MC Lyte

One of the most distinguished citizens from “the planet of Brooklyn”, MC Lyte is an American rapper, actor, DJ and entrepreneur who became a trailblazer for women in hip-hop in the ‘80s. Born Lana Michele Moorer in 1970, she was raised in East Flatbush and began rapping at the age of 12, inspired by the new beat of hip-hop and its streetwise storytelling. Four years later, MC Lyte's booming debut single, “I Cram to Understand U”, arrived as one of the first cautionary anthems of the crack era, setting a conscientious precedent explored further on 1991's Act Like You Know, with singles “Poor Georgie” warning against drunk driving and “Eyes Are the Soul” dedicated to those lost in the AIDS crisis. With 1996's Bad As I Wanna B, MC Lyte leaned into a sensual new sound, embracing R&B and featuring soon-to-be superstars Xscape on “Keep On, Keepin' On” and Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott on the “Cold Rock a Party (Bad Boy Remix)”. Throughout her decades-long tenure, she has collaborated with the likes of Janet Jackson, Beyoncé, Queen Latifah and Sinéad O'Connor, cementing a legacy as a rap pioneer. In the artist’s words: Find a song of yours on Apple Music that you love and tell us what makes it special. “Change Your Ways (feat. Stevie Wonder & Common)” I finally had the opportunity to work with two of my favorites, Stevie Wonder and Common. The topic falls exactly where I like to put my focus and that's social awareness and social justice. Describe one of your earliest musical memories in detail. I remember Latin Quarters, the premier hip-hop club in midtown Manhattan. It was always packed with hip-hop heads on Tuesdays and Fridays. Paradise was the promoter and Red Alert was the resident DJ with the Violators.