In the 1980s, when hip-hop answer songs rose to popularity, a teenage New Yorker named Roxanne Shanté spit out the aggressive, foul-mouthed track, “Roxanne’s Revenge.” The single became a huge hit for Shanté and her fellow members in the Juice Crew, which went on to produce hits for the likes of Big Daddy Kane, Biz Markie and Kool G Rap.
Keke Palmer wasn’t even born when all this went down during hip-hop’s golden age. But the “Akeelah and the Bee” star is hoping to get a shot to play Shanté in a Juice Crew biopic called “Vapors.” The only problem, as Keke told MTV News while promoting her new film, “Shrink,” is that the production is still trying to raise money to move the film into production.
“It’s been floating around for some time now,” the 15-year-old actress explained. “They don’t necessarily have the money to do it yet. But I would love for people to see me be a rapper, to play Roxanne Shanté from the Juice Crew.”
Casting rumors for other Crew members have suggested Nas might play Kool G and that David Banner could become Biz Markie. The script was co-written and would be helmed by Furqaan Clover, who directed shock jock Wendy Williams’ biopic, “Queen of Media,” in 2008. “Vapors” follows the Crew from their origins in New York City’s Queensbridge projects through the breakout successes of its many members.
Keke’s experienced a bit of breakout musical success herself: she’s currently working with Interscope on her second pop album and wowed the crowd at the Michael Jackson-focused BET Awards in June with an a cappella version of the Jackson 5’s “Who's Loving You.” But up until now, she hasn’t fully stepped into the realm of hip-hop. She’s hoping “Vapors” will give her that shot.
“Young cool rapper from New York?” she asked. “That would be such a different character for me to play. I would love to do that.”
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