The New York Mets are taking part in the celebration of Hip-Hop’s 50th.
via: Vibe
Hip-Hop royalty was in the building at Citi Field in Queens this past weekend, as Roxanne Shante threw the opening pitch at the New York Mets game on Saturday evening (July 15).
The rap legend, who hails from the Mets’ home of Queens, New York, shared the moment with her followers on social media, uploading a clip of her making the ceremonial toss to home plate. “Another Great day being Roxanne Shante,” the veteran wrote in the caption, adding the hashtag #plzbelieveit and noting the honor of throwing the “First pitch at The Mets Game.”
In the clip, Shante can be seen walking confidently onto the field while being introduced by the announcer, wearing a Mets jersey with “Roxanne” on the back and the number 50 in reference of Hip-Hop’s anniversary year.
Juggling a baseball from hand to hand as she approached the mound, the pioneer motioned in a festive manner to hype up the fans, bearing a grin that showed her enjoyment of the moment. Joined by producer and collaborator Cutmaster Cool V, who served as the catcher of the pitch, Roxanne’s throw fell a bit short of reaching home plate, but was reasonably accurate, prompting the pair to celebrate the feat. However, the rapper’s presence didn’t prove to be a good luck charm for the Mets, who fell to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the matchup.
Roxanne Shante and Cutmaster Cool V’s appearance was in celebration of Hip-Hop 50 and the upcoming Rock The Bells Festival, which will take place at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens on Aug. 5. In addition to Shante, performers slated to hit the stage include LL Cool J, Queen Latifah, Big Daddy Kane, Rakim, Salt-N-Pepa, Slick Rick, and more.
Roxanne Shante came to fame during the 1980s and is credited as one of the first female rap artists, releasing the seminal diss track “Roxanne’s Revenge” at 14-years-old in response to U.T.F.O.’s hit “Roxanne, Roxanne.” An original member of the Juice Crew, Shante released two studio albums during her career and was the subject of 2017 film, Roxanne Roxanne, a dramatic Netflix film based on her life and journey throughout the Hip-Hop industry.
