Posts Tagged ‘Roxanne Shante’
Members
Kangol Kid
Doctor Ice
Educated Rapper
Mixmaster Ice
This Brooklyn based group (Untouchable Force Organization) released one of hip hop’s most important and successful records, “Roxanne, Roxanne” in 1984. Before that record they were official dancers for Whodini.
It spawned over 100 answer records, the most famous of which was from Roxanne Shante.
After their first album, the Educated Rapper left the group. They recorded “Skeezer Pleezer,” which featured the popular song “Split Personality,” he returned for the rest of the tenure.
Their next album “Lethal” went for a darker and frankly, more foul mouthed approach. The Educated Rapper returned. The group recorded a track with Anthrax (pre-dating that groups work with Public Enemy).
They never really reached the plateau they set for themselves with “Roxanne…” and as a result most of their later work was ignored. They have a greatest hits album that is good, but not comprehensive of the group’s often times overlooked talent.
Doctor Ice recorded solo albums that also failed to gain a lot of attention, but were not all that bad of a listen.
Many of the members are still active in the hip hop community and are working on new material.
The group has appeared at a few shows in the 2000′s.
Watch the “Roxanne, Roxanne” Video!
Sparky, born Doreen Broadnax, grew up in the Bronx, NYC.
Sparky first recorded with Brooklyn crew The Playgirls who were on Sutra records.
In 1984, Sparky appeared in a cameo on her boyfriend Spyder D’s “Placin the Beat” on Profile.
Her first solo effort was “Sparky’s Turn (Roxanne You’re Through)” on NIA records produced Spyder D. This was one of the first answer records in the infamous “Roxanne Wars” of the mid-80′s, and the first one to be aimed squarely at Roxanne Shante.
1985 saw a vinyl showdown with Roxanne Shante which included tracks called “The Battle” (against her old crew The Playgirls, produced by Spyder D) which appeared in 3 mixes and “Roxanne’s Revenge”.
Also in 1985, she cut a track called “He’s My DJ” b/w “She’s So Def” with Kool DJ Red Alert.
In 1987 she released “Throwdown” and “Sparky’s Back” both produced by Spyder D for B-Boy records
Sparky also released an album on B-Boy in 1988 which was called “Sparky D’s world” in the UK but titled “This is Sparky D’s World” in the US.
She was also able to overcome some drug problems and was able to get her life back on the right path.
In 1991 she made an appearance alongside Grandmaster Caz on Malcolm McClaren and The World Famous Supreme Team Show’s album on the record “Opera House”.
Having lived a life of many changes in 2007 she found herself back at the top again to receiving the 2007 Gospel Choice Awards, for the song “This is for the church.”
In February 2008 Sparky appeared on Stir it Up, a TV show hosted by Vonnie Battles , shown on JCTV, the worlds largest religious television network.
Check Out Sparky Speaking on her History
Info provided by Ed Roberts and Sparky D
Like so many other female rappers in 1984-85, Adelaida/Joanne? Martinez adopted the name Roxanne and set about to answer UTFO’s smash single “Roxanne, Roxanne.”
The Real Roxanne as she was known is usually considered near the top of that very crowded group of women. Her main competition came, of course, from Roxanne Shante.
She made a record called “Romeo” on Select in 85 which was an inversion of Roxanne Roxanne.
She did eventually release an album of her own in 1988 utilizing such producers as Jam Master Jay, Howie Tee, and Full Force.
Her biggest commercial hit was “Bang Zoom- Let’s Go Go”.
Her more recent effort “Go Down (But Don’t Bite It)” bombed.
Check out a performance of “Bang Zoom”
Additional Information provided by Ed Roberts