The Real Roxanne

After U.T.F.O. scored a major hit with the single "Roxanne, Roxanne" toward the end of 1984 and into the start of 1985, more than one hundred answer records flooded the market while numerous female rappers assumed the Roxanne name. Of that group, the Real Roxanne—born Adelaida Martinez—emerged as arguably the most skilled, with her chief rival for supremacy being Roxanne Shanté. Her first album did not surface until 1988, after the Roxanne craze had already peaked and declined, yet the self-titled project still landed forcefully thanks to production from Jam Master Jay, Howie Tee, and Full Force as well as the Real Roxanne's own bold, spirited presence. A 1992 attempt at a return via Go Down (But Don't Bite It) yielded little traction.