[7] In 1985, Shante battled Busy Bee Starski for the title of "best freestyle rapper" but lost due to improper judging.

In 1997 Roxanne was featured on Frankie Cutlass third single title "The Cypher Part III" which featured some of Marley Marl juice crew rappers, Big Daddy Kane, Big Markie and Craig G. [10] By the age of 25 Shante was largely retired from the recording industry.

She continued to make occasional guest appearances and live performances, as well as mentor young female hip-hop artists.

It was reported by Blender in 2008,[13] and more extensively in a New York Daily News account in 2009,[14] that Shante earned a bachelor's degree from Marymount Manhattan College and a master's and Ph.D in psychology from Cornell University.

[15] In 2009, an investigation by lawyer and journalist Ben Sheffner for Slate magazine found no evidence of Shante's claims.

Shante never earned a degree and she is unlicensed by New York State officials to practice psychology or similar disciplines.

It received critical acclaim and the lead actress Chanté Adams won best breakout performance for her portrayal of Shante.

[22] At the height of her career, Shante was referred to as the "Queen of Rap" by The New York Times[23] and has been noted as a hip-hop pioneer.

"[27] In 1989, The Christian Science Monitor stated that the popularity of rappers like Roxanne Shante, Salt-N-Pepa, and MC Lyte created a path for the next generation of female hip hop artists.