The Legends of Hip Hop by Justin Bua

Author:Justin Bua
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harper Design

“Tribe pushed the barriers and broke

the mold. They helped hip hop shed

its hard-core image and finally spoke

for a generation of hip-hop heads

that were awaiting their representative.”

—MC Lyte

A Tribe Called Quest, acrylic on board, 15 x 20 in., 2010

MC LYTE

Sister Comes Correct

Today there are scholars, academics, and experts in the field of hip hop. There are hip-hop classes, seminars, conferences, and panels full of intellectuals with Ph.D.s, all designed to dissect and discuss the social relevancy of hip hop on culture and its implications on gender and race roles. But I personally guarantee that most of these so-called hip-hop scholars don’t know how to bust a wave, uprock, top-rock, six-step, scratch, freestyle, or have any kind of can control with aerosol. This distinction—the difference between the knowing and the doing—is important to me. The real experts are those individuals who were on the streets making history, not in the schoolroom dissecting hip hop’s greater meaning. Back in the day, hip hop wasn’t under a microscope getting analyzed. It just was.

One of the main topics of discussion in hip-hop academia is the role of the “Femcee”—and MC Lyte is frequently studied as an example. Minorities in the male-dominated arena of hip hop, female MCs represent the intersection of gender, race, and sexuality. And then there are the related fallout issues: consumerism, marketing, capitalism—the analysis is endless. Don’t get me wrong. I love reading history and someone has got to analyze it to write it. Hip hop, created by both men and women, is an important culture to add to the canon of American history. And a true account of history can only arise from multiple voices and perspectives. But here’s the deal: I loved MC Lyte because she was a great rapper—not because she’s a woman, or because she’s a “feminist,” or because she may or may not have had to be either sexual or rugged to sell records, or anything else the academics say about her. More than many other rappers out there—men included—MC Lyte represents authenticity. Born Lana Michele Moorer, MC Lyte’s appearance on the scene was organic; there was no act or marketing package in place. A Brooklyn girl, she grew up surrounded by hip hop, and quickly rose to the top because she’s talented and brought something unique to the game. Her content was strong, witty, funny, and insightful, and she told clever narratives. Like Slick Rick, she was able to relate stories about her hood with humor and sarcasm, all the while keeping the listener engaged. When you listen to her, all the academic psychobabble goes up in smoke. It just doesn’t matter. When you’re good, you’re good, and you don’t need a panel of intellectuals to give you the nod of approval. MC Lyte was beyond good; she remains one of the best MCs period, male or female.

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