Queen Pen

Lynise Walters (born 1972), better known by her stage name Queen Pen, is an American rapper and novelist. She also has experience as a record producer, and has received a Soul Train nomination for Best New Artist. She has dealt with some controversy in relation to her use of lesbian themes—it being a taboo within hip-hop—in some of her music. Walters has written three novels.

Queen Pen
Birth nameLynise Walters
Born1972 (age 48–49)
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
GenresHip hop
Occupation(s)Rapper
Years active1994–present
Labels
Associated acts

Career

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. Although not being listed on the song, she, alongside Dr. Dre, was a featured artist on Blackstreet's 1996 hit, "No Diggity".[1] She signed to Riley's Lil' Man label, and released My Melody (1997), her solo debut album, produced by Riley.[2]

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.[3] She also gained notice from her song "Girlfriend" featuring Meshell Ndegeocello, where she explored same-sex affairs.[4]

She took a three-year hiatus from rapping, and returned with Conversations with Queen (2001), her second album. She is now a novelist. Her sons Donlynn and Quintion Walters are also rappers who go by the stage names of Nefu Da Don and Q Nhannaz.

Personal life

After the release of the controversial single "Girlfriend", dealing with lesbian themes that were often taboo in the hip-hop community, some media sources presumed Queen Pen to be an openly gay or bisexual woman.[5][6][7] 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.[6] 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.[6] In 2001, Pen officially disclosed to the press that she was neither gay nor bisexual.[8]

Controversy

Feud with Foxy Brown

In 1998, a dispute between Foxy Brown and Queen Pen developed over Pen's controversial lesbian-themed single "Girlfriend".[5] 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".[5][9] In response, Pen 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.[5][10] The fight later was broken up by producer Derek "DC" Clark & Brown's associates Noreaga and Cam'ron.[10] However, when Foxy Brown was accompanied by ex-lover Kurupt, Queen Pen coincidentally bumped into her again; the conflict was subdued before any further physical contact played into effect.[10]

In late 1998, Brown released another diss track titled "Talk to Me", which contained more homophobic remarks to Pen and Latifah.[11] 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 made remarks about her being funny and fake "like a drag queen".[12] 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."[13] Shortly after the track's release, the feud began to die down, and by July 2006, both Pen and Brown reconciled and squashed the beef during an attendance at Russell Simmons' Hip-Hop Summit.[14][15]

Novels
  • Situations: A Book of Short Stories (2002)
  • Blossom: A Novel (2007)
  • Crossroads: A Novel

Discography

Albums

Singles

References
  1. "Will the Mainstream Support More Than One Rap Queen at a Time? A Charts Investigation". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2019-03-07.
  2. Ankeny, Jason. "[Queen Pen at AllMusic Queen Pen]". AllMusic.
  4. Jamison, Laura (1998-01-18). "A Feisty Female Rapper Breaks a Hip-Hop Taboo". New York Times.
  5. D, Davey (May 15, 1998). "May '98 Hip Hop News". Davey D's Hip Hop Corner. daveyd.com. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
  6. Jamison, Laura (January 18, 1998). "A Feisty Female Rapper Breaks a Hip-Hop Taboo". New York Times. prismnet.com. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
  7. Haye, Christian (August 15, 1998). "The Grimee". Frieze Magazine. frieze.com. Archived from the original on February 18, 2008. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
  8. Flowers, Nina. "Revolutions > Queen Pen: Conversations with Queen." Vibe. July 2001: 131. Print.
  9. "Funkmaster Flex – 10% Dis Lyrics". Rap Genius. rapgenius.com. Retrieved May 8, 2013.
  10. "Vibe Confidential: Everything You Want to Know Before You're Supposed to Know It." Vibe. August 1998: 44. Print.
  11. "Foxy Brown – Talk To Me Lyrics". Rap Genius. rapgenius.com. Retrieved May 8, 2013.
  12. "Queen Pen – I Got Cha Lyrics". Rap Genius. rapgenius.com. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
  13. Reid, Shaheem (April 6, 2001). "No Diggity: Queen Pen Returns With New LP". MTV News.com. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
  14. "Foxy Brown & Queen Pen reconcile". YouTube. YouTube.com. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
  15. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2019-04-22. Retrieved 2019-04-22.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  16. 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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