Roxanne Shanté Inspires Local Youth with VUU
Hip-hop legend empowers VUU students with a message of self-belief, authenticity, and fearless ambition.
Hip Hop is in the best state it’s ever been and this past Saturday, February 22nd, Richmond welcomed Hip Hop legend Roxanne Shanté for an inspiring event at the Ben Wallace Gym for the Anniversary of the 2005 National Championship Team from Virginia Union University (VUU). Fresh off receiving a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, Shanté’s presence was a powerful reminder of the importance of believing in oneself and embracing uniqueness.
This was for the youth. During her talk, she shared valuable insights about her upbringing in Hip Hop and the obstacles she had to overcome, emphasizing the significance of dreaming big and vocalizing those dreams.
Goldin performing after Roxanne Shante’s encouraging speech to the youth.
After encouraging the students, she spit a few bars from her 1984 hit “Roxxane’s Revenge.” I felt alone, in that, I was the only one that hadn’t memorized her lyrics. The event also featured performances by Goldin, as well as other local rappers, who also spoke words of encouragement to the youth.
“Right now, we’re WITNESSING big changes —neighborhoods are being REDEVELOPED… (so) kids are going to RAP about their SURROUNDINGS, and as those surroundings CHANGE, so will Hip Hop.”
Her message resonated deeply, as she inspired the students to believe in themselves and to never let others define their worth. This wasn’t just a history lesson but a call to action, encouraging the youth, and even myself, to embrace their authentic selves and pursue their dreams fearlessly.
Afterwards, we chatted for a few minute with Roxanne Shanté to dive deeper into her message and her connection to Richmond.
The Richmond Seen: First of all, I feel like I missed out! I just saw you on CBS This Morning with Gayle a few weeks ago. I was watching your story and couldn’t believe I had missed Roxanne Shanté. So it’s an honor to meet you. What do you hope the students took away from your speech today?
Roxanne Shanté: I hope they took away the idea that they should dream really big and not be afraid to say their dreams out loud. The universe needs to hear them! If you keep your dreams to yourself, they can’t manifest. It’s also important to express your feelings—so many people hold things in, and that can lead to depression and other struggles. Learning to open up is a powerful thing.
TRS: Do you think this shift towards openness is a reflection of the maturity of Hip Hop?
Shanté: Hip Hop has always been a reflection of what’s happening in our communities and the world around us. Right now, we’re witnessing big changes—neighborhoods are being redeveloped, and things look different than they used to. Kids are going to rap about their surroundings, and as those surroundings change, so will Hip Hop.
People are also becoming more conscious of what they eat and how they live, and as that mindset grows, we’ll see a healthier hip-hop culture too.
TSR: Are you personally conscious of your eating habits?
Shanté: Absolutely. I don’t consume sugar. I’ve lost about 45 pounds in the past few months, and I feel so much better. I encourage others to do the same!
TRS: Congratulations on that! Now, what’s your relationship with Richmond and the “UBU” program?
Shanté: “UBU” is all about embracing your authentic self, and that aligns perfectly with who I am. I don’t know how to be anybody but myself, and I encourage others to do the same. That’s why I connected with this project—it’s about being 100% you.
TRS: One last question. You may not be writing music anymore, but you’re still deeply involved in the Culture. What’s your contribution now?
Shanté: I have a radio show with over seven million listeners daily. Through that platform, I’m preserving Hip Hop culture with every record I play.
You can listen to Shante’s radio show via SiriusXM. Link provided here.
TRS: That’s incredible. I really appreciate you taking the time to talk with me.
Shanté: Thank you! And thank you all for believing in our vision and our dreams. It takes all of us—home, school, and community—working together. If we don’t, we’ll lose everything.
