62 Facts About MC Lyte

In 1991, MC Lyte released the hit single "Poor Georgie", which marked her first appearance on the Billboard Hot 100.

MC Lyte then collaborated with Missy Elliott on the hit song "Cold Rock a Party", which was her fifth number-one song on the Hot Rap Singles chart.

MC Lyte has received the "I Am Hip Hop" Icon Lifetime Achievement from the BET Hip Hop Awards, and was honored at the VH1 Hip Hop Honors.

In October 2014, Lyte become the first female artist to perform Hip Hop at the White House.

MC Lyte has worked with several charities, including her own foundation, Hip Hop Sisters.

MC Lyte recorded her first track at age 14, which was released 2 years later.

In 1987, at the age of 16, MC Lyte released her debut single, "I Cram to Understand U ", being one of the first songs written about the crack era.

MC Lyte was 12 years old at the time she wrote the song.

MC Lyte was featured in the remix and music video of "I Want Your " by Irish singer Sinead O'Connor, which debuted in May 1988 on MTV.

In January 1989, MC Lyte joined the Stop the Violence Movement with Boogie Down Productions, Public Enemy and Heavy D, among others.

In October 1989, MC Lyte published her second album Eyes on This.

MC Lyte's DJ since the start of her career, DJ K-Rock, is a cousin, Kennith Moorer.

In October 1992, as part of the Mo Money soundtrack, MC Lyte collaborated with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, known primarily for their work with Janet Jackson, on the single "Ice Cream Dream".

In 1992, MC Lyte began work on her next album, titled Ain't No Other, which was released on June 22,1993.

In October 1993, MC Lyte performed at the 1993 Budweiser Superfest with SWV, Bell Biv Devoe, LeVert, Big Daddy Kane and Silk.

In May 1994, MC Lyte performed in the finale of The Arsenio Hall Show, alongside KRS-One, Wu-Tang Clan, Naughty by Nature, Guru of Gang Starr, Yo-Yo, Das EFX and A Tribe Called Quest, among others.

In 1997, MC Lyte collaborated with Parliament-Funkadelic's Bootsy Collins on the single "I'm Leavin U " from his album Fresh Outta 'P' University.

In November 1999, MC Lyte collaborated in the remix of Jammin of Bob Marley in the remix album Chant Down Babylon.

In March 2000, MC Lyte collaborated with Common and Bilal on the track "A Film Called " on Common's album Like Water for Chocolate.

In May 2002, MC Lyte collaborated with Angie Stone on the album version of "Jam for the Ladies" by electronica musician Moby.

In March 2003, MC Lyte released the independently produced record Da Undaground Heat, Vol.

In May 2004, MC Lyte collaborated with Teena Marie and Medusa on the song "The Mackin' Game" from Teena Marie's album La Dona.

In 2004, MC Lyte was nominated at the 4th edition of the BET Awards in the Best Female Hip Hop Artist category.

In July 2006, MC Lyte released "The Wonder Years" in collaboration with DJ Premier.

In October 2006, MC Lyte was one of the artists honored at the 3th edition of the VH1 Hip Hop Honors, where she performed with Da Brat, Lil' Kim, Yo-Yo and Remy Ma.

MC Lyte was the first female solo rapper to achieve this recognition.

In 2007, MC Lyte joined The Roots and Big Daddy Kane on the "VH1 Hip Hop Honors Tour".

In 2007, MC Lyte released the singles "Mad At Me" and "Money" with KRS-One, the latter part of KRS-One's album Adventures in Emceein.

In May 2008, as a member of the group Almost September with Philip "Whitey" White and Jared Lee Gosselin, MC Lyte released The Almost September EP.

In February 2009, MC Lyte collaborated with India Arie on the track "Psalms 23" from her album Testimony: Vol.

In June 2009, MC Lyte collaborated again with Teena Marie on the track "The Pressure" from her album Congo Square.

In 2011, MC Lyte performed again at the Essence Music Festival and released the single "Dada da Da".

In January 2013, MC Lyte received a Lifetime Achievement Award at Russell Simmons's Hip Hop Inaugural Ball.

On October 14,2014, MC Lyte performed "Cha Cha Cha" and "Dear John" to President Barack Obama at the celebration for the 50th anniversary of the legislation that created the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts, becoming the first female artist to perform Hip Hop at the White House.

In July 2016, MC Lyte performed at the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans.

In 2024, MC Lyte scored and acted as music supervisor for the film adaptation of The Memo: What Women of Color Need to Know to Secure a Seat at the Table by Minda Harts.

MC Lyte's first acting role was in 1991, an off-Broadway theater play titled Club Twelve, a hip-hop twist on Twelfth Night alongside Wyclef Jean, Lauryn Hill, and Lisa Nicole Carson.

MC Lyte signed with the production unit, Duc Tha Moon, for three years and eventually made a deal with Sirius Satellite Radio.

MC Lyte made appearances on the following television shows: Lyric Cafe, Hip Hop Honors, and Black in the 80s.

In June 2006, MC Lyte was interviewed for the documentary The Rap Report, Part 2.

MC Lyte talked about her career in rap music and what it was like during the beginnings of hip hop.

MC Lyte performed a concert of her most famous hits.

In 2007, MC Lyte joined the cast of MTV's Celebrity Rap Superstar and coached Shar Jackson to a hip hop emcee victory in a mere eight weeks.

In 2017 MC Lyte played Detective Makena Daniels in the drama series Tales.

MC Lyte has been featured on television as herself on such shows as In Living Color, Moesha, Cousin Skeeter, New York Undercover, My Wife and Kids, and Sisters in the Name of Rap.

In 2020, MC Lyte starred in Bad Hair directed by Justin Simien, and Sylvie's Love, a period piece set in the 1960s opposite Tessa Thompson.

In 2021 and 2022, MC Lyte starred as Tina Nixon in VH1's Hip Hop Family Christmas and its respective sequel, Hip Hop Family Christmas Wedding alongside Keri Hilson, Ne-Yo, Terrence J, Redman, and Serayah.

MC Lyte opened Shaitel, a Los Angeles boutique that specialized in accessories from belts to sunglasses.

MC Lyte did the voice of Tia for the Mattel toy line Diva Starz from 2000 to 2002.

DJ MC Lyte served as the DJ of choice at Michael Jordan's 50th Birthday Celebration, at his 2013 wedding reception, and at Jay Leno's farewell party.

MC Lyte has gone on to provide music for The Image Awards, Nissan, Google, Black Enterprise, and many others.

MC Lyte has spoken at colleges and universities, for organizations around the globe, and with notable people like Iyanla Vanzant, Russell Simmons, and Soledad O'Brien bringing a message of empowerment from her book Unstoppable: Igniting the Power Within to Achieve Your Greatest Potential.

MC Lyte partnered with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund on the iLEAD international tour in South Africa to empower the continent's youth and up-and-coming leaders.

In 1991, MC Lyte was featured in TV informercial promoting pro-choice abortion rights political action "The Most Exciting Women in Music" alongside Corina, Juliet Cuming, Kim Gordon, Lady Miss Kier, Kate Pierson, Crystal Waters, Tina Weymouth.

MC Lyte served as the President of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Recording Academy from 2011 to 2013.

MC Lyte was the first African American woman to serve in this role.

MC Lyte has considered artists such as Salt-N-Pepa, Rakim, Roxanne Shante, Doug E Fresh, Kool Moe Dee, Sha-Rock from Funky 4 + 1, and Run-DMC as her inspirations early in her musical career.

MC Lyte claimed to know "all the words" on Kurtis Blow's records.

MC Lyte was considered by both the specialized press and fans as one of the best and most important Hip hop artists, mainly among female artists.

MC Lyte has influenced the work of later female rappers such as Queen Latifah, Lil' Kim, Da Brat, Missy Elliott, Lauryn Hill, Monie Love, Eve, Rapsody, and Flo Milli, as well as rock artist Jack White.

Reggae Congo bands played as MC Lyte walked down the aisle, and the couple's friend Kelly Price serenaded them during the ceremony.

MC Lyte is an honorary member of Sigma Gamma Rho sorority.