Roxanne Shanté

Roxanne Shanté (born Lolita Gooden) was walking outside a New York housing project called Queensbridge when she heard three men talking about how the trio U.T.F.O. had canceled their appearance at a show they were promoting. Gooden offered to make a rap record that would get back at U.T.F.O., who'd previously recorded "Roxanne, Roxanne," a song about a woman too stuck up to notice them. The three -- Tyrone Williams, disc jockey Mister Magic, and producer Marley Marl -- took her up on the idea, with Marl producing "Roxanne's Revenge." The song was confrontational, sneering, boa...