The ‘Queens’ of Hip-Hop Reign Supreme At Central Library

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Panelists included Queens natives Sweet Tee and Pauline Mimms, among other influential hip hop stars. Image courtesy of the Queens Library

Panelists included Queens natives Sweet Tee and Pauline Mimms, among other influential hip hop stars. Image courtesy of the Queens Library

By Jonathan Sperling

Bow down to the Queens.

The Queens Library will host a hip-hop panel for the ages tomorrow at 1 p.m., as some of the genre’s most influential female artists discuss the current state of women in hip-hop and inspire aspiring MCs.

Sweet Tee, Sha Rock, DJ Spinderella, MC Glamorous and Pauline Mimms were just a few  of the pivotal artists to appear on the panel, which was hosted by Queens Library Hip Hop Coordinator Ralph McDaniels at the Central Library in Jamaica.

Young MCs were encouraged to participate and learn from the women who shaped hip-hop, several of whom hail from Queens.

“It’s important that we identify some of the early women who were part of the hip-hop scene,” McDaniels told the Eagle. “A lot of people are talking about the men, but there were a lot of women right there in the forefront.”

“We need to recognize all of the contributions women have made across the board, especially with hip-hop being the number one genre right now. Not just the rappers, but MCs, DJs, promoters, dancers. They were all part of the scene,” McDaniels added.

MC Glamorous, a Queensbridge native, was a member of Juice Crew, a 1980s hip-hop collective largely made up of Queensbridge residents. The collective helped usher in the New School of hip-hop. Other Juice Crew members included Marley Marl, Roxanne Shante and Biz Markie.

DJ Spinderella is perhaps best known as a member of the legendary hip-hop group Salt-N-Pepa, who became the first female performers to win a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group in 1995.

Sweet Tee, who hails from Bayside, signed with Profile Records in the 1980s. Her debut album, “It's Tee Time” peaked at #31 on the US Billboard R&B chart thanks to hit singles "I Got da Feelin'" and "On the Smooth Tip.”

DJ Lady Love, a Jamaica native, played at countless early hip-hop jams throughout New York City.

Pauline Mimms, from Hollis, was involved heavily in the hip-hop jam scene and co-founded RUSH Productions with friends Russell Simmons and Kurtis Blow.

Other panelists included Sparky Dee, Sheri Sher, Nikki Dee, DJ Lady Love, Missy Dee, DJ Flame, Belinda Trotter-James and Kimba Reynolds.