Song Clearance Sheet
5 sources citedRoxanne, Roxanne
Hip-Hop1980s100BPM
C♯ majKey
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The verdict
Documented Sampling History
A confirmed original artist and production team (UTFO, Full Force) and extensive real reuse — the dozens of “Roxanne Wars” answer records. The separate injustice, Roxanne Shanté’s own uncompensated answer record, lives in Cultural Impact.
Sampled 30–100+ answer records (“Roxanne Wars”) times
Used by independents?
Yes — answered by Roxanne Shanté, an independent act on Pop Art Records, in 1984 — one of 30+ independent “Roxanne Wars” records.
Quick Facts
Released1984
GenreHip-Hop
LabelSelect Records
ProducerFull Force
More infoWikipedia → · Discogs →
Who you need to ask
Has it been reused?
Yes — this single B-side sparked hip-hop’s first major “diss/answer record” tradition, the “Roxanne Wars” (1984–85), with a reported 30 to 100+ separate response records.
Do they allow reuse?
No standalone policy found; a confirmed original artist/production team, though the exact individual credit split needs direct confirmation.
Related Songs
Same album, answer records, and songs worth knowing about
The most famous of the dozens of answer records — for which Shanté received no royalties
Who Owns It
Licenses explained →The two permissions you need, and who holds them
The song itself (the writing)UTFO members & Full Force (producers)
The recording (current administrator)Not confirmed
Receipts
Every public mention of terms, policy, or past deals we've found
The most famous answer record eclipsed the original
14-year-old Lolita Shanté Gooden (Roxanne Shanté), from Queensbridge, recorded “Roxanne’s Revenge” (prod. a then-unknown Marley Marl) after hearing DJs complain UTFO had cancelled an appearance — it reportedly sold ~250,000 copies in the New York area alone, eclipsing the original.
Classic Material · read it →
A real, separate injustice: no royalties for Shanté
Per a direct account, Roxanne Shanté had no record deal of her own and received no royalties for her massively successful answer record — a serious grievance distinct from, but related to, this song’s own rights history.
New York Amsterdam News · read it →
The countermove, and a modern film
UTFO and Full Force released their own “official” response, “The Real Roxanne,” though it paled next to Shanté’s impact; the saga formally concluded in 1985 with “The Final Word – No More Roxanne.” Shanté’s story was dramatized in the 2018 Netflix film “Roxanne Roxanne” (prod. Forest Whitaker, Pharrell Williams).
Forbes · read it →
Can You Use It for Free?
How to check PD →Is it public domain?No
Sample History
30–100+ answer records (“Roxanne Wars”)
Times sampled
—
Covers
1984
First flip
Big names who used itRoxanne Shanté · The Real Roxanne
Who to Contact
UT
UTFO / Full Force
The confirmed original artist and production team (exact split needs confirmation)
What they'll chargeNobody's shared numbers yet
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References
Every source cited on this page — 5 in total
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Page history · 2 updates
Jul 2026Page created — full research (SEO Batch)
Jul 2026BPM/Key pending a separate manual keyfinder pass