50 years of hip-hop: honoring pioneering women in the genre

THE BRONX, N.Y. (PIX11) — Trailblazing women in hip-hop are being honored in a series of new portraits. 

The portraits were created by artist ~.THE.DoT. and donated to the Universal Hip Hop Museum in the South Bronx on International Women’s Day.

The artwork features Roxanne Shante, Cindy Campbell, Sylvia Robinson, MC Sha-Rock, Sparky D and Lady Pink. 

Roxanne Shante stood proudly next to the portrait of her. “It captures both sides of me,” she said. “I think it captures the Roxanne and the Shante.”

Roxanne Shante was the first female battle rapper and the first female rapper to have a hit single. 

Leland Robinson was moved by the portrait of his mother, Sylvia Robinson. “It almost brought tears to my eyes,” Leland Robinson said. 

Sylvia Robinson ran an empire as the founder of Sugar Hill Records.