxanne Part 2: Calling Her A Crab.
After Roxanne Roxanne Part 2, Shante put out a song called Queen Of Rox.
Following up the Queen of Rox, ROXANNE Shante' finally put out an answer song called BITE THIS.
Пікірлер: 160
After watching the Netflix Movie Roxanne Roxanne, I found a few things I needed to edit on the video. I wanted to pay proper homage to the Roxanne Wars, so I fixed 2 things that were not accurate with the Roxanne Shante story.. Hope you all enjoy this labor of love. Roxanne Shante is one of my favorite rappers all time and in my opinion, the best female rapper in history! She is just FINALLY getting her due!!
@DocTrower1980
5 жыл бұрын
That was the brawl that started it all. I mean you couldn't tune into 107.5 WBLS or 98.7 Kiss FM, or even watch Video Music Box (on Channel 25) or New York's Hot Tracks (on WABC-TV) without hearing "Roxanne, Roxanne" and almost every response song created after that. You mentioned Marley Marl at the top of the video, and it's worth noting that had it not been for "The Roxanne Wars", he would have not been involved in "The Bridge Wars" with M.C. Shan representing Queens with "The Bridge" while Boogie Down Productions with KRS-One represented the Bronx with "South Bronx".
@scottttocs8295
3 жыл бұрын
@Kenneth Brown nope..
@wolverine67044
3 жыл бұрын
@Kenneth Brown sheeeit. She'd crush u & spit u out
@MeToo-py1tq
3 жыл бұрын
@Kenneth Brown Are you down witH UTFO? 😂
@ghostdogfelton9789
3 ай бұрын
😂😂😂FACTS 😂😂😂
Back then nobody died from beefing
@RetroCrunch
2 жыл бұрын
Yep. It's a different world now.
@LxrdKhuFu
5 ай бұрын
The Ladys Dissed Each Other on the same track At the end of the day they still cool with 1 another. The guys do the most
@romanStillmatic
4 ай бұрын
Amen if you call you fake it could be really be your last day Cancel Culture of rap
RIP Kango Kid of UTFO.
Still have the UTFO cassette tape. The 80s were magical baby lol.
Forever Peace and so long to The Educated Rapper and The Kangol Kid.
I was there through every minute of the Roxanne wars. Those were some good days.
Roxanne Roxanne was the biggest song I ever remember being on the radio... don't recall ANY song being hotter.. at the time.. than that.
I STILL miss this music!!!
The Beef that launched the meaning of “beefs” in the hip-hop culture. I grew up during this era, and shared this with my boss yesterday morning while waiting for my work plant to open.
Roxxane's DOCTOR!!....Lmao!!
On Saturday night on April 6, 1985 DJ Red Alert did a Roxanne mastermix on WRKS 98.7 Kiss FM starting from Roxanne, Roxanne all the way up to Roxanne's parents prior to the release of Zelee Groove & OSE's No More Roxanne
@jennieredrose5819
2 жыл бұрын
In Cali they were playing all the Roxanne's. The Real Roxanne was super dope...
@jennieredrose5819
2 жыл бұрын
I wanna hear the Roxanne parents.
I totally remember this as a kid! Going to my friends house and listening to the latest "Roxanne" song! I distinctly remember a song titled "Roxanne's Robot" or something like that with a Robot voice rapping. Still, I can't find it ANYWHERE on KZread and I'm wondering if it was just some unofficial local release. It sounded really cool! I'm amazed at how few of my peers remember the "Roxanne Wars", yet I have many fond memories. They came up with everything from Roxanne's Tree house to Roxanne's Dog from what I remember! Still, I'd love to hear that Robot song again!
I been looking for this forever. I would like to see a video of all the Roxanne battles put in order, and played in total! I was 12-13 when all this went down & it was great!
@RetroCrunch
3 жыл бұрын
There were so many battles, I don't think there is a accurate list that is out there. Some battles were coming out almost every day for a while.
Who can forget live for 85'' And that Summer Of a young Roxanne Shante Vs UTFO This was 1 of the dopest periods of Hip Hop History! 🎶😎
Man this brought back so many memories. Though I don't remember most of the response tracks you mention. Thanks for putting this together.
There was also a record that was supposed to be the final Roxanne Jam East Coast Crew "No More Roxanne Please"
I was in elementary school during this battle. I was in awe!
@RetroCrunch
3 жыл бұрын
I remember hearing a few of the rebuttals on the radio, but wish I would have been in New York to hear so many more of them.
@theinfamous47
3 жыл бұрын
@@RetroCrunch thing about it. I was overseas..
Great video man!...I'm a Canadian and live in Southwestern Ontario. Back in '84 I was 13 and my dad was a HAM radio operator, so we had a massive antenna in our backyard...the advantage of this antenna, was the fact that I could get a LOT American FM radio stations on my receiver. Rap music was very new and non existent in my part of Canada, but thanks to a radio station out of Erie, PA...they would simulcast a DJ dance party from a NY Radio station called KISSFM every Saturday night. I used to record these Rap dance parties on cassette and that's when I first heard Roxanne Roxanne, I loved it and played it for my friends. Then one night, I heard The Real Roxanne...then so on and so on...I think you're right about there being about 100 different one's..'cause we started to listen to the Saturday Rap party JUST to hear if a new Roxanne battle song would drop. It was fantastic, and like waiting for more drama every week like some sort of soap opera. This video brought back some great memories...thanks again
@InMyFaceAndLovingIt
Жыл бұрын
KISSFM is still airing today :) Don't think you'd find any of the Roxanne songs on there now, though, it's mostly pop music these days
These songs bring back some of my best memories!! Jr high school in Minneapolis, Minnesota! #RoxanneRoxanne!
best and hardest old school Roxanne record of them all >Beats and rhymes was Roxanne Shante BITE THIS END OF STORY.This track pretty much ended the Roxanne wars. First 11 seconds of BITE THIS before she even opens her mouth is a break beat classic- every real hip hop old school dj has it in their collection, just like Marley's Scratch. Don't forget other collectors items like ROXANNES BOX ,practically IMPOSSIBLE to find on wax now
Colson Whitehead in his book Sag Harbor refers to the beginning of the Roxanne Wars series of diss tracks.
Roxanne, Roxanne is one of the songs on my personal soundtrack of my life. The Roxanne Wars was epic for my 5th grade life. 😂
I lived in Queens and for the whole summer I heard Roxanne Roxanne and every diss track.
@scottttocs8295
3 жыл бұрын
lucky dog.. thats a time and place to be a part of that history.
Roxanne’s Revenge was the first R-rated rap I ever heard,
Had all of the 12” for the first three and then got Sparky Dees hit but stopped after that because there were just too many. A DJ could have a whole night playing nothing but Roxanne songs without repeating any of them. Roxanne Dr, Roxannes A Man, Roxanne parents. The list goes on. Glad Shante got her story out there. She deserves a lot more fame and fortune then she received!!!!!
@RetroCrunch
3 жыл бұрын
I started collecting digital versions of what I could find, but I'd love to have a vinyl one of the original. That would be dope!
@nicoleblount7610
2 жыл бұрын
Was Real Roxanne a man. She looks androgynous
@KnoWareMan03
Жыл бұрын
Sparky Dee was tha sheiitttt❤❤❤
Now that's when rap was rap
@gag1411
4 жыл бұрын
Indeed
I remember this when it was happening. You forgot about Roxanne's a man that I've cracks me up.
That's crazy peeps had to fight for their reputation....loved the explanation by the way !
So glad you cleared this up! I had no idea what was going on.
This was well done. Great synopsis!!!
@RetroCrunch
4 жыл бұрын
Thanks! Glad you liked it!
I have the Roxanne tracks on cassette.
Great video man, l absolutely loved this biopic.
@RetroCrunch
6 жыл бұрын
Thanks man.. I had to redo a few parts after seeing the biopic movie cause I didnt have my facts straight. lol. Hope its correct now cause im not doing it again, ahahahah..
no mention of the best song (IMO) Have A Nice Day
LOVE the pics at the end!!!
That's crazy, I remember that ERA got tired of that damn beat 85 Everytime I hear it know can't help but to move?
Hey great video! Did you ever cover the song "Big Mama" by Roxanne Shante she calls out every popular female rapper out at the time she went head hunting with no mercy
Wow! I have to give you kudos because I stopped listening after the first Roxanne battle LOL. I had no idea it went down like that. Great video!😊
This makes sense now love it!
Thank God for KZread being a time machine 🔥💯🔥🔥
Greatest Beef In History!!
@RetroCrunch
5 жыл бұрын
Yup!! Started the trend.
@Donna777
5 жыл бұрын
Damn right!!! 💜💣🔥🔥😎
@theinfamous47
3 жыл бұрын
Yeah it's the greatest!
Ey men, this was without doubt the best time to live in, all these new sounds coming to us here in the Netherlands. The feeling, the sound, and even the taste were new. The scratch, beatbox, and breakdance just captured you. I can still feel it. I'm grateful to have experienced it all.
Excellent video !
Thank you!!!
This was a great mini documentary and very informative
@RetroCrunch
3 жыл бұрын
Thank you. A time in my life I really enjoyed those rap wars and wanted to share it.
Enjoyed this video. This was big when i was growing up in La
My pops told me about that UTFO tape. Said he had it when he was a kid, would ride his bike to the park with his boombox strapped to the handle bars with that tape on. Bruh still knew every word of that Roxanne song.
There was also a diss song about Roxanne's grand mother, but it was mixtape only.
Rox has always held it down. Had me hooked since Roxannes Revenge hit Street Sound Records Electro Albums
Rap isn't really my style, but I like the way you told the story; made it very interesting.
@RetroCrunch
6 жыл бұрын
Appreciate that.. Thats the result I was hoping for. Just wanted to take something that was important to me growing up and explain it in a way that people might like and appreciate it. Thanks!
Thanks for the Roxanne info! I remember those days and just got the original UTFO lp on vinyl off eBay. I just remember so many Roxanne songs coming out back then and it was crazy! Lol!
When rap music was good
Yes indeed
This Roxanne wars is 🔥!
Great Video.
Wow first I'm hearing of this. I have to watch this!
@mackjuan2232
5 жыл бұрын
WOWWWWWW!!!!!!! I WAS LIKE 13 and I remember it,it was Roxxanes from Chicago, Texas and errwhwere else
Damn, I learn something new every day. "The Real Roxanne" by The Real Roxanne has been my all time favorite rap song and I never knew there was a 2nd Real Roxanne that took over the spot. So Elease Jack is my Roxanne. I wonder if she ever did anything else since.
@johnnierock1090
3 жыл бұрын
Elease Jack also released a single in 85 called "Boy's" /"The Real Deal" as Elease "The Original Roxanne"
@RodneyD
2 жыл бұрын
I’m a hip hop head to the end. I grew up during this era and I totally forgot that Elease Jack was the Original “Real Roxanne”. But now I remember
@dmarieb7084
2 жыл бұрын
I have been trying to find what I believe is the song you're talking about. I used to have it many years ago. It was one of my favs in the 80's and I still know most of the lyrics. But I can't find the song when I search for it. It's starts off something like (pardon any errors as I'm 52 and I may have forgot some of the lyrics)...yo kango, yeah what up girl? I'm the real Roxanne and I'll rock your world. But you're all stuck up! Why you say that, cuz I wouldn't give a guy like you no rap? I was walking down the street in the afternoon, I gave you a smile so you assume, that if you said hello I would be flattered, but I kept on walking and your ego was shattered. I'm Roxanne, the lady devastator, I'll make you feel hotter than it is in Grenada. The R o x a n n e, Roxanne is who I be. And Kango Kid ya might be cute, but you ain't gettin' this cause your much too soot. You wear that samurai sword on the side, I told all my friends and we all just died. I laughed so hard that my face turned blue, why be a MC, you should learn kung fu. And by the way, if I'm such a crab, why all your girls look like scabs? First you call me a peach, the doctor wants to take me to the beach. I got a little rhyme for ya each. I've seen your girls they both need a leash. Such bow wow babies I think they got rabies, you think you're touching me, you must be crazy! You got the nerve to wanna be my man! They call me the real...Roxanne Roxanne!! Is that the song you're talking about?
@RodneyD
2 жыл бұрын
@@dmarieb7084 The song is called “the real Roxanne”
@MeanMrMustard1
2 жыл бұрын
@@dmarieb7084 Yep, and I sang along as I read your comment.
Unlike with most rap beefs, I actually knew a lot about the Roxanne Wars before watching this video. 🤓
I was 13 years old at the time, and me my homies made us a Roxanne rhyme.
I hope Mc Shan make his movies
U 4got 2 mention Shante's song "Have A Nice Day". That was her biggest hit 2 me.
The movie had nothing to do with the Roxanne wars.
@scottttocs8295
3 жыл бұрын
This video isnt about the movie.. its about the roxanne wars.
Good info. I thibk you should give follow up info on what happened to The Real Roxannes 1 and 2 and UTFO too. But good video. I knew some of these records but I didn't know how al this happened.
Those were the hip hop days. I grew up in South Bronx in the 80's and BDP > Juice Crew
@RetroCrunch
3 жыл бұрын
Man. I bet that was one hellofa place to be during hip hops hay day.
I'm here taking my history class in hiphop
No mention of Roxanne Shante with Brandon Cooke's Sharp as a knife track...
Roxanne wars documentary
Very interesting
There were 3 Roxannes
Remember the Roxanne Mastermix on KissFm ? I was lucky to get my hands on that mix tape. Why'd u have to make a record bout me
Real rap 💯
Was that Nas with Shante?
@RetroCrunch
3 жыл бұрын
Yes
A 3rd Roxanne ‐ wow! The original Roxanne.
Hi.r.c. I have your new ! Channel I like this video I wi put this in my library do keep the 📹's coming your new ! No.1 fan
I grew up during this era & I never knew about ALL of this, so thanks for sorting out the cluster fuck! LOL.
I love the first 2 Roxanne's❤❤❤
This is when they kept the beef 🥩 on the record, nothing like this shi going on now
Roxanne shante queen of the hill I know there plenty of other queens but lyrically she is nasty with it
Be nice if you could list all the battle albums.
@RetroCrunch
3 жыл бұрын
There's like over 100 and I don't know anywhere that has a good list and I've searched for years.
@mywickedness
3 жыл бұрын
@@RetroCrunch Get what you can. Be nice to hear who was saying what and to whom.
@RetroCrunch
3 жыл бұрын
@@mywickedness i might make that a side project some time. :)
Opie is that you ? Lol ! 😂😂😂
I remember the songs Roxanne's a man and Roxanne's baby... LOL
❤❤❤❤
🖤
Infamous means famous for something bad, as in "a date which will live in infamy" (Pearl Harbor). Roxanne Shante is just famous, rather than infamous.
Roxanne roxanne, I wanna be your man
THE 80S THE BEST YEARS OF THE OLD. SCHOOL HIP HOP .NOT THAT JUNK TODAY.❤❤❤
Why do you insist on playing the rerecorded version of “Revenge” instead of the superior street version? Peace.
@RetroCrunch
4 жыл бұрын
I do not have a copy of the original street version.
@MuzikJunky
4 жыл бұрын
@@RetroCrunch, I did a re-edit of the original video with the street version. The sync is scarily good: watch?v=zVy2LHKFG18 Peace.
@benligon9616
3 жыл бұрын
I agree. Nothing in that whole Roxanne War can touch Roxanne Shante's street version.
7:03 is that Nas? Lol
I remember one of the tracks called Roxanne is a man.
Was that Nas as the guy in the army fit?
A 1000 people tried to get famous with the same damn beat lmmfao like The parents of roxanne and roxanne's a man
@RetroCrunch
3 жыл бұрын
I would love to collect all those vinyls.
Great video. The L is silent on Marley Marl tho so it's pronounced "Marley Mar"
It went on for three yesrs
I have to say thank you. The information was the closest to the real story. I must acknowledge Roxanne Shante and say thank you because if she hadn’t put out her response, Full Force wouldn’t have gotten me to be The Real Roxanne.
So, who is the real Roxanne?
Soooooo I just found my bio brother after 37 years. He just told me that he actually named me based on this! My middle name is also Elyse !
Roxanne Shante was the third Roxanne. The story is wrong
@RetroCrunch
3 жыл бұрын
Um. No.
Roxannes mother 😂😂😂
That’s fckd up. The original “Roxanne” is thee only one
☻
Does anyone remember Roxannes a man?