Living Legends: Kurtis Blow On How Hip-Hop Culture Was “Made With Love” & Bringing The Breaks To The Olympics

MC Lyte is hip-hop’s original female emcee. Born in Brooklyn, the multi-hyphenate rapper, actor, entrepreneur, and fearless advocate for women is a pioneering force. Nine years since her last album, Lyte is finally ready to release her ninth studio album, 1 of 1, on Aug. 9. Lyte is celebrated not only for her conscious lyrical prowess, but also for shattering gender barriers. At 16, she released her debut single, “I Cram to Understand U (Sam),” making a poignant statement about addiction in the ’80s. In 1988, she unleashed her debut album, Lyte as a Rock, becoming the first solo female rapper to release a full album. “[Early hip-hop] was so much freedom that we were able to really make a difference,” Lyte tells GRAMMY.com. “That’s myself with Heavy D and KRS-One and Rakim and all of the greats having the opportunity to use their voices the way that they wanted to use it.” Her 1993 release, Ain’t No Other, earned her (and all female solo rappers) two firsts: the first GRAMMY nomination for “Ruffneck,” and the first song to be certified gold. In 1996, she struck gold again with Bad As I Wanna B, featuring “Keep On, Keepin’ On” with...