Remy Ma
A battle-tested rapper from the Bronx who turned personal turmoil into raw, chart-topping anthems of resilience and streetwise confidence.
Born 1981 (age 45)·American rapper·Birthday: May 30·Millennials
Biography
Remy Ma's story is one of hip-hop survival, marked by sharp lyrical prowess and public setbacks. Discovered by Big Pun and later becoming the fierce female voice of Terror Squad, she helped define the mid-2000s New York sound. Her solo debut, 'There's Something About Remy,' announced a major talent, but her career was interrupted by a six-year prison sentence. That period could have ended it all, but she engineered a remarkable comeback, winning a Grammy and dominating the charts with tracks like 'All the Way Up.' Her music, often a blend of unflinching autobiography and club-ready beats, and her very public personal life have cemented her status as a figure who embodies both the grit and the glamour of the rap game.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Remy was born in 1981, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Remy Was Born
The biggest hits of 1981
#1 Movie
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Best Picture
Chariots of Fire
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Remy's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1981Born
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1986Started school
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1994Became a teenager
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1997Could drive
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
1999Could vote
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2002Turned 21
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2011Turned 30
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 40
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 45 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Her debut solo album, 'There's Something About Remy: Based on a True Story,' sold 37,000 copies in its first week of release.
- Won a Grammy Award in 2017 for Best Rap Song as a featured artist on Fat Joe's 'All the Way Up.'
- Her verse on Terror Squad's 'Lean Back' became a defining anthem of 2004, topping the Billboard Hot 100.
- She won the BET Award for Best Female Hip-Hop Artist in 2017, marking her career resurgence.
Did You Know?
She is married to fellow rapper Papoose, and their relationship has been documented on the VH1 reality series 'Love & Hip Hop: New York.'
She served nearly six years in prison for assault, weapons possession, and attempted coercion, from 2008 to 2014.
She was the first female artist signed to Terror Squad Records.
She and Fat Joe have a long-standing collaborative partnership, often referring to each other as 'brother and sister.'
“I'm not a female rapper, I'm a rapper that's female.”
