Pioneering Brooklyn MC Sparky D Dies At 61

MC Sparky D was a key Hip-Hop figure in the 1980s after getting involved in the “Roxanne Wars” battles on wax. Last weekend, MC Sparky D passed away, with Hip-Hop fans remembering her legacy.

Sparky D, born Doreen C. Broadnax, grew up in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn, New York.

As seen in a 2022 profile on Business Insider featuring the pioneering women of Hip-Hop, it was highlighted that Sparky D’s most notable track is the track “Sparky’s Turn (Roxanne You’re Through,” delivered in response to Roxanne Shanté‘s “Roxanne’s Revenge” diss track against U.T.F.O.

After joining a rap collective known as The Playgirls, Sparky D was introduced to producer Spyder D. Reportedly, after hearing “Roxanne’s Revenge” on the radio, Spyder D recruited Sparky D to record the response track, which kicked off the Roxanne Wars.

Sparky D released her debut album, This Is Sparky D’s World, in 1988, and she remained a fixture in Hip-Hop, appearing alongside legends such as Kool DJ Red Alert, MC Shy D, and her on-wax rival, Roxanne Shanté, among others.

MC Sparky D was 61.

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Photo: Getty