Roxanne Shante

Roxanne Shante was 14 when she recorded "Roxanne's Revenge" with producer Marley Marl in 1984. The track was a response to a series of diss songs about a fictional woman named Roxanne, and its sharp, energetic delivery made it an immediate hit in New York's hip-hop scene. That single, along with songs like "Have A Nice Day," established her as one of the first prominent female voices in rap.

Her debut album, also called "Roxanne's Revenge," came out in 1985. She released several more records through the late '80s and early '90s, including Bad Sister in 1989 and The Bitch is Back in 1992. The music held a direct, confrontational tone that felt grounded in Queens, where she grew up.

Shante's early work arrived at a time when few women were getting attention in hip-hop. She didn't frame herself as a pioneer in those moments, she was just a teenager with a quick wit and a clear point of view. The recordings from that period still sound less like calculated statements and more like someone talking back in real time.