Foxy Brown (rapper)

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For other uses, see Foxy Brown (disambiguation).
Foxy Brown

Inga Marchand (born September 6 1979, in Park Slope, Brooklyn, New York), better known as Foxy Brown, is an American rapper of Afro-Trinidadian and Indo-Trinidadian descent [1] known for her solo work as well as numerous collaborations and a brief stint as part of hip-hop musicgroup The Firm She has released three albums: Ill Na Na (1996), Chyna Doll (1999), and Broken Silence (2001) while also being featured on Nas, Foxy Brown, AZ, and Nature Present The Firm: The Album (1997). After a bitter split with her record label Def Jam in 2003, Brown ended up in label limbo. In 2004 childhood friend and collaborator Jay-Z signed Brown to his Roc-A-Fella Records label, when he became the president of the company.

1995 -1997: the Ill Na Na

While still a teenager, Brown won a talent contest in Brooklyn, and was invited to freestyle on stage. At that time, production team Trackmasters were working on LL Cool J's Mr. Smith album, and they decided to let her rap over "I Shot Ya." The single became a hit, prompting Brown's work with Total, Toni Braxton, Silk and Case, as well as her induction into the Firm posse (led by Nas and also including AZ and Cormega).

Before she had released any material at all, Foxy Brown appeared on few 1995-1996 singles, including her first credit, LL Cool J's "I Shot Ya," as well as Total's "No One Else" remix, Jay-Z's "Ain't No Nigga", Toni Braxton's "You're Makin' Me High" remix, and Case's "Touch Me, Tease Me" along with Mary J. Blige. The success led to a bidding war at the beginning of 1996, and by March Brown had signed with the Def Jam label.

In 1996 Brown released her debut album Ill Na Na to mixed reviews but strong sales. The album was produced by Trackmasters, and featured appearances from Jay-Z, Blackstreet, Method Man, and Kid Capri. It hit number seven its first week on the U.S. album chart. Despite some positive reviews, Ill Na Na was heavily criticized for its explicit lyrics, particularly because Brown was thought to be only sixteen years old at the time of the recording. The album went on to go platinum and launched two hit singles; "Get Me Home" and "I'll Be".

1997-1998: Firm Allstars

The East Coast gangsta rap musicgroup The Firm never lived up to its excessive hype and instead became a brief footnote in the careers of its main participants. Including Brown the foursome included three other New York rappers — (Nas, AZ and Nature — but was actually the pet project of its producers: Nas Escobar (as he referred to himself at the time), Steve "Commissioner" Stoute, Dr. Dre, and The Trackmasters.

An early form of the Firm appeared on "Affirmative Action," a standout song from Nas' second album, It Was Written. Foxy Brown, AZ and Cormega joined Nas for the song — each taking a verse — and it became an album highlight as well as a much-talked-about song on the streets. Despite debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 and selling over one million copies, the album quickly fell off the charts and was highly criticized.

Brown went on to release a single "Big Bad Mama" featuring Dru Hill from Def Jam's How to Be a Player soundtrack. It became a minor hit and set Brown up to launch another album.

1999-2000: The Chyna Doll

In 1999 Foxy Brown released her second album Chyna Doll which made chart history when it became the first album by a female rap artist to enter the Billboard 200 at #1. Chyna Doll was certified platinum by the RIAA (for shipping over one million copies), but its first single "Hot Spot" failed to reach the U.S. top fifty and it did not live up to the high expectations of her record label.

Later that year, Brown was a spokesmodel for Calvin Klein Jeans. At the end of 1999, Brown and her fiancé Kurupt ended their five year relationship. By 2000, several of Brown's friendships in the industry, including those with Jay-Z and Nas, became strained. She suffered depression and entered rehab for a drug addiction to prescription painkillers. Also in 1999 Brown appeared on the cover of Essence magazine's August issue. The article was titled "Dignity or Dollars". In it Brown stated she wanted to clean up her image, even appearing clothed a lot more than she had previously and it countered the negative press she received for her previous Vibe magazine cover.

2001-2003: Broken Silence

In 2001, Brown released the critically acclaimed Broken Silence album. The first single "BK Anthem" was gritty and more underground than any of Brown's previous singles. It gave "props" to her hometown, Brooklyn, and famous rappers such as The Notorious B.I.G. and Jay-Z. The song's music video had a similarly urban and home-grown low-budget feel, and was made as if from a home video camcorder. The second single from the album "Oh Yeah", which featured her then boyfriend Jamaican reggae artist Spragga Benz, marked Brown's debut in the reggae/dancehall genre of music. Music critics hailed Broken Silence as Brown's most personal and introspective work to date. The album sold over 800,000 copies and went gold.

In 2003, Brown returned to the music scene briefly on a DJ Kayslay's single called "Too Much For Me". In April Brown appeared on popular New York radio jock Wendy Williams' radio show, and revealed the details of her relationship with Def Jam President at the time, Lyor Cohen and Sean P. Diddy Combs. Brown accused both of illegally trading her recording masters. She also announced that Cohen shelved her long awaited fourth album Ill Na Na 2: The Fever Brown tearfully revealed that the overwhelming stress from Def Jam resulted in her having a miscarriage (she was expecting her first child with boyfriend Spragga Benz). Less than 24 hours after the interview was broadcast, Ill Na Na 2: The Fever mysteriously surfaced online for downloading and bootlegging. A few months later Brown appeared on the cover of the popular hip-hop magazine XXL, and shared her desire to leave Def Jam. In late 2003 Brown was released from the label.

2004-Present: The Rebirth

In 2004, Brown reunited with her old friend and mentor Jay-Z, when he became the president of Def Jam and signed her to his subsidiary, Roc-A-Fella Records. Later that year, Brown joined Jay-Z and several other hot hip-hop acts on his "Jay-Z and Friends" tour. Brown also began recording her fourth solo album, Black Roses. Later that year, Brown was allegedly involved in a physical altercation with two manicurists over a $20 payment dispute that Brown refused to pay.

In April 2005, female rapper Jacki-O alleged that she and Brown got into a physical altercation at a recording studio in Miami, Florida. Jacki said that Brown came in the studio during her session and expected her to "bow down" to her. She said that Brown constantly belittled her, and a heated argument ensued. Jacki alleged that verbal altercation eventually escalated into fist fight with Brown hitting the ground. While Brown did admit that there was definitely a verbal disagreement, she denied that it ever turned physical. Brown said that Jacki was "disrespectful" and that she exaggerated the incident to gain publicity for her upcoming project.[2][3][4]

On December 5, 2005, her attorney Joseph Tacopina said that Brown is almost totally deaf and that he cannot communicate with her verbally any more. Brown told reporters on December 15 that she was diagnosed with sudden hearing loss in May while she was recording her upcoming album. Akon, who was present in the studio with Foxy at the time, spoke about this on BET on December 31, 2006.

Shortly after Tacopina spoke to the public about her hearing condition, news spread that Brown had fired him. According to reports, Tacopina was never given permission by Brown or her agent to discuss her medical condition to reporters.

On December 15, 2005, Brown held an emotional press conference in New York City, where she revealed that she is now 100% deaf due to sensorineural hearing loss. She also revealed that she had not heard another person's voice since May 2005. Brown underwent surgery in early 2006 in hopes of restoring her hearing. Post recovery, Brown said that she plans to finish working on her fourth solo album, Black Roses, for a 2006 release, but will probably be pushed back to the first quarter of 2007 if it even is released. At the conference, Brown was surrounded by many supporters, including supermodel Tyson Beckford, hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons, Kimora Lee Simmons and rapper Doug E. Fresh.

There has been speculation that Foxy Brown's new album tentively entitled "Black Roses" will most likely come out in the third or fourth quarter of 2007 if it is not shelved or pushed back again.

On February 15, 2007, Foxy Brown spent the night in jail Thursday after police arrested her on two counts of violence. Authorities booked the rapper, whose real name is Inga Marchand, on obstruction with violence along with battery with the intent to touch or strike.

Brown was sentenced last October to three years probation and anger management classes for fighting in a nail salon in 2004. "This is only the first time in two years that I'm pleased with Judge Jackson," Brown told the Associated Press. Brown was reported to have received an excellent report from probation.

Brown added that the experience had been positive because probation forces one into structure. "It is making me grow up," she said. "I have matured a lot since I started the anger management and realized how much that i needed it."

May 22, 2007 Black Hand Entertainment announced that they signed a management deal with multi-platnium artist Foxy Brown. "Brown is currently putting the finishing touches on her fourth major label release entitled Black Roses. She is quietly gearing up for the campaign of her life, and has been doing selected appearances. Brown is coming back from a high tech operation which restored her hearing." When asked about Black Hand as a management home, Brown said, “I needed to connect with a person who understood my struggle completely from where I came to where I traveled today. Chaz is an aggressive businessman who has overcome adversity and roadblocks his entire life, I need a person who can relate to real struggle and who has experience in moving beyond at the most difficult times.” While prepping for her major release Black Roses Brown will release a street album as a prelude. Brown will be doing a promo tour to let her fans know she is back with a vengeance and a new partnership. Chaz Williams, Black Hand CEO, had this to say, ”I think Foxy is an incredible talent and one of the fiercest female MC’s of all time. Her skills and work ethic are undeniable and she has a determination to succeed that I respect. Her focus is keen, and her music speaks for itself. With the return of her hearing, I think she will have the greatest comeback story since Mimi(Mariah Carey)”.

May 24, 2007 According to Billboard.com, a release date for Black Roses has been scheduled for September 6, 2007. [1] The album will be preceded by a mixtape, which will be released this summer, to serve as a "prelude" to the release of Black Roses.

Legal run-ins

  • On January 25, 1997, the 17-year-old Brown spat on two hotel workers in Raleigh, North Carolina when they told her they didn't have an iron available. When she missed a court appearance, another arrest warrant was issued and she finally turned herself in on April 30, 1997. She eventually received a 30-day suspended sentence and was ordered to perform 80 hours of community service.[5]
  • On March 6, 2000, Brown crashed her Range Rover in Flatbush, Brooklyn. Her injuries were minor but police arrested her for driving while her license had been suspended for not paying two parking tickets. [2]
  • On July 26, 2002, Brown was arrested in Kingston, Jamaica for an altercation with a policewoman at Norman Manley International Airport. When she missed a court appearance two days later, Jamaican authorities announced that she would be arrested if she returned to the island. [3]
  • On August 29, 2004, Brown allegedly attacked two manicurists in Chelsea, Manhattan during a dispute over a $20 bill that she refused to pay. She was not charged for the incident until March 7, 2005. She has denied the charges and even rejected misdemeanor plea deals on May 6 and August 9, 2005. [4] [5] [6]. On October 25, 2006, Brown was sentences to three years probation and anger management counseling, orders of protection were authorized for the manucurists. [7][8]
  • On December 23, 2005, Brown was handcuffed in a Manhattan, New York courtroom after an exchange with a judge. Brown was in court to finalize a plea deal stemming from the August 2004 incident. Judge Melissa Jackson thought Brown was chewing gum and asked her to get rid of it. Brown responded by opening her mouth and sticking her tongue out. Judge Jackson ordered Brown cuffed to a bench for fifteen minutes, but when a female court officer attempted to handcuff her they got into a heated exchange over a bracelet the rapper was wearing. Judge Jackson alleged that Brown also struck the officer. When Brown refused to apologize, she was threatened with thirty days in jail. She gave in and apologized to the court. The confusion was that she stuck out her tongue to show that she had no gum, not to disrespect the judge. [9] [10]
  • On February 15, 2007, Brown was arrested for Beauty Salon incident in Broward County, Florida. According to the Florida arrest report, Brown was applying beauty products in the bathroom when a Queen Beauty Supply employee told her the business was closed and it was time to leave. She refused and threw hair glue at the employee, the report said. Brown soon then spat on the man as he called 911, staining his shirt. A police officer found her in the shopping plaza and tried to get her to return to the store. When the officer placed a hand on her arm to escort her to the store, Brown swatted it away, then started swinging her arms and struggling with the officer, the report said. The officer had to "use a takedown maneuver to gain control" of Brown, according to the report. No one was injured.
  • On March 1, 2007, Foxy Brown pleaded guilty Thursday to a probation violation for leaving New York without permission.
  • On March 22, 2007, Broward County Judge Joel Lazurus issued an arrest warrant for the arrest of Foxy Brown for her failure to appear in court for the February 15, 2007 incident. [11]

Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Melissa Jackson said Brown's sentence will continue the six months' probation she is already serving. But Jackson warned that if there are any other probation infractions, "I'm reserving the right to resentence you to jail for one year." 20:38, 1 March 2007 (UTC)

Power 105.1 Controversy

On November 22, 2006 Foxy Brown appeared at New York radio station Power 105.1 for an interview with morning show hosts Egypt and Donnell “Ashy” Rawlings. As the interview began to air Ashy made remarks, and took several shots at Foxy's recent hearing loss. Through the rest of the interview Brown refused to answer to Ashy, excluding him from her conversation with Egypt. The interview became acrimonious when Ms. Brown was asked by Egypt to explain rumors that she had been dropped from her record label. Ms. Brown contradicted herself, saying first that she was still "signed to Jay" and then that she had "initiated leaving Def Jam." The DJs then asked the rapper questions including details on her recent conviction for assault, but she declined to answer, berating the DJs for being "disrespectful" and reminding Egypt that, "I told you when I called you what type of questions I wanted for my interview." At this point, Egypt ended the interview, stating: "Foxy, you leave the room . . . this interview is over." [12] A clip of the controversial interview during which Brown left the New York radio station first surfaced on popular blogs and urban websites.

Discography

Albums

Album cover Album information
Ill Na Na
  • Released: November 19, 1996
  • US Peak Position: No. 7
  • US Sales: 1.8 Million US

Last RIAA certification: Platinum

File:Firmalbum.jpg The Firm, The Album
File:Foxychynadoll.jpg Chyna Doll
File:Foxybrownbrokensilence.jpg Broken Silence

Singles

Year Song U.S Hot 100 U.S. R&B U.S. Rap UK singles Album
1996 "Get Me Home" (featuring Blackstreet) 6 5 - 11 Ill Na Na
1997 "I'll Be" (featuring Jay-Z) 7 5 2 9 Ill Na Na
1997 "Big Bad Mama" (featuring Dru Hill) 73 - 54 12 Def Jam's How To Be A Player Soundtrack
1999 "Hot Spot" 91 22 23 31 Chyna Doll
1999 "I Can't" (featuring Total) - 61 45 - Chyna Doll
2001 "B.K. Anthem" - 82 22 - Broken Silence
2001 "Candy" (featuring Kelis) - 48 10 48 Broken Silence
2001 "Oh Yeah" (featuring Spragga Benz) - 63 - 27 Broken Silence
2003 "Too Much For Me" (DJ Kayslay featuring Nas, Baby and Foxy Brown) - 53 - - The Streetsweeper Vol 1
2003 "I Need a Man" (featuring The Letter M) - - - - Ill Na Na 2: The Fever
2005 "Come Fly With Me" (featuring Sizzla) - 45 - 42 Black Roses

Guest/Soundtrack Appearances

External links

References

  1. ^ "MTV Music: Foxy Brown". MTV.
  2. ^ Shaheem Reid (April 26, 2005). "Foxy Brown And Jacki-O Duke It Out At Miami Studio". MTV.
  3. ^ Roman Wolfe (May 1, 2005). "Foxy Brown Denies Physical Confrontation With Jacki O". AllHipHop.
  4. ^ Andres Tardio (October 17, 2005). "Foxy Brown Goes Deaf, Breaks Her Silence". HipHopDX.
  5. ^ "MTV News: Foxy Brown Turns Herself In". MTV. May 2, 1992.
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