| MC Lyte | |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Lana Michele Moorer |
| Born | October 11, 1971 Brooklyn, New York |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Occupations | Emcee-songwriter, narrator, mentor, actress |
| Years active | 1986–present |
| Labels | DuBose Music Group[1] SGI/CMM First Priority Music/Atlantic Records East West America/Elektra Records |
| Website | MC Lyte.com |
Lana Michele "MC Lyte" Moorer (born October 11, 1971) is rap artist who has scored several Rap and R&B hits. She has released several albums since 1988.
Contents |
Moorer began rhyming at the age of 12[2] and began her career in 1986. The release of her first single, "I Cram to Understand U (Sam)," was produced by her older brothers. This song, about a lying boyfriend’s crack cocaine addiction, became a modest R&B hit and led to her recording contract with First Priority Music. Her debut album, Lyte As a Rock, was released in 1988, and featured the previously mentioned single and another single titled "10% Dis," which targeted her rival at the time, emcee Antoinette.
Her second album Eyes on This was released in 1989. It spawned Lyte's first #1 Rap Tracks single "Cha Cha Cha" and another hit titled "Cappuccino", which is a metaphysical story weaved around a bad cappuccino experience. The song's video was directed by Ric Menello, who also helmed the The Beastie Boys's, "Fight for Your Right" music video. MC Lyte turned to producers Wolf & Epic (of Bell Biv Devoe fame) for her third release, 1991's Act Like You Know, which spawned another #1 Rap Track titled "Poor Georgie" and two smaller hits "When in Love" and "Eyes are the Soul". In 1993, MC Lyte released the album Ain't No Other. The album spawned yet another #1 Rap Track, "Ruffneck", which earned her a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rap Single and was the first ever gold single by a solo female rap artist (Salt-N-Pepa had had several gold and platinum singles earlier).[2] Another minor single titled "I Go On" also came from this album.
Lyte's Atlantic Records contract was transferred to sister WEA label East West America/Elektra and released 1996's Bad As I Wanna B, which featured a duet with Missy Elliott on the track "Cold Rock a Party," which became another #1 Rap Track for her, and it reached #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart. This would be her only album certified at least gold in the US (selling at least 500,000 copies). She contributed to the Sunset Park soundtrack with "Keep On, Keepin' On," which was her biggest pop hit, reaching #10 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2001, Rhino Entertainment released The Very Best of MC Lyte. The artist mounted a comeback in 2003 with Da Undaground Heat, Vol. 1 with production team Maad Funk.
In 2003 MC Lyte released her first album on her own label, SGI/CMM, along with manager/partner Fred Crawford. The album, titled Da Underground Heat Vol. 1 hosted by Jamie Foxx, went on to garner her yet another Grammy nomination and BET Award nomination, although it failed to be certified for any sales awards. The leading single, "Ride With Me," became the title track for a show called Holla, hosted by Cheryl Underwood, and it also became one of the title songs of the EA Sports NBA video game NBA Street Vol. 2 in 2003. The song also appeared in a popular L.L. Cool J feature titled Deliver Us from Eva. The hit "Cha Cha Cha" was also present in GTA IV's soundtrack in the radio station "Classics".
In the 2008 presidential race, Lyte spoke in favor of Barack Obama. She was quoted in The Source magazine as saying "I'm not voting for him (Obama) because he's a Black man—I am voting for Obama because of his message and I identify with his words and his passion."[3]
In 2009 she was appointed Executive Vice President of DuBose Music Group and is also the flagship artist for the label. As of 2010, she is currently working on her first studio album with DMG.[4]
Lyte has been featured on television as herself on such shows as MTV Unplugged, In Living Color, Moesha, New York Undercover, My Wife and Kids,and Sisters in the Name of Rap. She has also acted on TV as a character (not as "MC Lyte") in such shows as In the House, Get Real, Half & Half, and The District.
Her first acting role in a film was in the 1993 movie titled Fly by Night, starring alongside Jeffrey Sams, Ron Brice, and Steve Gomer. Since then she has also starred other films, such as A Luv Tale (1999), Train Ride (2000), Civil Brand (2002) and Playa's Ball (2003).
In 2007 Lyte joined the cast of MTV's Celebrity Rap Superstar and coached Shar Jackson to a hip hop mc victory in a mere 8 weeks. During that same time Lyte hit the road in between shooting and joined The Roots for a nationwide VH1 House of Blues Tour.
in 1996 Lyte began what is now a very successful voice over career. She has completed campaigns with several corporate brands. Lyte is currently voicing a BET show called The BOOT and has just signed on to become a voice for the branding of the STARZ network.
She has also recently opened Shaitel, a Los Angeles boutique that specializes in accessories from belts to sunglasses. "We sell a mixture of new and vintage [items]," explains Lyte. "We also have a few signature pieces that are done just for the store. We boast to bring a little New York flavor out here to California."[citation needed]
In February 2006, her diary, as well as a turntable, records, and other assorted ephemera from the early days of hip hop, were donated to the Smithsonian Institution.[5] This collection, entitled "Hip-Hop Won’t Stop: The Beat, The Rhymes, The Life" is a program to assemble objects of historical relevance to the hip hop genre from its inception.[6]
In October 2006, MC Lyte was one of the honored hip hop 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, "Cha Cha Cha," "Lyte as a Rock," "Paper-Thin," and "Ruffneck." She previously took part in the MTV reality series Celebrity Rap Superstar as the mentor of Moesha actress Shar Jackson. She is also an honorary member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc.
In 2005, she released two songs called "Can I Get It Now" & "Don't Walk Away" (with Meechie) available at the iTunes store. In 2007, she released a song called "Mad at Me" available at the iTunes store. In 2008, she released two songs called "Juke Joint" (on both UK & US) & "Get Lyte" (exclusive to US) available at the iTunes store. In 2009, she released a song at the iTunes store called "Brooklyn."
She is also the cousin of young upcoming emcee Charles Hamilton.
   | Biography - allmusic ((( MC Lyte > Biography ))) |
| | Hip-Hop Comes to the Smithsonian - NMAH | Hip-Hop Comes to the Smithsonian |
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