:''For other uses, see Foxy Brown (disambiguation)''
'''Foxy Brown''' (born '''Inga Marchand''' on September 6 1979 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American rapper of Afro-Trinidadian and Indo-Trinidadian descent http://www.mtv.com/bands/archive/f/fbrown01/index4.jhtml known for her solo work as well as numerous collaborations and a brief stint as part of hip-hop supergroup The Firm. She has released four albums: ''Ill Na Na'' (1996), ''
The Firm'' (1997) ''Chyna Doll'' (1999), and ''Broken Silence'' (2001). After a bitter split with her record label Def Jam in 2003, Brown ended up in label limbo. In 2004 childhood friend and collaborator Jay-Z signed Brown to Def Jam and his Rocafella Records label, when he became the president of the company.
In 2005, while in the midst of recording her fifth studio album ''Black Roses'', Brown faced another hardship when she was diagnosed with sensorineural hearing loss. The hearing impairment took 100% of Brown's hearing, but 20% was restored after an operation to repair it. A later operation restored 100% of her hearing http://www.allhiphop.com/hiphopnews/?ID=5837. Brown also landed in legal trouble when two manicurists who alleged that she assaulted them during a 2004 altercation pressed criminal charges against her. The trial is set for July.
She is currently dating model/actor Tyson Beckford.
1995-1996: the ''Ill Na Na'' era
While still a teenager, Brown won a talent contest in Brooklyn, and was invited to freestyle on stage. At that time, production team Trackmasters were working on LL Cool J's ''Mr. Smith'' album, and they decided to let her rap over "I Shot Ya." The single became a hit, prompting Brown's work with Total, Toni Braxton, and Case, as well as her induction into the Firm posse (led by Nas and also including AZ and Cormega).
Before she had released any material at all, Foxy Brown appeared on several 1995-1996 platinum singles, including her first credit, LL Cool J's "I Shot Ya," as well as Total's "No One Else" remix, Jay-Z's "Ain't No Nigga", Toni Braxton's "You're Makin' Me High" remix, and Case's "Touch Me, Tease Me" along with Mary J. Blige. The success led to a major-label bidding war at the beginning of 1996, and by March Brown had signed with the Def Jam label.
left|thumb|1996: Brown releases her debut album ''Ill Na Na''.In 1996 Brown released her debut album ''Ill Na Na'' to mixed reviews but strong sales. The album was produced by Trackmasters, and featured appearances from Blackstreet, Method Man, and Kid Capri. It hit number seven its first week on the U.S. album chart. Despite some positive reviews, ''Ill Na Na'' was heavily criticized for its explicit lyrics, particularly because
