Although the Juice Crew was originally a group of moguls, DJ’s, and MC’s who hung out at The legendary Disco Fever nightclub, the second iteration was a crew of MC’s headed up by super producer Marley Marl.
Roxanne Shante, MC Shan, and Biz Markie were original members of the legendary clique. Roxanné Shante, who was Marley’s first commercially successful production, brought in the first members of the crew.
MC Shan tells Rock The Bells that he owes his career to Shante.
“‘The Bridge’ was a tape in the Queensbridge projects for two years before anybody (outside of QB) heard it,” he explains. “Down By Law just progressed because I was on tour with Shante. Now I gotta come up with an album because I’m going here and there with the hottest girl in the whole game. Shante was Beyoncé back then. I’m on tour wit’ Beyoncé.”
Shan says that his association with Shante gave him clout and caused him to be remembered as “that little skinny boy” that was running with her, and that his popularity from his independent singles got the attention of Warner Bros Records.
Biz Markie also got his first onstage exposure by touring with Shante.
Shante assembled one of the most powerful cliques in rap music, and it showed that a woman’s place was not only on the microphone.
