MC Lyte may have taken a tumble on stage recently, but the Hip-Hop legend is standing tall with a new mission that’s as much about lifting up the next generation as it is about joking on her viral moment.
When asked about what she thought about the challenges facing young people, she went right in.
“Definitely the internet—social media. I mean, I fell the other day, and they just had such a ball with it,” Lyte told the crowd with a grin. “I told my niece, who’s here with me, that I was ready for the AI remix—where I do the flip, get up, and breakdance. Still waiting for that one.”
Lyte’s comments came during a milestone celebration—Hip-Hop’s 52nd birthday—where she joined forces with the Hip-Hop Education Center’s Martha Diaz to launch Power the Future Through Hip-Hop & STEAM. In partnership with the National Grid Foundation, the initiative aims to equip Brooklyn youth with the tools, skills, and confidence to lead in spaces where beats meet science, storytelling meets technology, and culture drives innovation.
READ ALSO: MC Lyte Talks Making “Inspiring & Aspirational Music” & Her Remarkable Journey
But her message quickly turned serious. Lyte reflected on the unforgiving nature of online culture and how it impacts younger generations still finding their footing.
“Unfortunately, all of their mistakes can and will be broadcasted, never really giving them a chance to get their feet up,” she said. “I’m cool because I’m in one piece. I knew that to roll was better than to land flat. But when we’re talking about young kids, young minds, they haven’t had a chance to really figure out who they are. And then to be told who you are? It’s like, ‘No, you.’”
She took it a step farther, making a commentary on ownership in an era where tangible assets are rapidly shrinking.
“Somewhere, someone is teaching that it’s okay not to own anything. And so now they have no desire to have anything of their own that they can leave as a legacy,” Lyte said, stressing the importance of generational wealth and ownership. “Hopefully it’s just a rumor… and hopefully those who can inspire—especially young people inspiring other young people—can get the message across that it’s good to own.”
The program will provide pathways for the next generation of creators, educators, and changemakers, merging Hip-Hop’s creative energy with real-world career skills.
For Lyte, it’s about more than music. She has long made it her mission to inspire people and pay it forward for the newer generation.
For more on Martha Diaz and the Hip-Hop Education Center, go here.
As one of Hip-Hop’s most respected voices, she’s using her platform to speak to young people in a language they understand, mixing humor with hard truths. And whether she’s laughing about an AI-powered breakdancing remix or dropping gems on financial literacy, MC Lyte is making sure her fall is just another step in a much bigger rise.