Hey Black Brooklyn, its your girl Busy Sista and I am so excited about this month's Music Corner feature - THE LEGENDARY BROOKLYN BRED, HEAVYWEIGHT EMCEES OF ALL TIME!!!!!
The multi-talented, MC LYTE
A STAR GROWS IN BROOKLYN!
BusySista: What's one of your fondest memories growing up as an African
American child in Brooklyn, NY?
MC Lyte: WEST INDIAN CULTURE. REGGAE, BEEF PATTIES AND PS 219.BusySista: Can you remember some of the hot spots in Brooklyn where you performed "Cram to Understand" during the time you were building a buzz, prior to the deal?
MC Lyte: WEREN'T MANY CLUBS IN BK AT THAT TIME WHERE YOU COULD HEAR HIP
HOP. EMPIRE ROLLER RINK AND UTICA AVE BUT I NEVER PERFORMED AT EITHER
ONE. I PERFORMED AT THE VILLAGE HUT WAY BACK IN THE DAY. MOST RECENTLY
I PERFORMED IN DUMBO.
BusySista: When you "blew up" did you get mad love from the different
sections of Brooklyn like BedStuy, Brownsville, East New York, Flatbush, etc.- how did they treat you? Cus' we all know BK heads can be cocky at times before
you prove yourself .
MC Lyte: YEAH. THE LOVE WAS REAL. EVERYONE WAS HAPPY FOR ME.
Busy Sista: What is it about Brooklyn, why has it given birth to so many super talented hip hop babies? There's You, Biggie, Kim, Foxy, Jay Z, Fabolous, Mos Def, Dead Prez,
Talib, the list goes on and on? Was it something in the 25 cent
quarter water and chico sticks(LOL)?
MC Lyte: YEP YOU HIT IT. MUST BE THE WATER, LOL. POVERTY CAN
SPAWN THE BEST OF CREATIVITY. THE PAIN CAN BE HEARD. I THINK BK MCS KEEP IT SO REAL. WE HAVE NO CHOICE. IN BK YOU GET RESPECT FROM TELLING THE TRUTH.
MC Lyte: During the Self Destruction Movement did you get any support from Brooklyn's community leaders?
MC Lyte: TOO YOUNG TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THE POLITICS AT THAT TIME. NOT SURE WHAT POLITICAL LEADERS SUPPORTED THE STOP THE VIOLENCE MOVEMENT AT ALL. KIND OF FELT LIKE IT WAS JUST US MCS.
AND THE GRAMMY NOMINEES FOR BEST RAP SINGLE ARE....
BusySista: As a lyricist is there anything specific you do to get you in
the mood for writing - or do the words just come to you at any given
time or place?
MC Lyte: I LOOK AROUND. OBSERVATION. FIND TOPICS THAT MATTER
BusySista: "Ruffneck," earned a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Single and turned out to be the first gold single ever achieved by a female
rap artist - can you remember how it felt when management gave you the news?
MC Lyte: IT WAS GREAT. I WAS ON A TOUR BUS IN BETWEEN GIGS AND MY MANAGER CAME BACK ON THE BUS AT A REST STOP AND TOLD ALL OF US ON THE BUS. IT WAS SURREAL.
BusySista: Out of all the collabo's you have done - who was your favorite to work with?
MC LYTE: SOMEWHERE BETWEEN JD AND NEPTUNES.
BusySista: Do you have a favorite song to perform during your concerts?
MC LYTE: CHA CHA CHA
THIS RAPPER SLASH ACTRESS
BusySista: You were cast in many acting roles in the 90's and the millennium including Moesha, In the House with LL, New York Undercover, and most recently Half and Half. Have you always wanted to be an actress,
was that the plan when you started your music career?
MC LYTE: I WANTED TO ACT WAY BEFORE I WANTED TO RAP. I SAW TV YEARS BEFORE I HEARD MY FIRST RAP SONG. ACTING WAS INDEED MY FIRST LOVE.
BusySista: I absolutely loved your role in Half and Half, it seems that comedy comes naturally to you - do you prefer comedic sitcoms over
dramas?
MC LYTE: NO. I REALLY LOVE DRAMA BUT I GOT TO GET IN WHERE I FIT IN.
BusySista: Now bring us up to speed about what Lyte is doing for 2008? A new album, concerts, tv shows, films, books in the works?
MC LYTE: ALL THE ABOVE!! LIFE IS GOOD
ENCOURAGING WORDS FROM LYTE
BusySista: You know, we are truly starving for female emcees right now and really miss when every body had their own style. What do you
think happened? Why is it so hard for a female rapper to have huge commercial success like Kanye or 50?
MC LYTE: RECORD LABELS WON'T SPEND THE SAME MARKETING DOLLARS FOR A FEMALE MC SO SHE DOESN'T SELL WELL. BECAUSE SHE DOESN'T SELL WELL RECORD LABELS BELIEVE SHE'S NOT
WORTH SPENDING THE EXTRA MONEY ON. THEN THEY GET SCARED AND ONLY SIGN A FEMALE MC IF SHE COMES FROM AN ALREADY POPULARIZED GROUP OF SUCCESSFUL MALE RAPPERS
BusySista: Well, Lyte, I hate to end this interview because I can talk your ear off forever but in closing can you give any advice to
underground female emcees who have the drive and passion and dream
of making it big - should they stay Independent or still shop for that
Major deal?
MC LYTE: THEY SHOULD DO WHATEVER FEELS NATURAL. BUT NEVER SELL YOURSELF SHORT. GIVE IT YOUR ALL
Thank you so much, it's been an honor. We wish you continued success in all your future endeavors.
Official Website: www.mc-lyte.com
Myspace: www.myspace.com/mclyteCheck out our archived Celebrity Spotlight features:
Deemi - BK's new Hood Princess
Pretty Ricky - On the Hotline
Lil Kim - EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW during 2006 Incarceration*
GUIDES
Hey Black Brooklyn, its your girl Busy Sista and I am so excited about this month's Music Corner feature - THE LEGENDARY BROOKLYN BRED, HEAVYWEIGHT EMCEES OF ALL TIME!!!!!
