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Lana Michele Moorer aka MC Lyte has been a trailblazer in the rap industry. She is the first solo female rapper to put out a full album (Lyte as a Rock) and she paved the way for many other young artists. As an advocate for other female rappers, Lyte has also been vocal about the misogyny that is prevalent in the hip hop industry.
When speaking about some of her influences, MC Lyte says Sha-Rock was the first female emcee she ever heard. But it was really Salt ‘N Pepa who made her believe she could also be an MC.
“I just loved their sassiness and their strength … they showed muscle but then also they had a femininity”
MC Lyte was lucky to have many music icons who took her under their wing and mentored her. One such mentor was Janet Jackson with whom MC Lyte toured. She explains that Jackson taught her about the discipline required to be great, from how to eat, rehearse and even sleep. All of that is critical, she says,
“So that when it’s time for you to turn on, that you’re actually giving your absolute best.”
Legacy to MC Lyte means leaving something behind — “Something that’s purposeful for someone else in their lives.”
She is already doing that in a big way with her non-profit the HipHop Sister Foundation which provides empowerment to the Black community. The organization offers programs like educational scholarships and financial literacy workshops to Black men and women.
Today, MC Lyte respects many women who rock the mic, including Remy Ma, Nicki Minaj and Cardi B. But there’s one rising star she’s got her eye on: hip-hop and spoken word artist Mama Sol. Lyte says Mama Sol stole the show at a recent event she organized.
“At the end of the night, everyone was talking about Mama Sol.”
In honoring the next generation of female performers, Lyte says, “To all of the queens who are out there doing their thing … making a difference … pushing the culture forward in positive ways. God bless.”
