Michael Larnell

Michael Larnell

Nina Yang Bongiovi

Michael Shen

It seems like the people with the best talent have to go through the worst before they are noticed for their best.

Before I watched Roxanne Roxanne, I had little knowledge of Roxanne Shante’s career or the trials that she experienced, not only as a woman in the rap game but as a black adolescent. This film provides a great passage through the Queensbridge rapper’s early life and leads us to her big break. My favorite character would have to be her mom, played by Nia Long. She gave so much life to the character, so much that it was triggering for me. In fact, the whole film was triggering to me because some parts were a mirror to my own life. The story of the betrayal and abuse Roxanne experienced being served to our eyes on a platter is a wakeup call to women in the industry. It lets us know that, that lifestyle isn’t all fur coats and jewels and that it requires hard work, strength, and endurance, which in this film, Roxanne, played by Chanté Adams, exudes.

I’ve had a few conversations about the film. There were people, including myself, that think that it was greatly executed and straight to the point. I know that sometimes when storylines are stretched out too much, people become uninterested. A few people who watched the film expressed that it left them wanting more, wanting a series.

I would watch Roxanne Roxanne the series, would you?