MC Lyte is an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 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 as a Rock

Lyte as a Rock is the debut album of American rapper MC Lyte. Since its release in 1988, it has been critically acclaimed and often recognized as a hip hop classic. In 1998, the album was listed in The Source's 100 Best Rap Albums. The album is broken down track-by-track by MC Lyte in Brian...

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Lyte was born Lana Michelle Moorer in 1971. Raised in Brooklyn

Brooklyn

Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...

, Lyte began rapping at the age of 12. Two of her brothers later formed the hip-hop duo, Audio Two

Audio Two

Audio Two were the Brooklyn, New York hip hop duo of emcee Kirk "Milk Dee" Robinson and DJ Nat "Gizmo" Robinson, most famous for its first hit, the classic "Top Billin'." The members of the duo are also the older brothers of female hip-hop star MC Lyte.-History:The duo’s debut single, "Make it...

, which later helped to collaborate on Lyte's records. Lyte recorded her first song, "I Cram to Understand U (Sam)", in 1986.