MC Lyte

At 53 years old, MC Lyte has this physical status:

In 1987, at the age of 16, Lyte released her debut single, "I Cram to Understand U (Sam)", being one of the first songs written about the crack era. She was 12 years old at the time she wrote the song. Lyte was also featured in the remix and music video of "I Want Your (Hands on Me)" by Irish singer Sinéad O'Connor, which debuted in May 1988 on MTV.

Also in May of that year she would release his debut album Lyte as a Rock. In addition to "I Cram to Understand U (Sam)" were released as singles "Paper Thin", the eponymous "Lyte as a Rock", and "10% Dis" (a diss track to then-Hurby Azor associate Antoinette). In July 1988 the album peaked #50 on the then Billboard Top Black Albums. Despite not having a great commercial performance, it is considered one of the best and most important rap albums, both in the 80s and in history. That year The Village Voice magazine would rate Lyte as "the best female vocalist in hip-hop".

In January 1989 Lyte joined Stop the Violence Movement with Boogie Down Productions, Public Enemy and Heavy D, among others. Together they released the single "Self Destruction" in response to violence in the hip hop and African American communities. The song debuted at #1 on the first week of Billboard Hot Rap Singles existence and the proceeds were donated to the National Urban League. In late August of that year, her song "I'm Not Havin' It" with Positive K would have an entry on the Billboard Hot Rap Singles (peaking at #16), becoming MC Lyte's first appearance on a chart as solo artist. In October 1989 Lyte would publish her second album Eyes on This. This album, like its predecessor, received a great critical reception and is recognized as a hip hop classic. With Eyes on This she became the first solo female rapper to have an entry on the Billboard 200. From this album came the singles "Cha Cha Cha" (with which for the first time as solo artist she charted on the Billboard Hot Black Singles and reached #1 on the Hot Rap Singles). "Stop, Look, Listen", and the socially conscious "Cappucino". During that year she also collaborated with Foster & McElroy, known for their work with En Vogue and Tony! Toni! Toné!, in the song "Dr. Soul". This single peaked #10 on Billboard Black Songs.

In 1990 MC Lyte performed at Carnegie Hall.

MC Lyte's DJ since the start of her career, DJ K-Rock, is a cousin, Kennith Moorer; aside from a break in 1992, the two have toured consistently to the present. During that time she also had her own dancers, Leg One and Leg Two, who performed with her both in shows and in music videos.

On May 1, 1991, Lyte performed on "Yo! Unplugged Rap", the first MTV Unplugged to feature rap artists, alongside A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul and LL Cool J. Her performance was praised by Entertainment Weekly's Ken Tucker, who commented "MC Lyte performed her song 'Cappucino' like a rapping Aretha Franklin: Lyte brought out the soul in her lyrics." In September 1991 Lyte released her third album, Act Like You Know, in which develops in some tracks a softer sound influenced by R&B/New Jack Swing. This have more mixed reviews than in her previous albums and commercially it performed weaker than its predecessor Eyes on This. From this album came the singles "When in Love" and the socially conscious "Poor Georgie" (with which had her first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 and her third #1 on the Hot Rap Singles) and "Eyes Are the Soul". That year she also participated in the socially conscious single "Heal Yourself" by the collective "HEAL Human Education Against Lies", which also included Big Daddy Kane, Boogie Down Productions, Run-DMC, Queen Latifah and LL Cool J.

Between 1991 and 1992 Lyte participated in the show called "The Greatest Rap Show Ever" at Madison Square Garden with Public Enemy, Naughty by Nature, Queen Latifah, Geto Boys and DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, among others. In the fall of 1991, she also performed in the hip-hop special Sisters In The Name of Rap alongside Salt-N-Pepa, Yo-Yo, Queen Latifah and Roxanne Shanté, among many others. it was recorded at the Ritz in NYC as Pay-per-view TV concert and released as VHS the following year.

In October 1992, as part of the movie Mo Money soundtrack, MC Lyte collaborated with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, known primarily for their work with Janet Jackson, on the single "Ice Cream Dream". In 1992 she also performed on Kris Kross's Back to School Jam tour, which also featured A Tribe Called Quest and Fu-Schnickens.

Also during that year Lyte began work on her next album, titled Ain't No Other, which was released on June 22, 1993. With this album, in which she adopts a more hardcore sound, Lyte achieved better critical reception than her predecessor. "Ruffneck" was released as a single, which would become her first top 40 single on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #35, and fourth #1 on the Hot Rap Singles, also earning her first gold certification. With "Ruffneck" MC Lyte would also get a nomination for the 36th edition of the Grammy Awards in the Best Rap Solo Performance category. In October of that year, Lyte performed at the 1993 Budweiser Superfest with SWV, Bell Biv Devoe, LeVert, Big Daddy Kane and Silk.

In 1994 Lyte collaborated in the remixes and music videos of "You Want This" by Janet Jackson and "I Wanna Be Down" by Brandy, in this last one in collaboration with Queen Latifah and Yo-Yo. During the summer of '94 participated in Janet Jackson's Janet World Tour. In 1994 she participated the performance on the finale of The Arsenio Hall Show, alongside the likes of KRS-One, Wu-Tang Clan, Naughty by Nature, Guru of Gang Starr, Yo-Yo, Das EFX and A Tribe Called Quest, among others.

In early 1995 MC Lyte appeared in the rap remix of "Freedom" on the soundtrack for the movie Panther, alongside Meshell Ndegeocello, Patra, Yo-Yo, Latifah, Salt-N-Pepa and Left Eye Lopes of TLC. During that year Lyte also participated with Lin Que on the remix of "You Bring Me Joy" by Mary J. Blige. In June she performs at the Jam for Peace with Warren G, Mary J. Blige, Brownstone, Adina Howard, Montell Jordan and Soul for Real.

In February 1996, MC Lyte collaborated on the R&B group Xscape's single "Can't Hang". In March, after signing with East West Records, she released "Keep On Keepin' On", the first single from her forthcoming album. This new collaboration with Xscape reached #10 on the Billboard Hot 100, her highest position on this chart as main artist, getting a gold certification. "Keep On Keepin' On" would also be part of the soundtrack of the film Sunset Park. In September of that year win the Best R&B, Soul or Rap Video category in the 3th edition of Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards with this song. In August of that same year, Lyte released her fifth album, Bad as I Wanna B. With tracks with a Pop/R&B-oriented sound the album would receive mixed reviews. In November, Sean "Puffy" Combs remix of "Cold Rock a Party" is released as a single, featuring the then-emerging Missy Elliott. This single peaked at #11 on the Hot 100 and would become her fifth #1 single on the Billboard Hot Rap Singles (fourth as lead artist), earning a gold certification. It also enters the top 40 of various charts outside the United States, being #1 and certified platinum in New Zealand.

In February 1997 "Keep on Pushin" was included in the soundtrack of Dangerous Ground, in which MC Lyte, Bahamadia, Nonchalant and Yo-Yo collaborate under the production of Pete Rock. In March 1997, she collaborated with R&B singer Billy Lawrence on the single "Come On", which was included in the soundtrack of the movie Set it Off. In November of that year she collaborated with LL Cool J and Busta Rhymes on the debut album of the R&B supergroup LSG on the track "Curious", which was later released as single.

In August 1998 MC Lyte released her sixth studio album Seven & Seven. Despite having an all-star line-up of producers, it sold poorly, which led to Lyte's departure from East West Records.

In November 1999 MC Lyte collaborated in the remix of Jammin of Bob Marley in his album Chant Down Babylon. This track would later be released as single. During that month she also collaborated with Will Smith and Tatyana Ali on "Who Am I" from Smith's album Willennium.

In March 2000 MC Lyte collaborated with Common and Bilal on the track "A Film Called (Pimp)" on Common's album Like Water for Chocolate.

In April 2002 the soundtrack for the TV series Dark Angel is released, which includes Lyte's songs "Dark Angel Theme" (in collaboration with Public Enemy) and "No Dealz" (with Ericka Yancey). In May of that year, MC Lyte collaborated with Angie Stone on the album version of "Jam for the Ladies" by electronica musician Moby. In November she collaborates with Erick Sermon and Rah Digga on the track "Tell Me" on Sermon's album React. During that time Lyte also became honorary member of Sermon's Def Squad.

In March 2003, Lyte released the independently produced record Da Undaground Heat, Vol. 1, featuring the actor and singer Jamie Foxx. The album has little commercial impact and mixed reviews, but does earn a Grammy nomination in the "Best Female Rap Vocal Performance" category for the single "Ride Wit Me". That song was also nominated for Best Female Hip-Hop Artist at the BET Awards. In September of that year Lyte collaborates with the Black Eyed Peas frontman will.i.am and Fergie on the track "Mash Out" on will.i.am's solo album Must B 21.

MC Lyte's song "My Main Aim" was the title song of the basketball video game NBA Live 2005 by EA Sports. In 2005, she released two songs produced by Richard "Wolfie" Wolf called "Can I Get It Now" and "Don't Walk Away" (with Meechie).

During October 2006, MC Lyte was one of the honored artists on VH1's annual award show Hip Hop Honors. She was joined by fellow female MC's Da Brat, Remy Ma, and Lil' Kim as they performed some of her tracks, such as "Cha Cha Cha", "Lyte as a Rock", "Paper-Thin", and "Ruffneck". She became the first female emcee to be inducted into the VH1 Hip-Hop Honors.

In 2007, she released a song called "Mad at Me" and, in 2008, two songs called "Juke Joint" and "Get Lyte". In 2009, a song titled "Brooklyn" was released, as well as "Craven".

In 2013, MC Lyte received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2013 Hip Hop Inaugural Ball. She was the first female solo hip hop artist to receive BET's "I Am Hip Hop" Icon Lifetime Achievement Award.

"Dear John" (featuring Common & 10Beats) was released on September 9, 2014, and peaked on the Billboard Twitter Trending 140 chart at number three. After twelve years without an album, MC Lyte's eighth album, Legend, came out on April 18, 2015. "Ball" (featuring Lil Mama & AV) and "Check" are also singles from the album. During 2018, she continued to release a strand of singles, one of which was 'Easy', in response to her British audience claiming that artists who recorded new jack swing were sexually explicit.

In January 2019 received The Trail Blazer Award at the Trumpet Awards in Atlanta with rappers Yo Yo, Lil Mama, Da Brat, Big Tigger, and Dj K-Rock helping to celebrate with a performance.

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