Queen Pen

Queen Pen
Birth name Lynise Walters
Born 1972 (age 43–44)
Brooklyn, New York City
Genres Hip hop
Occupation(s) Rapper
Instruments Rapping
Years active 1996–present
Labels Lil' Man, Motown
Associated acts Teddy Riley, Blackstreet, Nefu Da Don, Dr. Dre, Ridley

Lynise Walters, better known by the stage name Queen Pen, (born 1972) is a Grammy-nominated American rapper.

Her music career started as a protégé of Teddy Riley, a record producer and member of the R&B group BLACKstreet in the mid-1990s. She was a featured rapper, along with Dr. Dre, on BLACKstreet's 1996 hit, "No Diggity". She signed to Riley's Lil' Man label, and released My Melody (1997), her solo debut album, produced by Riley.[1]

Her first album produced the charting singles "All My Love", "Man Behind the Music", and "Party Ain't a Party". Queen Pen earned a 1998 Soul Train nomination for Best New Artist.[2] She also gained notice from her song "Girlfriend" (featuring Me'Shell NdegeOcello), where she explored same-sex affairs.[3]

She took a three-year hiatus from rapping, and returned with Conversations With Queen (2001), her second album. She is now a novelist. Her son is also a rapper, who uses the stage name Nefu Da Don.

Personal life

With the release of the controversial lesbian-themed single, "Girlfriend", media sources often presumed Queen Pen as being an openly gay or bisexual woman for her daring decision in releasing a song that was taboo in the hip-hop community.[4][5][6] During the song's release, Pen remained coy about her sexuality and would not disclose it unless it was going to be a "front page" story.[5] She also added that if she told the press she was straight, she would be viewed as a liar; in turn, if she were to say she was gay, she would be viewed as someone trying to get publicity.[5] In 2001, Pen officially disclosed to the press that she was neither gay nor bisexual.[7] However, by 2008, Pen rebutted the aforementioned remark, and confirmed that she was indeed bisexual and had sexual relationships with both men and women.

Controversy

Feud with Foxy Brown

In 1998, a dispute between Foxy Brown and Queen Pen developed over Pen's controversial lesbian-themed single, "Girlfriend."[4] Brown, who took offense of the song's subject, spewed homophobic remarks to both Pen and former rival Queen Latifah via her diss record, "10% Dis."[4][8] In response, Pen had reportedly stepped to Brown barefoot in the lobby of Nevada's Reno Hilton during the Impact Music Convention and tried to slap and chase her down an elevator.[4][9] The fight would later be broken up by Brown's associates Noreaga and Cam'ron.[9] However, when Foxy Brown was accompanied by ex-lover Kurupt, Queen Pen coincidentally bumped into her again; the conflict was yet again subdued before any further physical contact played into effect.[9]

In late 1998, Brown would release another diss track titled "Talk to Me", which contained more homophobic remarks to Pen and Latifah.[10] In 2001, Pen subliminally responded to the diss track via her record "I Got Cha", in which Pen rechristened Brown as a "bum bitch", and later went on to make remarks about her being funny and fake "like a drag queen."[11] Although Pen insisted the song was not about Brown, she hinted: "...You make a record about me, I make a record about you. Sooner or later I'm going to have to punch you in your face."[12] Shortly after the track's release, the feud began to die down and by August 2006, both Pen and Brown reconciled and squashed the beef during an attendance at Russell Simmons' Hip-Hop Summit.[13]

Novels

Crossroads : A Novel

Discography

Albums

Singles

References

  1. ↑ Ankeny, Jason. "Queen Pen". AllMusic.
  2. ↑ http://www.allbusiness.com/retail-trade/miscellaneous-retail-retail-stores-not/4607042-1.html. Retrieved January 3, 2009. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. ↑ Jamison, Laura (1998-01-18). "A Feisty Female Rapper Breaks a Hip-Hop Taboo". New York Times.
  4. 1 2 3 4 D, Davey (May 15, 1998). "May '98 Hip Hop News". Davey D's Hip Hop Corner. daveyd.com. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
  5. 1 2 3 Jamison, Laura (January 18, 1998). "A Feisty Female Rapper Breaks a Hip-Hop Taboo". New York Times. prismnet.com. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
  6. ↑ Haye, Christian (August 15, 1998). "The Grimee". Frieze Magazine. frieze.com. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
  7. ↑ Flowers, Nina. "Revolutions > Queen Pen: Conversations with Queen." Vibe. July 2001: 131. Print.
  8. ↑ "Funkmaster Flex – 10% Dis Lyrics". Rap Genius. rapgenius.com. Retrieved May 8, 2013.
  9. 1 2 3 "Vibe Confidential: Everything You Want to Know Before You're Supposed to Know It." Vibe. August 1998: 44. Print.
  10. ↑ "Foxy Brown – Talk To Me Lyrics". Rap Genius. rapgenius.com. Retrieved May 8, 2013.
  11. ↑ "Queen Pen – I Got Cha Lyrics". Rap Genius. rapgenius.com. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
  12. ↑ Reid, Shaheem (April 6, 2001). "No Diggity: Queen Pen Returns With New LP". MTV News.com. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
  13. ↑ "Foxy Brown & Queen Pen reconcile". YouTube. YouTube.com. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
  14. ↑ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 445. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
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