Roxanne Shante

One name, million songs: Roxanne. How could U.T.F.O., Whodini's former dancers, have seen Roxanne Shante coming? By mid '84 Hip Hop was officially an unstoppable phenomenon and male Emcees were making major strides. Russell Simmons and Rick Ruben had come together to found Def Jam Records. A slew of potent and insanely popular artists LL, Run-DMC, Kurtis Blow, Whodini, Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde, Grandmaster Mele Mel, and Afrika Bambaataa all had records out at the same time. Yet the influx of female Emcees witnessed in the late '70s and early '80s was no more. In fact, the girls seemed to be all but disappearing. Then U.T.F.O. released "Roxanne, Roxanne," a song about the trio's failed attempts to woo a particular hot girl. Just like that, everything changed. The crew performed their hit at a growing number of venues before missing a scheduled WHBI radio stop in New York City. When the DJs Marley Marl, Mr. Magic, and Tyrone Williams beefed about no-shows, a 14-year Lolita Shante' Gooden overhead them. Legend has it the teen offered, on the spot, to cut a diss record in response. Not long after, the Queensbridge native and Juice Crew member became known as Roxanne Shante; on "Roxanne's Revenge," in her signature squeaky, scratchy voice with the help of Marley's production, she stole back the show, single-handedly returning MCs to the scene and setting in motion a battle that lasted nearly two years and which set off at least two-dozen additional "Roxanne" answer songs