- published: 05 Feb 2008
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MC Lyte (born Lana Michele Moorer; October 11, 1971) is an American rapper who first gained fame in the late-1980s becoming the first solo female rapper to release a full album with 1988's critically acclaimed Lyte as a Rock.
Lyte was born Lana Michelle Moorer in 1971. Raised in Brooklyn, Lyte began rapping at the age of 12. Two of her brothers later formed the hip-hop duo, Audio Two, which later helped to collaborate on Lyte's records. Lyte recorded her first song, "I Cram to Understand U (Sam)", in 1986. Lyte had originally written the song in 1984. The song, about a relationship that fell apart due to the protagonist's lover's crack addiction, got her notice from First Priority, who signed Lyte in late 1987. Soon after she was signed with Atlantic Records by its VP Sylvia Rhone.
Her first album, Lyte as a Rock, was released in September 1988 and was noted for the hit "Paper Thin" and the battle rap, "10% Dis", which was a response from then-Hurby Azor associate Antoinette. Both rappers released battle records against each other. Lyte followed her debut with 1989's Eyes on This, which spawned the hits "Cha Cha Cha" and "Cappucino". Both albums were notable for Lyte's uncensored lyrical matter. Lyte sweetened up a little on 1991's Act Like You Know, noted for its new jack swing sound and the hit single, "Poor Georgie". Lyte's fourth album, 1993's Ain't No Other, became her first to reach gold status and was notable for her first top 40 pop hit, "Ruffneck". Lyte became a featured artist on hits by Janet Jackson and Brandy in 1994.
Melissa Arnette "Missy" Elliott (born July 1, 1971) is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer and actress. A five-time Grammy Award winner, Elliott, with record sales of over seven million in the United States, is the only female rapper to have six albums certified platinum by the RIAA, including one double platinum for her 2002 album Under Construction. Elliott is known for a series of hits and diverse music videos, including "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)", "Hot Boyz", "Get Ur Freak On", "One Minute Man", "4 My People", "Work It", "Pass That Dutch", and "Lose Control". In addition, she has worked extensively as a songwriter and producer for other artists, both alone and with her fellow producer and childhood friend Timbaland, with whom she received her first production credit on R&B singer Ginuwine's 1996's album Ginuwine...the Bachelor.
Elliott was born on July 1, 1971, in Portsmouth, Virginia. She is the only child of mother Patricia, a power-company coordinator, and father Ronnie, a Marine. At the age of four in 1975, she wanted to be a performer, though she knew no one took her seriously, as she was always the class clown. While her father was a Marine, the family lived in Jacksonville, North Carolina, in a mobile home. Elliott enjoyed school for the friendships she formed and had little interest in school work, though an IQ test classified her above average and she was able to jump two years ahead of her class. This made her feel increasingly isolated, so she purposely failed all her classes, eventually returning to her age-appropriate class. When her father returned from the Marines, they moved back to Virginia, where they lived in a vermin-infested shack.
To the L, to the Y and the T to the E
So get ready cause I want everybody to say this with me
Rock the house, rock the house, rock the house
1-Now I cold rock a party in a b-girl stance
I rock on the floor make the fellas wanna dance
I be the shit and it's all good and if you understood
Would you stop scheming and trying to look hard
I get my bodyguard, You get that booty scarred
I'm a veteran which means that I've been
In the game too long since the days of paper thin way
Back when I've been putting it down
Ask your homies who's the baddest bitch on this side of
The M I C, I go for broke, never giving it less than
The best lots of years in the game at your request
You like the rhyme bite if you dare
I get the paper so I don't care, fly that's me
The epitomy of what a real MC is supposed to be
Fucking you up everytime that I drop, fuck a bullet baby
I done took your spot I guide the best and
I ride it well and if you take a look it
Ain't hard to tell that I
(rpt 1)
Back off me and let my skin breathe, Lyte is everlasting
it's hard to believe I shall prevail cause I'm next to none
Cause I'm claiming no set, Don't plan to get down
Just Brooklyn is where I'm from but I'm resting
In Studio City for the fun, if you don't understand
Just say you don't (nah!)
And don't wait for me to explain cause I won't
You see it's in my nature to be the best, West to East
See East to West, ready or not I have arrived and I'm live
Showing an MC how to survive, cause it's crazy how I
get you captured with my tactics, I got many witnesses
that can back this ruffnecks from New York to L.A.
Been down with me since Poor George
It's '96 -- it's all about show and prove
And I'm about to make the ill type moves
I guide the best and ride it well
And if you take a look it ain't hard to tell that I
(rpt 1)
Get out my shit, Please let me be, I don't see why
You KGB, why you gotta be all up on me like that
Trying to get over like a fat rat, but I understand
I'm a woman in the land of hip-hop
And the shit don't stop, it goes on, on, on, on
You see the shit don't stop till the break of dawn
And now who makes it liver than a hip-hop, scuba diver
Chillin with a pina colada, kidada hooked me up
With Tommy now I gotta lot of gear from everywhere
That I'd like to share (yeah right!)
But I'd rather do Kani, don't ask why!
5001, my son gets shit done all on the catwalk
What they've ever done for you
You betta get down with your real crew
Cause I ride the beat and I ride it well and if you take
A look, it ain't hard to tell that I
(rpt 1)
To the L, to the Y, and the T, to the E
Rock the house and rock the house