MC Lyte Biography

MC Lyte was born Lana Michelle Moorer in 1971 in Brooklyn, New York. Long before she became famous as the first solo female rapper of the 1980’s, MC Lyte began rhyming while she was still in middle school. Her first single, “I Cram to Understand U (Sam)” was recorded in 1986 but her debut album, Lyte as a Rock, was released two years later.

Lyte as a Rock featured the hits “Paper Thin” and “10% Dis,” both of which landed MC Lyte on the map and earned her the recognition needed to land her first record deal. Eyes on This followed in 1989, featuring the songs “Cappuccino” and “Cha Cha Cha,” and for the next few years, MC Lyte released a number of albums and notable singles, including: Act Like You Know (1991), Ain’t No Other (1993), Bad As I Wanna B (1996), Seven & Seven (1998), Da undaground Heat, Vol. 1 (2003), “When in Love,” “Poor Georgie,” “Eyes are the Soul,” “Ice Cream Dream,” “Ruffneck,” “Keep On, Keepin’ On,” “Cold Rock a Party,” “I Can’t Make a Mistake,” “It’s All Yours,” and “Ride Wit Me.” In addition, MC Lyte released a number of other singles in collaboration with notable artists, such as: “I Want Your (Hands on Me),” with Sinead O’Connor; “I’m Not Havin’ It,” with Positive K; “You Want This,” with Janet Jackson; “I Wanna Be Down,” with Brandy and Queen Latifah; “Come On,” with Billy Lawrence; and “Girlfriend’s Story,” with Gemma Fox. MC Lyte also contributed tracks to the soundtracks for Mo’ Money (1992), Sunset Park (1996), Woo (1998), Wild Wild West (1999), Love & Basketball (2000), and Deliver Us from Eva (2003.)

For her achievements in music, MC Lyte has been recognized with Grammy Awards, Soul Train Awards, and BET Awards, but her accomplishments extend beyond music alone. She began an acting career in the early 1990’s, starting with an off-Broadway role in the play Club Twelve, and then with a film role in the movie Fly by Night in 1993. She has also appeared in: A Luv Tale (1999), Train Ride (2000), Civil Brand (2002), and Playa’s Ball (2003.) MC Lyte is also a highly successful voice over artist and the owner of Shaitel, an accessory boutique in Los Angeles.