Arguably one of most recognizable voices in Hip-Hop history, MC Lyte first appeared on the scene in 1988 with her classic debut Lyte as a Rock. Remember “Paper Thin” and “Cha Cha Cha”? If you’re 30 and over, they’re impossible to forget.
At a time when artists like Big Daddy Kane, LL Cool J, and Run DMC were dominating the airwaves, MC Lyte held her own for the females and was able to find her unique voice. It must be noted – she did this all while fully clothed, but with a braggadocio that you couldn’t help but love. And respect.
Lyte is a living legend, having released seven charting studio albums and appearing on many of the ’90s’ hottest tracks. She’s also found relevance and financial stability by lending her signature vocals to huge projects outside of music.
Though MC Lyte hasn’t released any new material in nearly a decade, she’s kept her powerful and unique voice in use by announcing one of music’s biggest spectacles, the annual BET Awards. Since its inception, Lyte has been a classy, shining voice on the program – one more reason why we appreciate her in the first place. That’s not all, she’s even lent her voice on premium cable channel, STARZ.
It was with her 1996 effort, Bad As I Wanna B, that Lyte struck Gold status on the hit “Cold Rock A Party”, cementing her place in music history. Awards aside, she’s just plain dope.
AllHipHop.com SALUTES the incomparable MC Lyte, as we celebrate Women’s History Month all March long!