Editing MC Lyte (section)

=== Beginnings: ''Lyte as a Rock'' and ''Eyes on This'' (1987–1990) ===
In 1987, at the age of 16,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://genius.com/Mc-lyte-i-cram-to-understand-u-lyrics#about |title=I Cram To Understand U - MC Lyte |website=[[Genius (website)|Genius]] |access-date=July 24, 2020}}</ref> Lyte released her debut single, "[[I Cram to Understand U (Sam)]]", being one of the first songs written about the [[Crack epidemic in the United States|crack era]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.popmatters.com/mc-lyte-the-very-best-of-mc-lyte-2495972448.html |title=MC Lyte: The Very Best of MC Lyte |website=[[PopMatters]] |date=September 3, 2001 |access-date=May 23, 2020}}</ref> She was 12 years old at the time she wrote the song.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://medium.com/micro-chop/mc-lyte-was-12-when-she-wrote-i-cram-to-understand-you-cd42e369661d |title=MC Lyte Was 12 When She Wrote "I Cram To Understand U" |website=[[Medium (website)|medium.com]] |date=December 4, 2016 |access-date=May 19, 2020}}</ref>

[[File:Firehouse Studios 1988.JPG|thumb|MC Lyte in 1988 at Firehouse Studios in Brooklyn with her producers Gizmo, Milk D and King of Chill and engineer Yoram Vazan.]]
In April 1988<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/80s/1988/BB-1988-04-16.pdf/|title=Billboard Album Reviews|date=April 16, 1988}}</ref> she released her debut album ''[[Lyte as a Rock]]''.<ref name=clip /> In addition to "I Cram to Understand U (Sam)" were released as singles "[[Paper Thin (MC Lyte song)|Paper Thin]]", the eponymous "[[Lyte as a Rock (song)|Lyte as a Rock]]", and "[[10% Dis]]", a [[Diss (music)|diss track]] to then-[[Hurby Azor]] associate [[Antoinette (rapper)|Antoinette]].<ref name=clip /> The album peaked #50 on the then [[Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums|''Billboard'' Top Black Albums]]. Despite not having a great commercial performance, it is considered one of the best and most important rap albums, both in the 80s and in history.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.google.com/www.nme.com/photos/25-albums-that-changed-hip-hop-forever-1414444%3famp |website=[[Complex Networks (media)|NME]].com |date=October 4, 2018 |access-date=May 19, 2020 |title= 25 Albums That Changed Hip-Hop Forever}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.complex.com/music/50-greatest-rap-albums-1980s/ |website=[[Complex Networks (media)|Complex]] |date=August 5, 2013 |access-date=May 20, 2020 |title= The Best Rap Albums of the '80s}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/the-200-best-albums-of-the-1980s/?page=3 |website=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]] |date=September 10, 2018 |access-date=May 20, 2020 |title= The 200 Best Albums of the 1980s}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/source.htm |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120630175156/http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/source.htm |url-status=usurped |archive-date=June 30, 2012 |website=rocklistmusic.com 
|access-date=May 20, 2020 |title= The Source: 100 Best Rap Albums}}</ref> In 1988, [[The Village Voice]] magazine rated Lyte as "the best female vocalist in hip-hop".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mcall.com/news/mc-xpm-1988-11-26-2662243-story,amp.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210724020309/https://www.mcall.com/news/mc-xpm-1988-11-26-2662243-story,amp.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 24, 2021 |title=Brooklyn's M.C. Lyte Raps It Like It Is On The Street |website=The Morning Call |date=November 26, 1988 |access-date=October 31, 2020 }}</ref> Lyte was featured in the remix and music video of "[[I Want Your (Hands on Me)]]" by Irish singer [[Sinéad O'Connor]], which debuted in May 1988 on [[MTV]].

In January 1989, Lyte joined the [[Stop the Violence Movement]] with [[Boogie Down Productions]], [[Public Enemy (band)|Public Enemy]] and [[Heavy D]], among others. Together they released the single "[[Self Destruction (song)|Self Destruction]]" in response to violence in the hip hop and African American communities. The song debuted at #1 on the first week of [[Hot Rap Songs|''Billboard'' Hot Rap Singles]] existence<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/archive/charts/1989/rap-song|title=Hot Rap Songs – 1989 Archive – Billboard Charts Archive|website=Billboard.com|access-date=June 24, 2021}}</ref> and the proceeds were donated to the [[National Urban League]].<ref name="Okayplayer">{{cite web|url=https://www.okayplayer.com/music/the-making-krs-one-stop-the-violence-movements-self-destruction-single-89.html|title=How Stop The Violence Movement's "Self Destruction" Became One of the Most Important Rap Releases|publisher=[[Okayplayer]]|date=January 15, 2019|access-date=December 29, 2019}}</ref> In late August 1989, her song "[[I'm Not Havin' It]]" with [[Positive K]] entered the ''Billboard'' Hot Rap Singles, peaking at #16, becoming MC Lyte's first appearance on a chart as solo artist. In October 1989, Lyte published her second album ''[[Eyes on This]]''. This album, like its predecessor, received a great critical reception and is recognized as a hip hop classic.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://thesource.com/2019/09/12/mc-lyte-sophomore-lp/ |website=[[The Source (magazine)|The Source]] |date=September 12, 2019 |access-date=May 19, 2020 |title=Today in Hip-Hop History: MC Lyte Drops Her Sophomore 'Eyes On This' LP 30 Years Ago |archive-date=August 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200814022713/https://thesource.com/2019/09/12/mc-lyte-sophomore-lp/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> 

With ''[[Eyes on This]]'' she became the first solo female rapper to have an entry on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]]. From this album came the singles "[[Cha Cha Cha (MC Lyte song)|Cha Cha Cha]]", the first time as solo artist she charted on the [[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|''Billboard'' Hot Black Singles]] and reached #1 on the Hot Rap Singles. "[[Stop, Look, Listen (MC Lyte song)|Stop, Look, Listen]]", and the [[Political hip hop#Conscious hip hop|socially conscious]] "[[Cappucino (song)|Cappucino]]". In 1989 she also collaborated with [[Foster & McElroy]], known for their work with [[En Vogue]] and [[Tony! Toni! Toné!]], in the song "Dr. Soul". This single peaked #10 on ''Billboard'' Black Songs.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.google.com/www.okayplayer.com/music/what-were-the-first-rap-rb-collaborations.html |website=[[Okayplayer]] |date= |access-date=June 9, 2022 |title=Ten Songs From the Late '80s that Kicked Off R&B & Rap Collaborations}}</ref>

In 1990, MC Lyte performed at [[Carnegie Hall]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.google.com/www.theroot.com/carnegie-hall-goes-black-1790869003/|publisher=theroot.com|date=April 3, 2009|access-date=May 19, 2020|title=Carnegie Hall Goes Black}}</ref>

MC Lyte's DJ since the start of her career, DJ K-Rock, is a cousin, Kennith Moorer. Aside from a break in 1992, the two have toured consistently to the present.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.al.com/entertainment/2018/02/first_priority_how_a_legendary.html|title=Alabama man is a legendary DJ -- and a postal worker|date=February 23, 2018|website=Al.com|access-date=June 24, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fox10tv.com/news/local-mail-carrier-is-actually-a-legendary-dj/article_7118ccf2-e98e-598d-8a8d-6daf17d7594c.html|title=Local mail carrier is actually a legendary DJ|first=Toi|last=Thornton|website=FOX10 News|access-date=June 24, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.okayplayer.com/music/mc-lyte-lyte-as-a-rock-interview.html|title=MC Lyte Speaks on the Legacy of Her Iconic Debut 'Lyte as a Rock' [INTERVIEW]|date=November 29, 2018|website=Okayplayer.com|access-date=June 24, 2021}}</ref> During that time she also had her own dancers, Leg One and Leg Two, who performed with her in shows and in music videos.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://mauludsadiq.medium.com/where-d-the-dancers-go-or-cholly-atkins-ain-t-choreograph-yo-steps-why-you-dance-like-that-d9ab609f59f6|publisher=[[Medium (website)|medium.com]]|date=October 17, 2015|access-date=December 10, 2020|title=The Rise and Fall of Hip-Hop Dance}}</ref>