MC Lyte Says She Wanted To Be Sexier But Record Label Executives Wouldn't Let Her

BY Erika Marie 7.5K Views
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MC Lyte
Not everyone thought she should show off her sexy side.

She's a legend in the rap game who is a pioneer for women emcees in hip hop. MC Lyte first came to prominence in the late 1980s as a teenager and made history as the first solo female rapper to drop a full-length album with Lyte as a Rock. Lyte didn't rely on her sexuality to sell records and was praised strictly for her musical abilities and lyricism, and the rapper discussed why she wasn't able to show more skin back in the day during her feature on WeTV's Untold Stories of Hip Hop.

Paras Griffin/Getty Images

Paras Griffin/Getty Images

In a clip from a recent episode, Angie begins by saying it's important for her to give women in hip hop a voice, and she touched on how the ladies in the industry are oversexualized. The host stated that there is an expectation for female rappers to exude sexuality, but MC Lyte never exemplified that in her career. According to the rapper, that wasn't necessarily her choice. Although she portrayed a more tomboy style, she didn't have a problem with showing off her more sensual side.

"The funny thing is, at some point, I was ready to be sexy," Lyte revealed. "I was reprimanded by my label exec like, 'No, you don't have to do that.'" Angie was surprised. "It was the album I dropped in '91, Act Like You Know," Lyte continued. "When she saw the photo shoot she called me and she said, 'What is this? I need you to put your jeans on and I need you to take a photo shoot on the streets of New York.'" Check out the clip from the show and MC Lyte's music video for her 1992 single "Ruff Neck."


About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.