90s Hip Hop Don Diva Fox “Ill Na Na” Boogie Brown will soon be getting her boogie on-for now, not on the mic; but into your nights-on one of TV’s hottest new hip hop drama’s on Fox: Empire.
Although since the 2000s the raptresses reputation has proceeded her-to date;
…the self-proclaimed “in the streets chic [not an] industry chic” has been making moves and hanging with all the right people here of late.
Longtime friend: supermodel Naomi Campbell
….has obviously been looking out for her homegirl Fox Boogie-who’s been spotted out on town [with her chum Naomi], Kylie Minogue, and Gayle King).
Along with rapper Tyson Beckford, Campbell and Fox attended creator Lee Daniel’s premier party last month and apparently..
...Fox copped a spot into the show’s dynamic cast list of characters (like Taraji P. Henson and Terrance Howard) starring in the dramatic hip hop dynasty.
Foxy has been the underdog in this game for FAR TOO LONG. And this year…it’s the year of the UNDERDOG. And I’m happy to see her getting it on! This will be Foxy’s prime time television debut and we’re certainly looking forward to it!
Foxy shared the news by excitedly snapping a screenshot of a text conversation held between she and Daniels-confirming her upcoming role on the show:
Empire airs of Fox Wednesday nights.
Check out scenes from Season 1 / tomorrow’s epi #2. Enjoy!:
My Word Worth a Billion Bucks and a Thousand Pictures
Pardon my zeal, but Foxy Brown has been pushed to the back, provoked, and therefore: reactive-fighting fights for far too long.
It took a newcomer to the entertainment industry and a dear friend (and underdog herself-Naomi Campbell) to believe in her, and give her a chance to wet her feet again.
The shameful part about it is all, is that for over 14 years now-she couldn’t even get a cameo on a rap or R&B CD and had to wait this long…………………..to get a cameo on a tv show (with a rap premise). That’s not acceptable to me-especially when I’ve seen far too memes, tweets, quotes and Instagram posts filled with “good vibing,” and laden with urges to “be positive,” and “spread love” and all kinds of inspirational, “positive” and of unity-based rhetoric. But what’s happening behind all those words in front of the world that keep you paid and looking to be one way…(in comparison to what’s really going on and who you really are at log off)? Think about that sh|t… I can’t lie, I often find myself asking: outside of what’s being promoted and publicized to add to your poularity and income, where is the walk to all this talk?”
I’m very happy for her-even for this little piece of few minutes of shine. She’s a rap dame that too, and has paid her dues early in this game too. And whether she’s invited or not-she’s woven into rap’s fabric too-woven into a time in rap when rap was really about rap and back then–dissed “frontin.’ ” Whereas now-it’s all about frontin,’ front-facing, and dissing reality (with memes, and tweeter posts to help back front it up).
I had to come back and interject some things because YES…I know she’s NOT the “innocent forgotten about victim” here–I KNOW that…she has popped off recklessly on quite a few people over the years. But who has stopped and pulled her to the side to find out what’s really going on inside? Who?
Look at Azaelia Banks…she’s on her way to being the same way: talent on its way to being obsolete and forgotten. And if you notice, day by day she’s fighting to a level where her unwillingness to “play game” (and NOT be herself) is costing her. So her talent and her controversy are switching roles…
I look at like this with both Foxy, Azealia Banks and a few others (something that disillusioned outsiders have no idea about so hold your eyes and close your ears if you are squeemish):
Unfortunately, it’s rare that celebrities can live in a Nike-Tiger world: where, regardless, Nike hung in there with Tiger Woods through all the transgressions and bad decisions and such. The industry is a place where, the only acceptable way to be your [true] self, is if it works well for your image, and your m.o is commensurate with your entire “package.” Often times….your success in the industry will have about 15% to do with the craft but 85% to do with how much your are willing to play the game-how much of your true self you are willing to cash in to become a walking product or image of a totality of well-designed publicity stunts and campaigns designed to put forth to the people about who (they think) you are (in order to market you). e.g Madonna, Rihanna.
And for most people in the game…if you don’t play that game too well (because you wish to preserve your own soul and not cash it in) you’re either going to do it
- the Lauryn Hill way: bow out and create your own path
- or you’re going to spend years playing around on this Internet being “somewhat connected,”-[surviving] off Internet entertainment while the people who really could help you-all gather ’round and turn their heads to the left-ostracizing you for being “you”–too cowardly to step up to talk to you (about what’s really going on with you). The good news/BRIGHT SIDE about that is: Unless you are that eager to hang in those circles and parties, it won’t even phase you. Because (unless you didn’t pay your Internet bill) you cannot be blackballed from the Internet. People like to peep, point gingers, and gossip to have something to do. And through the good, bad and the ugly, either way, they circulate you. That’s a hustle for many–depending on how high or low you want your soul to glow or go.
All that being said, the fact of the matter is this: (for understandable and shameful reasons equally), unfortunately, the industry is filled with many [literal followers] who, rather than sitting down and being in the company [of somebody like Foxy–like obviously Lee Daniels did…to hear her side, and feel her plight]..they’d rather feel “powerful” enough to see somebody’s craft turn to dust before even being bold enough to step up and get answers via one person or friend who had the courage to get her a chance.
OBVIOUSLY, Daniels was a man of his own mind and gave this girl a chance (instead of listening to naysayers-and being a slave and follower to the whispers of those not wanting her to get her chance). And Oh how DEEEElighted I am that he did–on such a successful new show! This news and Daniels’ chance given to this girl reminds me of the scene at the end of The Color Purple: when Mister went to the Immigration Department and did the right thing that enabled Celie to be connected to her sister and family after all those years of being held back. He did the right thing-finally: give the girl a cameo.
Get your shine on Foxy!
(Now let’s just cross our fingers and pray that Foxy’s acting chops can compare to her hip hop) 🙂
Spitfire .
Media Maestro .
Writing Rhinoceros .
