In Case You Didn't Know...

MC Lyte is my ALL TIME FAVORITE EMCEE. I usually tell that to people and they say, "Oh yea she's one of my favorite female rappers too..." NO! I didn't say she was my favorite FEMALE MC. I said she was my favorite of all time. This includes dudes. For me, she trumps my male favs, Kweli, Mos Def, Kanye, and the list goes on. She trumps my other female favs like Queen Latifah (1st runner up), Lauryn Hill (2nd Runner Up), Jean Grae. MC Lyte trumps them ALL. It's not only her rhymes, the music, it's (dare I say it) swag, it's her whole demeanor her delivery, MC Lyte is just ILL!

Most performers have a pre-show ritual, I do too. That ritual includes my iPod, Solitude, a prayer, and the following songs (in this order!!): 1. Tye Tribbett - "Everything" 2. Miles Davis - "Tune Up" 3. MC Lyte - "Lyte as a Rock." If my performance is something that starts a little more mellow, eg. a stage production, I switch 2 & 3. Still MC Lyte is part of my pre-game ritual. I remember one time I arrived to a call time mad late and still had to do my hair before showtime. I get my costume on, hair done, grab the iPod and find a corner. "Everything" ends and "Lyte as a Rock" begins, but before I can get through the first verse I get a time on my shoulder: "Places!" AHHH HELL! So the whole first act (of which I'm on stage the entire time of course), I'm trippin. I'm psychin myself out. The show still went well, I didn't completely flub or anything but still it's something about missing part of your pre-game ritual that messes with your head a lil.

I said all that to say, I LOVE MC LYTE. I follow her on twitter and want to DM her or something but I don't even know what I would say, "UHHH Hi Ms. Lyte, I'm like your biggest fan!!" <-- 'Cause I'm sure she's never heard that before. One of my ultimate goals is to work with her. If she let's me get two words on a hook, I will play the heck out of the song til I die! LOL but really. MC Lyte is a beast. So if I post some stuff of hers from time to time, now you know why.

Here's "Wonder Years." If you're not quite sure why she is an icon, a Hip Hop Legend... well she'll tell you: