MC Lyte is the Queen of Hip-Hop firsts. She holds the distinction of being the first Hip-Hop artist to perform at Carnegie Hall, the first female rapper to ever receive a gold single, and the first female solo rapper ever nominated for a Grammy. Needless to say, we worship at the feet of her Hip-Hop reign.
We rounded up a little trivia, some of her most noteworthy music videos, and certain products that represent MC Lyte to the core. This is MC Lyte's Hot 16.
THE FACTS YOU MAY NOT KNOW
She wanted to act before she wanted to rap and Tootie from The Facts of Life was her inspiration.
Her first MC name was "Sparkle."
She wrote the lyrics for "Paper Thin" when she was 12-years-old.
She was 16-years-old when “I Cram To Understand U” was pressed up by her stepfather Nat Robinson’s label Priority Records in 1986.
Lauryn Hill appears in the music video for MC Lyte's 1991 hit "Poor Georgie."
"Keep On Keepin' On" went all the way to the Top Ten on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1996.
She was one of the first artists to officially record with The Neptunes with 1998s "I Can't Make A Mistake."
MC Lyte was the first female to perform Hip-Hop at the White House during President Obama's second term in office. She performed "Dear John" and classic single "Cha Cha Cha."
THE VIDEOS YOU LOVE
Ruffneck
Paper Thin
Poor Georgie
Keep On Keepin' On feat. Xscape
THE GEAR YOU NEED
Lyte always stayed fresh in a pair of Air Max 95's.
adidas Classics Adicolor Primeblue Sst Track Jacket
B-boy swagger meets Brooklyn.
Kangol wasn't just a male MC staple. MC Lyte rocked red Kangols that made a statement.
Shirt Kings: Pioneers of Hip-Hop Fashion
MC Lyte is one of a handful of MC's who got the PHADE/Shirt King air brush treatment like Biz Markie, Grandmaster Caz, Melle Mel, Craig G, LL COOL J, and Grand Puba
* MC Lyte in New York City. (Photo by Al Pereira/Getty Images/Michael Ochs Archives).