Foxy Brown (rapper)
- For other uses, see Foxy Brown (disambiguation)
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Foxy Brown (born Inga Marchand on September 6, 1979 in Brooklyn, New York) is a multiracial American rapper of Trinidadian descent known for her solo work as well as numerous collaborations and a brief stint as part of hip-hop supergroup The Firm.
Biography
A 16-year-old Brown first appeared as the "featured" guest on the singles "I Shot Ya" (LL Cool J), "Touch Me, Tease Me" (Case), "You're Makin' Me High" remix (Toni Braxton), "Ain't No..." (Jay-Z), and "No One Else" (Total), all in 1996. With several hit singles, a bidding war ensued in 1996 and Brown signed to Def Jam. She soon joined The Firm with Cormega, AZ and Nas before releasing her solo 1996 debut, Il Na Na, to mixed reviews but strong sales.
Despite some positive reviews, Ill Na Na was heavily criticized by many for containing lyrics that were more explicit than anything anyone so young (Brown was 16 when the album was produced), especially a girl, had ever recorded before. Fellow raunchy female rapper and Brooklyn native, Lil' Kim, also appeared on the music scene around the same time and the media immediately created a rivalry between Fox and Kim.
In 1997, The Firm released the singles "Phone Tap" featuring Dr. Dre and "Firm Biz" featuring Dawn Robinson, who had recently left En Vogue to form Lucy Pearl with former Tony! Toni! Tone! member, Raphael Saadiq.
The Firm having disbanded due to lackluster sales, Brown proceeded to focus on her own album; that same year, Ill Na Na spawned the hit singles, "I'll Be" (featuring Jay-Z) and "Get Me Home" (featuring Blackstreet). Later that year, Brown and Dru Hill released a single off of the Def Jam's How to Be a Player soundtrack, "Big Bad Mama".
Brown's next two albums sold respectably, but progressively less. 1999's Chyna Doll which made chart history when it became the first album by a female rap artist to enter the Billboard 200 Album chart at #1, and it produced the hit single and sexy music video "Hot Spot". Her most recent album, Broken Silence (2001), is best remembered for its third single, "Candy", which featured Kelis singing the chorus and was a minor hit at urban radio. The album's first two singles, "Oh Yeah" and "BK Anthem", respectively, weren't even as big commercially as "Candy" or Brown's previous singles, but each was notable in its own right.
"Oh Yeah", which featured Jamaican artist Spragga Benz (Brown would eventually marry him), marked Brown's debut in the reggae/dancehall genre of music. "BK Anthem" was grittier and more underground than any of Brown's singles before or since and gave "props" to her hometown, Brooklyn, and other famous rappers such as Biggie and Jay-Z who also originated from Brooklyn. The song's music video had a similarly urban and home-grown feel, and was made to look like it was cheaply recorded from a home video camcorder.
In 2003, Brown returned to the music scene briefly on a DJ Kay Slay single called "Too Much For Me". An advance bootleg copy of her rumoured album Ill Na Na 2: The Fever surfaced on-line but a dispute with Def Jam big shot Lyor Cohen and bad boy P. Diddy over Foxy's future label put the album on the backburner. Her single "I Need A Man" was briefly featured on an episode of MTV's Duets and made it onto several mix tapes before the Ill Na Na 2 buzz wore out.
Brown has tried to make amends with her rival, Lil' Kim, but has cited that immaturity on Kim's part has prevented the two from setting aside their differences. Brown has claimed that Kim, who is older than Brown, should be the one to take the initiative to act respectfully and make peace.
In 2005, Foxy Brown reunited with her childhood friend Jay-Z, when she was signed to Roc-A-Fella Records. The same year, Brown fell victim to a sudden case of sensorineural hearing loss, which took 100% of her hearing. Surgery restored approximately 20% of her hearing, and although repeated treatements have not improved her hearing beyond this point, Brown remains hopeful that surgery will help. deaf
Legal Run-ins
On January 25, 1997, the 17-year-old Brown spit 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. [1] [2]
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. [3]
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, Jamaica authorities announced that she would be arrested if she returned to the island. [4]
On August 29, 2004, Brown allegedly attacked two manicurists in Chelsea, Manhattan during a dispute over a bill. 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. [5] [6] [7]
Discography
Albums
- 2005: Black Roses (slated for a December release)
- 2001: Broken Silence #5 on The Billboard 200 albums chart, RIAA Gold Certification
- 1999: Chyna Doll #1 on The Billboard 200 albums chart, RIAA 3X Platinum Certification
- 1997: The Firm: The Album (with Nas, AZ, and Nature) #1 on The Billboard 200 albums chart, RIAA Platinum Certification
- 1996: Ill Na Na #6 on The Billboard 200 albums chart, RIAA 3X Platinum Certification
Singles
| Year | Title | Chart positions | Album | |
| US Hot 100 | US R&B/Hip-Hop | |||
| 1996 | "Get Me Home" (feat. Blackstreet) | - | - | Ill Na Na |
| 1997 | "I'll Be" (feat. Jay-Z) | # 7 | - | Ill Na Na |
| 1999 | "Hot Spot" | - | - | Chyna Doll |
| 1999 | "I Can't" | - | - | Chyna Doll |
| 2001 | "B.K. Anthem" | - | - | Broken Silence |
| 2001 | "Oh Yeah" (feat. Spragga Benz) | - | - | Broken Silence |
| 2001 | "Candy" (feat. Kelis) | - | - | Broken Silence |
| 2001 | "Tables Will Turn" (feat. Baby Cham) | - | - | Broken Silence |
| 2002 | "Stylin'" | - | - | The Source Presents: Hip Hop Hits, Vol. 6 |
| 2003 | "I Need a Man" (feat. The Letter M.) | - | - | ?? |
| 2005 | "Come Fly With Me" (feat. Sizzla) | - | #45 | Black Roses |