This weekend is the 67th Annual Grammy Awards, where one of hip-hop’s pioneers will be honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions to the culture. Roxanne Shanté is widely thought to be one of the first female rappers with a solo hit — 1984’s “Roxanne’s Revenge” — and will soon be the first solo female rapper to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Recording Academy. The other artists being honored at this year’s ceremony include Frankie Beverly, The Clash, Dr. Bobby Jones, Taj Mahal, Prince, and Frankie Valli.
The award is given to “performers who, during their lifetimes, have made creative contributions of outstanding artistic significance to the field of recording” — a bill Shanté certainly fits, considering she was one of the first female rappers ever to be embroiled in a rap feud, a proud legacy that continued into last year thanks to Megan Thee Stallion, Latto, Ice Spice, and Nicki Minaj.
Other members of the hip-hop community to be honored for their contributions to the genre’s growth include Run-DMC, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Salt-N-Pepa, Slick Rick, and N.W.A.
The 2025 Grammy Awards, which will be hosted once again by Trevor Noah, will air at 5:00 PM PST / 8:00 PM EST on CBS and stream on Paramount+.