For my extra credit film, I decided to watch the 2017 Netflix original titled Roxanne Roxanne. Based on a true story, the film follows the life of Roxanne Shante, a 14-year-old girl from Queens, New York. Growing up in the streets of Queensbridge Projects in the late ’80s/ early ’90s, Shante quickly earned a name for herself as the strongest and most talented MC in the neighborhood. Not only was she exceptionally young, but also a female which made her even more susceptible to criticism in comparison to her male counterparts.
One of my favorite things about Roxanne was her intolerance towards those who refused to play by her rules and made a point to try and discredit her based on her gender. The relentless young boy from her neighborhood is a great example of this and his eagerness to battle rap her despite being beaten before. If people wanted to battle or just see her rap she demanded they pay her upfront (a straight hustler). This goes to show how Roxanne encompasses all of the characteristics you’d find in a typical hip hop rapper. The confidence that she exudes – very cocky, clearly conscious of her ability. Also, her behaviorisms and the subject matter of her rapping are all very representative of hip hop music and the surrounding culture.
Throughout the film, there were many instances where people would try to tear her down when she was only trying to claim her agency. This was a common occurrence in scenes with her mother and boyfriend Cross, making manipulation a huge part of this film. Another aspect of her story I found to be interesting was her overwhelming sense of rationality and its effect on her rapping career. She loved rapping and was clearly gifted, but she knew that following her dream and dropping everything else would be a juvenile action. This is quite ironic considering she was so young, but she had to help take care of her siblings and sick mother after being left by her partner.
While taking into account her personal life and the struggles she faced, her determination to stick with hip hop and pursue her dreams when the time was right is very impressive to me. She had so many people doubting her ability including those who said they supported her and she still made a name for herself.
