Black Girls Rock! by Beverly Bond

Author:Beverly Bond
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Atria / 37 Ink

MC LYTE

LYTE AS A ROCK

MC, Hip-hop legend, education advocate, and philanthropist

I THINK BEING RECOGNIZED AS a hip-hop legend is awesome, but I was never aiming for that. I’ve been rapping since I was seven or eight years old. As a kid, I rehearsed for hours and spent time enunciating so I could be heard clearly. I paid attention to the greats before me, and I respected the art. I’ve simply been doing what I love all along. It wasn’t intentional. I was not thinking, Let me aim for a status. I was just thinking, Let me create good music.

A lot of ingredients go in the pot in order to make a legend. I don’t think anyone who’s been dubbed “legendary” is mediocre or just coming on the scene. They’re either doing something that hasn’t been done before or they’re doing something in a new way. It takes a lifetime of dedicating yourself to your work.

It also has to do with caring about the art, craft, or discipline you participate in and giving back to the culture in a meaningful way. And I definitely think I have done that. Still, it’s taken me a while to really own my legacy. There’s a funny story about my journey toward appreciating “my legendary status.”

When I had to perform at the White House, I remember getting a call from Queen Latifah, who was going to introduce me at the event. She shared over the phone that she had some concerns with the introduction that they asked her to read about me, and was like, “We need to talk about this one.” When she came to my hotel room later that day, we discussed the introduction, particularly the line that referred to me as the “godmother of hip-hop.”

She asked, “You want me to say that, Lyte?” I really wasn’t sure. It sounded so old. I was thinking to myself, “The godfather of soul is James Brown, and we’re from two different eras. How can I already be the godmother of anything?” In all honesty, I was also wondering if I was deserving of that title. When I talked to my chief operations officer, Lynn Richardson, about it, she said, “What, are you kidding? You don’t get to choose when you get a title like that. You get it now or you may never get it. Take your blessing when you can.”

It’s been a process, but I’ve learned to receive praise graciously and to accept the titles or celebrations of my achievements despite my modesty. I really appreciate all the accolades I’ve received over the years, but I am most proud of the fact that I was the first recipient of the BLACK GIRLS ROCK! Award.

Being a hip-hop artist has not been easy. I’ve had to navigate a hypermasculine and oftentimes misogynist industry. Sexism is something I’ve experienced firsthand coming up in this business, and it exists in every medium of entertainment. Women just have to face it. One of the things that keeps me grounded

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