During the Roxanne Wars of the mid-Eighties, a battle of words spilled across nearly 50 12-inch singles, captivating the earliest generation of hip-hop fans. With the first volley emerging in late 1984, the records not only showcased an early indication of the young genres commercial potential, but immediately catapulted 14-year-old Lolita Roxanne Shant Gooden from the Queensbridge Projects to national fame.
However, the fictional beef of the Roxanne Wars paled in comparison to the drama unfolding in Goodens real life. Roxanne, Roxanne, the long-awaited feature film detailing the true story of the razor-tongued hip-hop pioneer, is unlike any other rap biopic. Writer-director Michael Larnell eschews the creation myths, superhero narratives and obsessive musical focus of films like 8 Mile, Straight Outta Compton and Notorious, preferring a portrait of a teenager balancing school, poverty, big sister responsibilities, early pregnancy and domestic abuse while a rap career burns in the background.
When I first met Shant, of course I wanted to get more information about the Roxanne Wars; all the surface stuff, the industry stuff, Larnell tells Rolling Stone. Then as I started talking to her, the first day, she just broke down how her childhood was before the rap music came. That struck me to the core. Once I heard that story, I had to focus on that.
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The film, which receives its first screening Sunday at Sundance Film Festival, is a co-production between Forest Whitakers Significant Productions and Pharrell Williams I Am Other, the team behind the acclaimed 2015 comedy-drama Dope.
As a teenager, the Roxanne saga was the first of its type. We had never heard anything like that on the radio, says Williams. My producing partner Mimi Valds has been obsessed with Shant from the moment she heard Roxannes Revenge on the radio as a teenager. Shant is a survivor her story is about perseverance and any human being can relate to that.
When it comes to a movie, a lot of times they tell you, Well, you know, they add these things for dramatic effect, says Roxanne Shant, also an executive producer on the film. You know, we didnt have to do that at all.
The rapper met with Larnell in Central Park and spilled the details of her turbulent teenage years, a process she describes as therapeutic. People would figure you wanted to go someplace quiet, and were gonna sit up here in a hotel suite, and youre going to tell me your whole life story, and well do it real-Hollywood style, says Shant. We kinda did it the Holly-hood style, like were going to meet in in Central Park. Im going to bring a sandwich, were going to go stop by the corner bodega There were some parts where we literally sat on the bench and cried where people walked by and were like, Oh my god, I hope everything is okay for you guys.'
As executive producer, Shant was often on set helping guide its accuracy, along with fellow producers, former Vibe editor in chief Valds and Video Music Box co-creator Ralph McDaniels. Lanell estimates about 80 percent was actually shot on her Queens home turf.
The characters and the actors that played my mom were just so dead on that I felt like I was stepping back in time, says Shant Some parts of the movie, I couldnt be there when they filmed them only because I couldnt relive it again.
As but one example, actor Mahershala Ali in the midst of a cinematic sweep that includes Moonlight and Hidden Figures convincingly plays her abusive love interest.
Mahershala told me, This has been one of the most difficult parts Ive ever had to play. Im having a hard time sleeping because of what your character goes through because of me,' recalls Shant. So how do I react to that? Do I say, Oh good, so that means youre feeling the part!' she says with a laugh. Or do I hug him? So what I wind up doing was just hugging him and saying, Well, you know what, it turned out good after all.'
Broadway veteran and film newcomer Chant Adams, the actress who plays Shant, took on-set pointers from the rap veteran, who taught Adams to properly swing her ponytail while doing the wop.
I did not wanna get on set and be one of those people: Cut, lets do this again! Every cut costs money, says Shant. But it was a moment, Id be like, OK, if youre gonna be boosting and youre going to steal, dont keep looking down in the bag because youll get caught, so you gotta keep you head up, do it this way, just fold the clothes and drop em in the bag. So I gave her, like, boosting tips. Not know anything about that now but back then I did!
I think one of the funniest things was them having to give her fake braces, because I had orthodontist work for so long, Shant continues. And I remember the first time on set with her and she was like, Look, I got my braces, and her lips kept getting caught in her braces and she was like, Its tearing up my mouth! We had to put wax around it so her lips could slide over it. But by the time she finished shooting, she was an expert; talking with braces and everything.
The rapper hasnt seen the film yet and will get her chance this weekend alongside a Sundance crowd.
Everything was the truth, so I cant alter the truth, she says. And whatever happened, what can I do about that we cant rewrite history. So, I prefer to see it when everyone else sees it. When people see me at Sundance, the reaction they see that night will be my true reaction.
Now the catch is, she adds, Can I still perform after that? Right after the movie, Im going straight into a performance. Yeah, so, I might be up there with my chubby face and my swollen eyes from crying!
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