Doreen C. Broadnax, known professionally as Sparky D, or spelled Sparky DeeIssues in African American Music: Power, Gender, Race, Representation – edited by Portia K. Maultsby, Mellonee V. Burnim
/ref> (born June 2, 1965) is an American hip–hop musician and

rapper Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...

. Broadnax is noted as one of the first female battle rappers, first gaining attention through the

Roxanne Wars The Roxanne Wars is a well-known series of hip hop rivalries during the mid-1980s, yielding perhaps the most answer records in history. The dispute arose over a failed appearance at a radio promotional show. There were two Roxannes in question, ...

; when she responded to Roxanne Shante's "Roxanne's Revenge" with "Sparky's Turn (Roxanne, You're Through)" in 1985.

Biography

Early life

Born in

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

, Broadnax was born to a Caucasian mother and African-American father. Broadnax was raised in the Van Dyke Housing Projects in the Brownsville neighborhood.

Career

Broadnax began her music career around 1983 when she became a member of a local hip-hop group, The Playgirls. The group, which consisted of Lisa (whose stage name was City Slim) and Mona (whose stage name was Mo Ski) recruited Broadnax to join after listening to her rap at a local hangout. After joining the group, The Playgirls recorded "Our Picture of a Man" for

Sutra Records Kama Sutra Records was started in 1964 by Arthur "Artie" Ripp, Hy Mizrahi and Phil Steinberg as Kama Sutra Productions, a production house. The "Kama Sutra" is an ancient Sanskrit text.Alan Betrock ''Girl groups: the story of a sound'' 1982 p.1 ...

in 1983; later released in 1984. During her time with the group, Broadnax was introduced to rapper and music producer Spyder D. In 1984, 14-year-old rapper

Roxanne Shante Lolita Shante Gooden (born March 8, 1970), better known by her stage name Roxanne Shante, is an American rapper. Born and raised in the Queensbridge Projects of Queens, New York City, Shante first gained attention through the Roxanne Wars and w ...

released "

Roxanne's Revenge "Roxanne's Revenge" is the debut single by American rapper Roxanne Shante. It was produced by a then unknown Marley Marl and released in 1984 through the independent label Pop Art Records. In the song, a 14-year-old Roxanne Shante, whose real nam ...

," a response to

U.T.F.O. UTFO (an abbreviation for Untouchable Force Organization) was an American old-school hip hop group from Brooklyn, New York City. The group consisted of Kangol Kid (born Shaun Shiller Fequiere; August 10, 1966 – December 18, 2021), Educated R ...

's record " Roxanne, Roxanne," a song about a woman who would not respond to their advances. After listening to Shante's song on WBLS' Mr. Magic's Rap Attack on New Year's Eve 1985, Spyder-D decided that Broadnax would respond to Shante's record the following day. Taking offense to Shante's attack on a fellow Brooklyn crew, Broadnax responded with "Sparky's Turn (Roxanne You're Through)" under the NIA Records label; It was produced by Spyder-D. The single sold more than 300,000 copies in days of its release, later becoming certified gold. This, in turn, kicked off the

, is a well-known series of hip hop rivalries during the mid–1980s, yielding perhaps the most answer records in history. In 1985, capitalizing off the success of both records, Roxanne Shante and Broadnax released "Round One, Roxanne Shanté vs Sparky Dee" on Spin Records which included a battle track, in which the two rappers freestyle and diss each other. In subsequent years, Broadnax released a few tracks including d "He’s My DJ" b/w "She’s So Def" with

Kool DJ Red Alert Frederick Crute (born November 27, 1956), known professionally as Kool DJ Red Alert, is an American disc jockey who rose to fame on WRKS 98.7 Kiss FM in New York City and is recognized as one of the founding fathers of hip hop music and cultur ...

in 1985 and "Throwdown" in 1987. The year 1988 saw the release of her first full-length album on B-Boy Records, ''This is Sparky D's World''. Broadnax continues to stay active in the hip hop community, working with various old school artists on hip hop gospel records including

MC Shy D Peter Jones, professionally known by his stage name MC Shy D, is an American rapper and Record producer, producer originally from the Bronx, New York, but was based in Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia and thus became known as one of the first rappers to ...

, Spyder D, Roxanne Shante, Kool DJ Red Alert and K Wiz.Icons of Hip Hop: An Encyclopedia of the Movement, Music, and Culture edited by Mickey Hess
/ref>

Personal life

Broadnax has stated in interviews that she was a victim of

domestic abuse Domestic violence (also known as domestic abuse or family violence) is violence or other abuse that occurs in a domestic setting, such as in a marriage or cohabitation. ''Domestic violence'' is often used as a synonym for ''intimate partner v ...

, struggled with a

crack cocaine Crack cocaine, commonly known simply as crack, and also known as rock, is a free base form of the stimulant cocaine that can be smoked. Crack offers a short, intense high to smokers. The ''Manual of Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment'' calls ...

addiction and was involved in prostitution sometime after the height of her career.SPARKY D AND DJ C BOOGIE INTERVIEW WOMEN OF HIP HOP
/ref> In 2017, Broadnax was portrayed by Cheryse Dyllan in Netflix film '' Roxanne, Roxanne'', a biopic about the life of

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Sparky D 1965 births African-American women rappers Living people People from Brownsville, Brooklyn Rappers from Brooklyn 21st-century American rappers 21st-century American women musicians 21st-century African-American women 21st-century African-American musicians 20th-century African-American people 20th-century African-American women 21st-century women rappers