Roxanne Shanté has been a pioneer and trailblazer since “Roxanne’s Revenge” in 1984, so it should be no surprise that she’s making history yet again — this time as the first solo female rapper to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Recording Academy.
The award, given to “performers who, during their lifetimes, have made creative contributions of outstanding artistic significance to the field of recording,” will be presented on Saturday (February 1) at the Wilshire Ebell Theater in Los Angeles.
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Other recipients this year are Frankie Beverly, The Clash, Dr. Bobby Jones, Taj Mahal, Prince and Frankie Valli.
Hip Hop figures who have previously received the honor are Run-DMC, Public Enemy, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Salt-N-Pepa and N.W.A.
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“When you get in the music industry, you want three things: to get paid, to get on Billboard and to win a Grammy,” Shanté said, per Gayle King of CBS Mornings. Now, King pointed out, she’s done all three.
Prior to her Lifetime Achievement Grammy, Shanté’s last big honor — which came, she told King, with a million-dollar reward — was a Grandmaster Award from the Paid in Full Foundation, presented to her by Nas.
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Sharing a number of pictures from the event, which was held in Las Vegas last October and organized by the foundation, the Queensbridge MC celebrated Shanté and the two other recipients, Kool Moe Dee and Grandmaster Caz.
Nas started by saying: “The 2nd @paidinfullfoundation Grand Master Awards Congratulates pioneers Roxanne Shanté, Grand Master Caz and Kool Moe Dee! These innovators were at times uncredited, slept on and if not for them there would be no us in Hip Hop.
“They changed the World. We thank you. Thanks to The Horowitz’s [Ben and Felicia Horowitz of the Paid in Full Foundation], and many other’s who helped make this possible.”
Alongside a photo of Rakim, Scarface and himself, Nas wrote: “Standing with ICONS, the Event curators who helped pick out some honorees. New Emcee’s killed the stage as well. I took the picture of Rakim after he handed Kool Moe Dee his Award! That moment has so much meaning.”
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The Illmatic lyricist also paid special tribute to fellow Queens native Shanté, writing: “With The Queen @imroxanneshante a honoree of the @paidinfullfoundation Grand Master Awards happening later this eve. Thank You Big Sis for your contributions to Hip Hop. What a moment to honor a game changer who comes from where I’m from!! She started it all!”
