The Breakfast Club - INTERVIEW: Roxanne Shante Speaks On Her Legacy, Friendship With Nas, Advice To Female Rappers + More

Episode Date: April 1, 2025

The Breakfast Club Sits Down With Roxanne Shante To Discuss Her Legacy, Friendship With Nas, Advice To Female Rappers. Listen For More! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BreakfastClubPower1051FMSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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I'm the host of a new podcast called My Friend Daisy. It's the story of how and why a group of teenagers turned to social media to help track down their friend's killer. Listen to My Friend Daisy on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. In 2020, a group of young women found themselves in an AI-fuelled nightmare. Someone was posting photos. It was just me naked.

Well, not me, but me with someone else's body parts. This is Levittown, a new podcast from iHeart Podcasts, Bloomberg, and Kaleidoscope about the rise of deepfake pornography and the battle to stop it. Listen to Levittown on Bloomberg's Big Take podcast. Find it on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, I'm Laura, host of the podcast Courtside with Laura Corenti,

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They come to be part of this culture. Quartzside with Laura Currenti is an iHeart women's sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. Listen to Quartzside with Laura Currenti on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Elf Beauty, founding partner of iHeart Women's Sports. Wake that ass up. It's in the morning.

The Breakfast Club. Morning, everybody. It's DJ, Envy, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne the guy. We are The Breakfast Club. Lauren LaRosa is here as well. And we got a special guest in the building That's right. We got the Queen and Queens get the money. We have Roxanne Shante. Welcome. Thank you. Thank you. I appreciate that How are you feeling?

One I feel absolutely blessed. Okay, you know and and I feel good. I feel good I think I've learned to um age and I enjoy it So because I don't fight age, I feel good every day. Back be fucked, back be messed up, I feel good. Well congratulations, you got a lifetime Grammy achievement award. How did that feel? That was amazing.

When they first even contacted me and told me, like listen, we're gonna give you a lifetime achievement award at the Grammys. And then when I heard the class that I was in, which happened to be Prince and Frankie Beverly and Frankie Valli and Taj Mahal, the clash, you know, when you first hear all of them and then you say, okay, and you're adding Roxanne and Shantay,

it was just incredible to me. But it also shows perseverance, it shows patience, it shows something that, you know, a lot of people need to have that understanding that when it comes to hip hop and even when it comes to getting into entertainment and careers, some things are going to take time. Sometimes it's the slow grind.

Yeah. You know, it's the slow, it's the slow burn that makes the incense smell good. Did they have a hip hop category when you guys were first putting out records? No, they didn't. And then all of a sudden they did come up with one. And then I remember we had to, everyone got together and wanted to boycott because they had took it back out. Then they added it in.

So yeah, definitely. Was it bittersweet a little bit because it was like, I feel like I Everyone got together wanted to boycott because they had took it back out then they added it in so yeah definitely Was it bittersweet a little bit because it was like I feel like I should have been recognized a long time ago for my achievements And what I've done in this industry Honestly, no because if I was going to get a Grammy I would prefer to have it for lifetime achievement That means that it really focuses on everything that I've accomplished You know like when you see my Grammy, my Grammy represents the person who didn't sell millions of albums. You know, my Grammy represents the person that said no to a lot of things that people said yes to.

You know what I mean? So therefore, it has like a little more of a significance to me personally. So I would love to have it that way, as opposed to, you know, because sometimes people will look at a Grammy and say, okay, well, we know they're gonna get the Grammy this year because they had the hottest video and they had the this and they had that yeah But in order to have a lifetime, you know

You have to put a lifetime in and not everybody's gonna last a lifetime some people gonna get a hot five years Yeah, some people might get a good ten, you know what I'm saying? I've had a strong 40 you're the first solo female rapper to do that Yeah, do so like to receive this recognition. Absolutely. That's amazing Yes more rapid to do that, to do so, like to receive this recognition. Absolutely. That's amazing. Yes. What was sitting in that moment like for you? Because it is a first. You are getting it because of the entirety of your career, not just a moment. When you get that call, you're sitting in it, is it like, wow, or is it like, boom, duh? No, for me, it was like, I really, it was like hard. It was hard for me to just understand,

like, this is really happening. Because when you come into the industry, you come into the industry for like three things and that's to get a record deal because you wanna make sure that you get a record deal so you're gonna make a lot of money and then two, you wanna make sure that you do that great album, you wanna go platinum, you wanna be on Billboard, that type of thing

but then you also want a Grammy. I think everyone that goes into the music industry, you know, as far as a performer or making records, you want a Grammy. So for me, it was like, after a while, I didn't expect that. But I also knew that I wasn't gonna stop being me. Like I was not going to change being Roxanne Shantay.

So if I was destined to have a Grammy, then it's gonna come, whether I sell a million records or not. And that's the reason why sitting there, I was like, okay, I am really sitting here. Like I am really next to them. Like literally, I had to reach out and touch people because I was like, am I really here?

Like yeah, let me just make sure, you know, and I took my daughter with me and I kept touching her and she was like, Ma, you gonna mess up my makeup. I'm touching her face, I'm touching her, you know that type of stuff, but yeah, so definitely, I truly enjoy it. I wanted to ask, you know, I was talking to Sydney, who's there, she does our digital,

and she was like, you know, she watched the Roxanne and Shantay movie, loved it, but she was like, there was much about it that I missed out of it. And she was like, she really didn't go into the group homes that she went into, and this, that, and the other. Why was that taken out, and why was that not addressed? Because I even heard you say something that, you've seen a better situation in the group home

than in our actual home. Yes. So why was that taken out so much? You know, when we did the Roxanne, Roxanne movie, you know, a big shout out to Pharrell, Faris Whitaker, you know, Mimi Valdez, Nina Bon Jovi, big shout out to them for making this happen. But when we did the movie and when I told the story,

literally every day everybody was in tears, you know, because I was in the streets for a very long time and being a young girl in the streets and being a pretty girl at that, you know, there's a lot of things that can happen. You know, and it makes you kind of cold. It changes you a little bit. And so we only did three years of my life

because at first we weren't really, felt like the world was prepared for the full Roxanne and Shantae story. You know what I'm saying? It's not something that you can really sit back and be like, you know, it had a lot of gasping moments. And then when we were doing the movie, one of the things about it was the young lady who played me.

Her name is Shante Adams. It was her first time. She had just came out of school June 26th, and July 5th we had her already taping. This was her first time being in a movie. And there were a lot of things I didn't wanna subject her to. You know what I mean? Because I knew that coming in the industry,

it's whatever you are first presented as is what you continue to be in the industry. I don't care how much you try to change, they see you as that first time they were introduced to you. And so I didn't want her to have any nude scenes. I didn't want her to have any strong sexual scenes. I didn't want her to have any strong abuse scenes. So that this way, her standard for what she is going to have in the industry, and it shows in the work that she did following up, working with Denzel and doing such other great movies and doing plays and stuff like that.

I was also thinking about her. So I was like, listen, we can't put that in, but it'll make a hell of a buck. You know, we can't put that in, but I want to talk about this part. And then even the extension of my movie, because people say it just stopped so abruptly, I didn't get a chance to introduce them to Biz.

So now, Cool V has done the extension of that. So now we're looking to like the part two of everything that I've done is now getting ready to show up in this new project, which is incredible to me. Now break down, well Cool V here, the legendary Cool V, can we get a chair for Cool V in there? Absolutely. While we're getting a chair for him.

Now, how did Biz get introduced, Biz Marking? How did he get introduced? He was sleeping in the hallway in Queensbridge. Like this is, that was my introduction to Biz. To Biz Marking. Was sleeping in the hallway in Queensbridge, but he was sleeping there because he was working with Shan and he was, he, Biz had the energy that we all needed

because he said, we're gonna be stars. And I really couldn't see that because we're sleeping in the movie theaters on 42nd Street. And I'm putting my feet across Biz's lap because I hate sticky floors. Like still today, like I will lose it if the floor is sticky.

I will get up and mop in the middle of the night. That is one of my things, because I don't want the floor to be sticky. And so for me, one of the things was, Biz would always say, don't worry about it, Shani. Like, we gonna be stars. And I mean, we got karate flicks playing. I mean, if anybody that went to his funeral,

they saw that, you know, I kept my word at the end of everything that we were gonna do regarding it, but he had that energy that we all needed. And even when my DJ told me like, yo, listen, I'm not gonna play for you no more, da da da da, he said, look, I'm not gonna play for you no more. Da da da da. He said, look, I will beatbox the entire show for you. And he beatboxed so much that night,

he literally had to put his lips inside of ice water. So these are the stories that people didn't get a chance to see. So that was the extension with Cool V saying, you know what, the story has to be told. And there's no way that you can tell a Cool V Bismarck e story without Cuvier Of course so Cuvier gives you the whole vision of how it takes place from Cuvier's eyes and what he's saying

You know, which is incredible and my daughter gets a chance to play me, you know, cuz well, it's gonna be Roxanne Okay, that's how you do it Cuvier I would love to hear you know Your take on putting a project together because I remember you posted something and you were talking about how you still it. Well, Koube, I would love to hear, you know, your take on putting a project together, because I remember you posted something, and you were talking about how you still cry when you hear certain of Biz Markie's songs. I do.

And you mentioned that the story of his life could never be told the right way, unless you two did it. Right. And now you're doing it. So I think that, I mean, it's gonna be exciting to watch, but I would love to hear, you know, you talk about putting it together. Well, if she didn't bring the vision with the Roxanne, Roxanne movie, right?

Who thinks they gonna make a movie about your life? You know what I'm saying? And that movie was so good. We said, damn, we all got a movie, really. Like, you know, we the Juice Crew, every member has a movie, right? And then we started losing members. So, and we lost Mr. Magic first

before all of this even happened. So we saying, damn, we didn't get a chance to make a magic movie. Shani got a chance to make her movie. Biz left. I gotta make a movie. People might not know my role in the crew. I'm gonna tell about this whole story through my eyes

because I remember Biz getting down with Shann first, because Biz was Shann's beatbox first. Then Shantay putting them on the road with her, and then Biz bringing me and Kane and Swann on. And then, you know, everybody just coming on. But it was because of her, allowing her platform to be shared with us, because we all had something,

but she had it. You see what I'm saying? She had that gift, and it came across. And when we all, she took us all on the road with her. Every last one of us performed with her. So I can tell that story now. I did it in the books. I got three books out, right?

So, you know, and for people that don't know, the symphony, the symphony two, DJ Coovie Never Sleeps, these are all stories about all of us. It's not just about me, it's about all of us, the journey and everything like that. Big shout out to Lucio Dutch for writing those books for me. And we put together this movie, and the script is incredible. How did y'all know Biz Marky was the one, right?

Because if you look at Biz, you ever been around Biz, you'd be like, no way he's gonna be a successful rapper because he always is joking. He's always laughing. He was like the big Teddy bear. Absolutely. How did you know he was gonna be the one? Because he never gave up.

He literally, like on moments when I was like, listen, I'm about to go back to dating hustlers. Is this not working? Period. We all have those sons. Well, I've been there. Yeah, exactly. Like, listen, I need a fur. Y'all playing.

And I know I can get this. And so he still had that like, no, this is what we're going to do. This is it. And so even going through, you know, not only going through group homes, but also going through foster care, Biz always wanted to be loved. He always felt like he was the last to be chosen. He was the last to be picked. He was the last to be fed.

He was the last to be dressed. And he was like, don't worry, we gonna be the first. You watch and see what happens. We gonna be the first. So nobody knew the backstory of what we were going through in order to even become this. Like before the Roxanne Shantay and the Roxanne's revenge, nobody knows about 42nd Street and being night kids

and different things like that. And with Biz, you just knew that there's something magical about him. Like literally when you looked at him, because he wasn't the nice looking one and he smiled like as if it was bright whites and baby they wasn't and he used a smile and he just had this whole vibe about him that was just incredible.

And you say, you know what, his energy and his magic rubs off because sometimes we just need that magical person next to us, you know what I mean? And then he made all of us have that magic and I realized, okay, you know what, I can be that magical person for somebody because Biz was that for me. So you become an incredible hype man, but then before you know it, you know what? I can be that magical person for somebody because Biz was that for me. So you become an incredible hype man,

but then before you know it, you become the front man. Was it true that Biz had ownership, or part ownership of Teletubbies? Was that true? That was always a rumor that went around. And I was just curious what that was. You mess around with Biz. Don't ask me that.

Don't ask me that. You mess around with Biz. He only has Debbie. Hold up, I got away with Biz. Well, Biz could create some entertaining stories, and because of that is another reason why he was one of the greatest entertainers ever. So no, I don't know, you know what I'm saying?

Because that's between him and his estate, whether or not he's in that telly-tubby money. You know what I'm saying? But if that's the case, then I'm definitely the purple one. Mm-mm. The reason I say that is that was one of the one interviews I'm upset we missed, right? I would always see Biz on the road, right?

Because Biz, after he wrapped, he started getting into DJing heavy, and I would always see him on the road. And I would always say, yo, you gotta come. And he would call Charlamagne. He would call myself. And that was the one that I was like, I would just love to sit down and just talk to Biz. I would love see him on the road. And I would always say, yo, you gotta come. And he would call Charlamagne, he would call myself. And that was the one that I was like, I would just love to sit down and just talk to Biz. I would love to, man.

Well, you know, like, Biz was the connector. I'm still with her to this day. He connected me with everybody, like all of us. Like she shared her platform, Biz connected the other pieces to go to the puzzle and You know I'm saying and like she said his stories Whether they were true or not. It made you feel good. And that's why everybody everybody was his friend You know say so you would love the stories because the stories would get your attention to pay attention to the talent and his talent was he believed.

He believed, like you say the little engine that could, that was the ultimate hip hop little engine that could because he wasn't the best rapper, he wasn't the best beatbox, he wasn't all of these things, but he loved to do it and he said, we gonna be stars, we gonna be stars, watch, watch. And when he said it, you know, as much as you would say, yeah right. He made you believe it. It put that battery in your back to say, let's go.

Let's make it happen. And then we put, we all did, you know what I'm saying? Cause everybody got they super talent. We like, you know, we combined forces and we became that Juice Kru All Star thing. Yeah, we like the super friends. Yeah, we're super friends. We came together, everybody got their own talent and we respected each other's talents But we all pushed each other to be better

the one thing that I was always bothered me about legends is I felt like You guys crawl so everybody else couldn't run right, and I always felt like I Love the flowers and I'm like, I love the flowers, and I'm sure you guys love the flowers too, but I always felt like the industry did you guys dirty, right, as DJs, producers, rappers, performers, they ate and made billions of dollars off this thing

that you put on your back and did it for the culture and did it because this came from the heart. And I don't feel like you guys ever made the right money for that, you know what I mean? Because you still had to put your kids through school and your kids through school. How did that always make you feel like the industry did you dirty?

Like you never got what you deserved? You know, for me, I think I might be one of the only ones that was not angry. Like I just was never angry. I felt like what I'm supposed to have, I'm supposed to have. What I'm supposed to have, I'm supposed to have. What I'm going to get, I'm going to get. It is destined.

And so I never looked at it like, okay, well why aren't they picking me and why don't I have this and why can't I have that? Instead, I would look at some of the things that some of the artists would go through. Because if we look at it now, like if we tally up everything right now, I'm in a better position than anybody that was hot in the 80s. And that's both financially, mentally, physically.

At this point in my life, I am better than most of them, if not all of them. And the reason why is because I was willing to wait patiently until the universe said, here, you can have it. I came into industry at 15. At 15 years old, you give me a million dollars, it's going to be gone in a year. Why?

Because I'm going to want a car. I'm going to want this. I'm going to want it. I came in the industry at 15. At 15 years old you give me a million dollars, it's gonna be gone in a year. Why? Because I'm gonna want a car, I'm gonna want this, I'm gonna want that, I'm gonna want these things. Okay, so now you give me a million dollars in my 50s, I'm gonna maintain that for the rest of my life. Why?

Because I've already been put in a great position. And when we talk about being put in a great position, you know, I have a show, you know, Have a Nice Day, LL Cool J's Rock the Bells Radio, and I have a show, and we started off with 30,000 listeners per day, and now we're reaching millions per day. So he had, LL seen the vision and was like, look, your voice and your storytelling and your experience, we need to have you on every day.

So he set us up, so automatically I went and got cool V because there's no way that I could be in any position of growth and not look behind me and see one of my Jews crew members. Like they have to be in the room. I need them in the room. That is the energy and the magic that comes along with being loyal to each other. So when I look over and I see V,

I know I'm going to have a nice day. I know I'm going to have a great day. So because of that, the success of that, and then along comes the Paid in Full Foundation, which Nas is a part of, and because of the Horowitz's. And they say, well, listen, you know what? We want to sit you down, and this is what we want to tell you. For everything that you've done in the industry, for all of these years that you've done all this hard work, and you've been overlooked, and you've been overshadowed and all of these other things, we have something for you and we want you to know that this is what you can have.

So literally, they made me a millionaire. So when they made me a millionaire, I remember doing an interview and they said, well now that you have the money, which I would have never saved from then, the money that I would have never had from then, from everything that went on between people going through drugs and different things like that. Now that you have this money, what is it that you do now?

And the first thing I said is sleep. Because I never knew what it was to sleep. I knew what it was to rest, I knew what it was to take a nap, I knew what it was to catch a quickie, that type of thing. But I never knew what it was to sleep since I was 15 years old. Never knew what it was like to just get under the covers

and sleep, so when I received the check, I slept. You know, and I told him, I said, like for the first time in my life, I know what it's like to sleep. And not worry. And not worry, and not have to be woke up, because now I got something to do, a job I have to do. You know, now, do I get up to go to work?

Absolutely, I love my job, I do what I do. But the main thing is, I now know what it is to sleep. And so some people don't understand that. You know what I'm saying? Like, for me, that's what it was. So that money bought me some sleep. Yeah. Well, I was mad a little bit about that.

He was mad. He was mad. He was like, I was pissed. I was mad a little bit about that. He was like, I respect you guys. I was pissed. I was pissed because you think about it like this, right? I gotta blame myself first and foremost for signing contracts and not getting a lawyer. Just being happy to be in the room.

But we was teenagers. Yeah, because at that time, and I don't mean to cut you up, but let me just say this. At that time, you don't know the difference between your signature and the autograph. So anytime paper is put in front of you, you automatically sign it, because you don't know the difference

between your signature and the autograph. Not that young. Not exactly. So what you're doing is you're just signing. You know what I mean? And now to this day. Hey there, Ed Helms here, host of Snafu, your favorite podcast about history's greatest screw-ups. It's the

1920s, Prohibition is in full swing and a lot of people are mysteriously dying. Assistant Attorney General Mabel Walker Willebrand is becoming increasingly desperate in forcing Prohibition. She was a lone warrior. I mean how could Mabel not be feeling the pressure? Her bosses are drunks, her agents are incompetent, even Congress is full of hypocrites. So if Mabel is going to succeed in laying down the law, she needs to make the consequences for drinking hurt a lot more, which she does, arguably a little too well.

Find out more on season three, episode four of Snafu Formula Six. Listen and subscribe on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Have you ever wondered if your pet is lying to you? Why is my cat not here? And I go in and she's eating my lunch. Or if hypnotism is real? You will use a suggestion in order to enhance your cognitive control. But what's inside a black hole?

Black holes could be a consequence of the way that we understand the universe. Well, we have answers for you in the new iHeart original podcast, Science Stuff. Join me, Jorge Cham, as we tackle questions you've always wanted to know the answer to about animals, space, our brains, and our bodies. Questions like, can you survive being cryogenically frozen? This is experimental. This means never work for you. What's a quantum computer? It's not just a faster computer. It performs in a fundamentally different way. Do you really have to wait 30 minutes after eating before you can

go swimming? It's not really a safety issue. It's more of a comfort issue. We'll talk to experts, break it down and give you easy to understand explanations to fascinating scientific questions. So give yourself permission to be a science geek and listen to science stuff on the iHeart Video app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. My husband cheated on me with two women! He wants to stay together because he has cancer! Should I stay?

I guess Sam, that has to be the craziest story in OK Storytime Podcast history. Well John, that's because it's dumping week and this user writes, my partner told me when we first got together that he has cancer. He's currently living with his mom while he is in recovery so that it takes the pressure off me caring for both him and her baby until he's well enough to move into our new home with us. Good so far.

Well, last week we had attempted break-in. I asked my husband who was supposed to be at his mom's to come over and change locks, but he wouldn't. Then his mom told me he wasn't with her. I went to Facebook and it took me less than an hour to find the first two women he was cheating on me with. Oh, what else is he lying about? Well, one thing my paranoia just wouldn't let up

was about the cancer in his treatments. I asked his mom about it, who told me he doesn't have cancer. She also informed me he was in rehab, not the hospital. He suffered from addiction and was trying to recover for me and our baby. Did she leave him?

Well, to find out how the story ends, listen and follow the OK Storytime podcast on the iHeart Radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts. In 2020, a group of young women in a tidy suburb of New York City found themselves in an AI-fueled nightmare. Someone was posting photos.

It was just me naked. Well, not me, but me with someone else's body parts on my body parts that looked exactly like my own. I wanted to throw up. I wanted to scream. It happened in Levittown, New York. But reporting the series took us through the darkest corners of the internet

and to the front lines of a global battle against deepfake pornography. This should be illegal, but what is this? This is a story about a technology that's moving faster than the law and about vigilantes trying to stem the tide. I'm Margie Murphy. And I'm Olivia Carville. This is Levertown, a new podcast from iHeart Podcasts, Bloomberg and Kaleidoscope. Listen to Levertown on Bloomberg's Big Take podcast.

Find it on the iHeart Radio app, Apple podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. I have never received a royalty for no record I ever made. And we got double platinum, platinum, gold, all of that. And we find out later that all of these people are making money off our music. And that's cool, but when you trying to shut me out, cut me in, find a way, do something. You've been making money for 30 something years

off of my legacy, Biz's legacy, Shantae, whoever. You know what I'm saying? Like our whole crew, none of us had our publishing right. None of us had all of these things right. So I'm not crying about it now because I always end up on my feet. You know what I'm saying like our whole crew none of us had our publishing right none of us had all of these things, right? So I'm not crying about it now because I always end up on my feet You know I'm saying like like we smile every day. I love right now I'm not dwelling on the past But it's still money being broken down if even if you can't give me what you owe me from back then break it down With me right now you getting it you just supporting your families. I got great grandkids, not grandkids. I got grandkids got kids.

So why we can't get this money right now? And I'm not upset because we're working on a project right now. And I just need people to get these investors together to make this project happen because I know it's ready. I know it's right and we're going to do it. Well, let me just say as somebody's great grandfather, you look good.

Oh, thank you. I'm ready. Oh, please. Going back right, all right. Oh, please. Going back to what you were talking about, about the movie, the Roxanne Shantay movie, right? The young lady that played you, I know you said that she was right out of what, acting school? She just graduated out of Carnegie Mellon.

Just graduated, right? And you said there was a lot of things that you didn't put in it because you didn't want to subject her to that. You didn't want to part through that. Was that also because you felt like she could, she was so fresh and knew that she wouldn't be able to embody all of that, that trauma. Because what your story is enough to, like you said,

people were crying on set every day while you're telling them the stories. Do you feel that she could really convey that with her being such a fresh, like right out of school? Well, you know, honestly, she she won breakout actor of the year from Sundance from my movie. So it was never a question of her ability. It was how would they see her? Like I sat back and I noticed that there were a lot of actors that had played parts that were never able to get out of them Hmm, so if she played Roxanne Shante, you know I'm saying it and and baby my numbers was high Okay, and I didn't want to put her in all of those positions, you know, I'm saying literally, you know I didn't want to do that to her

And so I just wanted to make sure that when they viewed her, they saw the talent that had to be played emotionally in every part rather than have her play something else. So that's really what I felt from that. I wanted to go back to something you mentioned too with the rock the bells with LL Cool J. Yes. I was reading about,

I think this was when he was advertising last year's show, the owner, like you got your minority owner in the brand too? Yes. That is amazing as well. And I think that, I think a lot of people don't talk about that part of what he does with Rock the Bells and how important it is and that being the foundation. Can you talk a little bit about his first phone call

to you about that and kind of how that felt and how it came together? Well, how this whole thing came about in order for me to have to have a Nightstay show was I did an interview and I was doing an interview about the movie and I was doing the interview with L and we're sitting there and we are talking and we are laughing and he is saying you know what I feel like you're interviewing me he said you need to be doing this he said I'm getting ready to start up this

company and I'm getting ready to start this radio station he said look this is what we're gonna do B that's how he does he this is what we're going to do, B. That's how he does it. He goes, this is what we're going to do, B. He still be licking them lips, dude. Yeah. He was doing it. Yeah, yeah, he still does. He's like, yeah, so look, this is what we're going to do, B. I'm going to make you part owner, which means everything you work for and how you build this, you're going to see the

benefits from it. You know? And not that that was more of an incentive for me to work harder, because I was going to work harder for him anyway, regardless. I was going to do this. I'm going to always put my best foot forward you're my brother I trust you this is what you say we're going to do this is what we're going

to do but just know that the checks on the back is a nice incentive you know what I'm saying that's a nice little come along to know that you're owner but then it also makes you know the importance of how we represent it so yeah so definitely so the phone call was like it wasn't even a phone call, it was a face-to-face, and literally I left LA when we did get to New York, he had already set it up for me, he was like, look, I know that you had not really done radio, and this is not something like

I didn't know how to work a board and everything else, so they had to get a whole team together for me. And getting a team together was like a difference because I didn't just come on as talent. It was like, okay, we're gonna get everything that you need and all you have to do is be you. And that's exactly what he allowed me to be. And being an owner and having others that are also owners is just incredible because it makes you say,

look what we've built. Look what his vision saw and he understood the importance of ownership because he was like, you've done so many things and you've built so many things for other people. You know, look what his vision saw and he understood the importance of ownership because he was like, you've done so many things and you've built so many things for other people. Now it's your turn to say, look, this is what I built and this is what we have. And I thank him for that. Like literally we call him the Todd Father.

You see I'm rocking it right now. You know what I'm saying? Listen, because everything he said in the beginning and I wasn't even there for that. She told me all of that. But everything that he said in the beginning, what you see now, he said it back then. And we've been on the radio for five years now. He said it then.

I love it. Talk about the importance of Nas, right? You said Nas made you a millionaire. Yes. Talk about the importance of Nas. Because I feel like Nas is, and Ella, both of them are like the forgotten artists. And when I mean the forgotten, we all know they get busy.

Or we all know they got classic albums or we all know they got classic albums, we all know they get nice, but I don't think we talk about them enough. So talk about the importance of Nas to you and... You know, with Nas, it's like watching my little brother grow up and be exactly what I knew he was gonna be. You know, people would say to me all the time, like, why didn't you ever say about how you and Nas met?

And I said, because it was genuine. That's me talking to my brother. That's not a conversation that I'm gonna, why didn't you ever say about how you and Nas met? And I said, because it was genuine. That's me talking to my brother. That's not a conversation that I'm going to tell everybody. I'm not going to tell you every time I tell my sisters or my brothers that I'm going to beat them up if they don't do right. I'm not going to do that. And so he chose to reveal that to the public.

He did that first in his documentary. He was like, listen, and then Shontay said this to me, and it made me understand that. Because you can see, even with your siblings or even those who are in your neighborhood, because growing up in Queensbridge, you know, where there's 15,000 tenants on paper, but 30,000 any given day, because somebody's always

living with somebody, somebody's always on somebody's couch in the projects. But that was like a little city, but we all knew each other. And I remember seeing Nas and saying like, yo, you're gonna be great. Like, it's just something about you and I know you are. So stay away from them before I get you. You know, and then he was like, I'm gonna rhyme.

And I was like, yeah, but you make sure you have together. Cause at one time he wanted to rhyme, but he also wanted to make sure that his crew could rhyme. And I'm saying like, so you just writing for everybody. Right. You know, so I need so you just writing for everybody. Right. So I need you to just do this for you because you are going to be special. There is something about you.

And I know it because I've always had to be my own hype person to tell myself, like, yo, listen, you're going to be special. And the same energy that I would get from Biz, like saying like, we're going to be, you know the connection. You know who's going to be something. And sometimes you can sit back. You just honestly don't want to say it, but you know who's gonna be something and sometimes you can sit back You just honestly don't want to say but you know who not gonna make it. Mm-hmm. You know who not gonna make it

You can bring them along but you know, they're not gonna make it. Yeah, you know what I mean? You ever thought about I'm sorry. I was gonna ask you you ever thought about signing Nas back then No, and I'm gonna tell you why the record company was already not paying me. They weren't treating me right I lived in a hood literally, you know me right. I lived in the hood, literally. You know, I lived in an area where Cool V came to see me and Cool V got hurt. That's up to him to elaborate on it. But he-

He pulled up the Queens Bridge and then- No, I was living in Newark. She came out of my way. Like you know, you on the Jersey side. I was living in Newark at the time. And I remember Cool V coming to see me, literally to bring me money because the record company wasn't doing what it was supposed to do and so I would never take anyone

and bring them into what I'm going through. That's almost like someone who's in an abuse situation and then you bring somebody else along for them to get abused too. You know what I'm saying? Instead I'll just take all this abuse myself you know and then whatever I get from it or benefit from it I'll come back and I'll share it with you but I all this abuse myself, you know, and then whatever I get from it or benefit from it I'll come back and I'll share it with you, but I don't want to see you go through this I want you to take a different path. I see something better for you So even when they would come to me like yo, I need to get signed not to this label. Mm-hmm Oh, I want to do not this one. You know what I mean?

And so that's the reason why I never thought signing but also too. I was never taught the business You know, they gave me the business. But I was never taught the business and so because of that I didn't know about writers and publishing and and everything else so even now because I've never received royalties and I've never received any of those things. That sounds so wild to me. And it's crazy because we would just they had just sent me this plaque and everything else letting me know that Roxanne's Revenge is certified platinum and this was a year when they were like oh no rappers are going platinum and it's like listen Roxanne's Revenge certified platinum and for me to sit back and say well you know I still didn't receive royalties from it but the

universe has paid me so well. You know I'm a breast cancer survivor my kids are good with everything that I expose them to my son is amazing you know I'm married breast cancer survivor. My kids are good with everything that I expose them to. My son is amazing. You know, I'm married to a handsome husband. Ball head, bow legs, broad shoulders. Hey! You know, I saw him over there. I see the ring, that's the best ring. Hell, you know what I'm saying?

Shout out to Brother Jibar. You know what I'm saying? So, one of those things, like when I sit back, I would have never thought that my life would be as good as it is now. So I'm comfortable. Though there's a lot of things that I should pursue and go after.

I was gonna say, legally though, you don't ever just wanna, now you got the lawyer money now, you don't ever just wanna figure it out. Cause that plaque coming in, it's like. So yeah, so they might. I'm with you, V, I'm with you. I'm like, I like, I like, I like,

I ain't crying about it, but I damn sure letting people know that, listen, big shout to Isaac Hayes' son, because I just listened to him talk about copyright terminations and all of these things like that, and bringing that awareness, so we never had that. You know what I mean? And it's out here now. So any artist coming up, look into paperwork, don't sign nothing without a lawyer.

I don't care if it's your parent there. Your parent ain't in the music business. Have a lawyer on hand because I signed my first contract with $250. No, you didn't for a beeper. Tell the truth. No, no, I bought a beeper. I bought a beeper with the 250. I mean, but I went back in the room.

I said, listen, man, I gotta go get a beeper right now. So y'all ain't got nothing else I can sign. They signed, I signed the record deal. So they gave me $500. I ain't get nothing. And that's just being, you know, at the time, at the moment, because we living for right now, we never live for the future, you know what I'm saying?

And, you know, luckily I've been able to navigate through this thing called life and make it. But man, it's been hard, you know what I mean? Big shout out to my brother that held my ass up for the last 20 years. Big prev, you know what I'm saying? So we make it. But all of those mistakes we made,

we don't want nobody to make the mistakes no more. And we not crying about the mistakes, we do want our money. I know she talking about, yeah, I ain't worrying about it because she got the big check came, but you know what I'm saying? Listen, anybody that can help, help. If you can't, cool, we still gonna keep pushing.

We got things to do. And salute to Isaac Hayes, you said, man, he has fan base, so I wanna salute to him. Fan base, yes. And also, you know, I'm a 1000% into telling these stories, right? Yes. I'm a hip hop head, I'm from Queens, so it's how I grew up, it's what I saw, it's what I lived.

And I feel like these stories need to be told so much more. You hear these stories when it comes to country music, you hear them when it comes to pop music, and I feel like we should hear it when it comes to hip hop because there's so many Avengers and superheroes that helped me get by and that I was excited to. I mean, I remember it had to be 15, 20 years ago and you called me to do your opening of your ice cream shop.

Sure did. Yeah, I mean. Sure did. With things like that, it's just like a different respect. And I just wanna say thank you for what you did for this industry, especially for y'all, for me. You know what I mean?

It's like no other, you know what I mean? But that's why I hold my DJ so close. I feel like nobody ever fucks with us and they just let us go to the waistline. But that's why I do it so much because I just want people to know that without any of this, it would be none of this. Yes, and that's why I love her

because she always said, even when I couldn't DJ for, she pulled another person in the crew. She pulled Kane up to DJ for she pulled all Everybody's been Shontay's DJ By far she's had that I probably had the most DJs in hip-hop See that's what I'm saying it's the truth But she's never shied away from sharing her platform and whatever we can get, we can get it all, get it together.

So right now, I'm just so happy to be with her right now, doing what we doing. Life is beautiful. That's right. Beautiful, cause she's glowing like a moon. Yes, she is. You know what I'm saying? Yes, she is.

I wanna ask you, how do you feel about female rap today? You know, when I think about female rappers today, especially like them being my hip hop sisters, of course there are gonna be some things that your sisters do that you're gonna be like, okay, now I didn't want you to do that. But I also understand that when it comes to hip hop, it's a reflection of what we're dealing with.

It's a reflection of society. It's a reflection. When people say, oh, I remember when female rappers used to wear their clothes, I remember when women used to wear their clothes. You know what I mean? So you can't just put that on just female rappers because that's just not the case.

And then also too, you need to look at it where it's their costume, it's their uniform for work. They're not walking around the house like that all day. You know, they're not in front of their children like that all day. So because of that, I think sometimes people really read them wrong and don't understand how hard it is. Because if you think it's hard being a woman, try being a black woman.

If you think it's hard being a black woman, then try being a black female rapper. You know what I mean? It gets harder as it goes on. The more hats you add to it, the more difficult it is. You know, it's a lot of weight on us on what we represent and how we do present ourselves. Now the thing that I do love about it is that now they understand the business. So because they understand the business, they've taken more control.

They say what they're gonna do, what they're gonna wear, where they're gonna go, and hopefully that is the case for most of them. So when you see the success that they have now, it's an honor for me to sit back and say, you know what, I started in the parks so that she's at the Palladium. I started at here where she's at the palace.

I was able to battle these men where now she doesn't even have to battle anything. Her choice now is what Birkin she's going to carry and where she's going to go and what car she's going to get in. And if I had anything to do with that, then it's truly an honor for me because I sit back and I smile. I think that's where you see the fact

that I don't have any anger because I don't have any envy for it. No pun intended. But the main thing is I love to see them succeed and as with anyone you want to see the next generation do better. So when they're getting these multi-million dollar deals I'm like yeah that's what you do. You know when they're going up to these award shows and they're speaking their mind without somebody telling them shh don't say that don't get up there and feel that way. You know I love it. So female rappers today, I embrace them all. You got any favorites?

I don't have a favorite, and that's not a political answer. The reason why is because I'm a person who goes through a lot of different emotions. So I might have a dosy day when I'm having a dosy day. You know what I'm saying? It could be my anxiety. You know? But then I can also have my Cardi B days, and you know, I can have my Megan days,

and I can even have my Remy days, and Queen Latifah days. It just depends on how I'm feeling emotionally when it comes to, because I'm a person who listens to music emotionally, so therefore I don't have a favorite, because what can be a good day is a good day, and what can be a bad day is a bad day.

And that's the beauty of it, right? Because each female rapper, to me, these days it's so different. Everybody not the same, and I know you hear the conversations of, all rappers the same, all rappers, no, everybody's not the same. And I know you hear the conversations of, all rap is the same, all rap, no everybody's not the same. Like you said, you got your Dochi days in.

You know, so that's the beauty of what the, it's like a mixed pool. You know what I mean? Absolutely, yeah. How does it feel to see your daughter jumping into music? You know, I love it, I love it. You know, to see her, like when, my daughter's name is, call me Taji, her name is Taji,

and when I get a chance to hear her sing deep down in my heart I was like damn she got my voice like that would have been my voice you know what I mean like that's my voice and when I look at her physique I'm like that's my body you know so I'm that type of mom and I love it and I encourage her you know she doesn't choose to want to use my support with things and I'm telling her all the time like listen I could get you this she says no Because I need to earn it and I feel honored that the fact that I helped her Have that in her to want to earn it on her own. I'm like that's you

Yeah, I'm gonna say you yeah, she is she definitely is she definitely is so I can sit back and smile like you can see How my face just lights up and brights up when it comes To her and seeing all the things that she does and now even playing me in the movie like anybody that wants to portray Roxanne Shantay They must use my daughter. I don't get permission Wow Yeah, I love that you're doing it. Yeah, I listen if you go it's gonna be me. It's gonna come from me It's gonna be me. You know what I mean? So there's been quite a few projects now that she's been able to do like documentaries

for other people. They be like, oh yeah, listen, we would like to have somebody play. You know you'd like to have my daughter play me. She's on her way. Now do you find yourself being harder about her actual business business, like the paperwork, because of everything you went through

with paperwork and misunderstanding things in your career? Like are you like, no, let mommy do this. Like let me get in there. No, see, cause mommy don't know how to do it. So we just send everything to the lawyers. But what I am very on her about is when she goes to do certain recordings in certain places.

I'm one of those moms, like I don't trust certain situations cause I've seen a lot. So when she tells me, oh, I'm going to a studio. What studio? Yeah. Who? Who he work with? What he say?

Mm-hmm. You FaceTime me. Mm-hmm. She be like, ma, I don't want to put you on, put me on speaker or come home. Because I know what it's like to be out there and not have nobody to put on speaker. So then people think that they can do anything to you.

Yeah. I need them to know that I'm around the corner, literally. And I don't care where she's at, I'm coming. Because if I'm not around the corner, then the things that I've done, I know somebody who's around the corner, who's going to come. And so sometimes I think she feels like

I hover over her too much with certain things, but it's the safety factor. And then when she sees certain things in the news and stuff like that, she'd be like, yeah, my mom. Of course. Yeah, she would have had a feeling. You want them to feel that way, you know?

How old is she? She's 26. 26. Oh yeah, 26. Yeah, she's 26. She'll get it. Wait till she's 30. She'll be like, you was right about everything.

Yeah, she's 26. My last question for you, and I'm going back again, but you've been saying so much, I'm just like all taking it in that I didn't want to interrupt. You mentioned earlier about how you honor biz at his funeral. Yes with the 36 Chambers I didn't see it, but I saw reports about it Yeah, and when I read it knowing well not knowing you personally but just knowing the history of you guys relationship I'm like why that had to be tough for her But it probably like it was y'all's thing like I he had asked, jokingly said that he wanted you to do that. Yes.

Yeah. What happened was we were sitting inside of a movie theater on 42nd Street, and it was a three-for-one movie theater. And that's where, back in the days, you could see three Chinese flicks, and they would play all night long. And we were in there, and it was 36 chambers.

It was the Five Deadly Venoms, and it was Monkey King Kung Fu. And the reason why I remember that is because it played all night long. You know? And so we were sitting there and I had my feet across his and he was like, yeah, you know, when I die, this is what... And now mind you, we're teenagers and we're talking about dying. Wow.

You know, at this time we're teenagers and we're talking about dying. And he was like, yeah, when I die, that's what I want you to do at my funeral. I want you to come in there and this is what I want. And I was like, yeah, so at my's what I want you to do at my funeral. I want you to come in there and this is what I want. And I was like, yeah, so at my funeral, I want you to come running in at mine and be like, teacher, teacher, why you leave me? That's exactly what I wanted to happen. And so I remember my family seeing me with this karate suit and they was like, oh no, no, ma, you're not going to do this karate suit.

We didn't think she was going to do it. You know what I'm saying? Because I was ready. I was going to be, I was going. I was gonna be, I was gonna put the gi on, I was gonna put the belt, I was coming down the aisle. I was ready because this is my brother, I gave him my word and I'm doing this until the grave. Like this is what I'm gonna do. And so they were like, no, you can't have that.

So somebody had took the suit, so I had on my regular clothes, but what I did was I took a sheet from the hotel. And when I walked up there, I wrapped the sheet around me like a monk and draped it across me. And then I delivered the speech from 36 Chambers, you know, and that was so that he could understand that my brother, you did well. You know, you left me, cut Master Cool V, because it's always like they always want

to leave you something. And so I was like, you left me, Master Coovie and my brother you did well. And I felt good and I was able to sleep at night. Regards to how anybody felt, regards to what cameras caught it, regards to what anybody thought, that was my word to my brother. And my word to me is everything. Yeah, he wanted you to do that. And there you go. And so we did it.

And you know what I was thankful for, honestly, he still left us too soon. But I was thankful that we got a chance to grow up And do that because we were talking about doing that as teenagers But to be well into our 50s and be able to do that still made me feel good like wow we really lived a lifetime We appreciate y'all for joining us And I even think I was gonna see no mic today y'all for joining us. Cool V. Rock station. Hey man, I ain't even think I was gonna see no mic today. Thank y'all. Legendary. Well we appreciate you guys again and you know anytime you're doing anything come on up when your daughter's ready to play a song come on up. Absolutely, absolutely.

That's right. Thank you so much. It's the Breakfast Club. Good morning. the morning. The Breakfast Club. Hey all you women's hoops fans and folks who just don't know yet that they're women's hoops fans. We've got a big week over at Good Game with Sarah Spain as we near the end of one of the most exciting women's college basketball seasons ever. The most parody we've seen in years with games coming down to the wire and everyone wondering which team will be crowned national champions this weekend in Tampa. Listen to Good Game with Sarah Spayne on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts or

wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine you're scrolling through TikTok, you come across a video of a teenage girl and then a photo of the person suspected of killing her. It was shocking. It was very shocking. Like that could have been my daughter. Like you never know. I'm Jen Swan. I'm the host of a new podcast called My Friend Daisy. It's the story of how and why a group of teenagers turn to social media to help track down their friend's killer. Listen to My Friend Daisy on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

In 2020, a group of young women found themselves in an AI-fueled nightmare. Someone was posting photos. It was just me naked. Well, not me, but me with someone else's body parts. This is Levittown, a new podcast from iHeart Podcasts, Bloomberg, and Kaleidoscope about the rise of deepfake pornography and the battle to stop it. Listen to Levittown on Bloomberg's Big Take podcast. Find it on the iHeart radio app, Apple podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

What's up? I'm Laura, host of the podcast Courtside with Laura Corenti, a masterclass case study of the business of women's sports. I'll be chatting with leaders like tennis icon, Alana Claus. I don't do what I do only for women. I do it for everyone. And I want the whole market.

And innovators like Jenny Nguyen. I would say 50% of the people that come and visit the Sports Bra aren't sports fans. They come to be in community. They come to be part of this culture. Courtside with Laura Karenty is an iHeart Women's Sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment.

Listen to Courtside with Laura Karenty on the iHeart radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Elf Beauty, founding partner of iHeart Women's Sports.