Lana Michelle Moorer Aka MC Lyte was the first female rapper signed to a major label at the age of 17. Mc Lyte’s 1988 debut album “Lyte as a Rock” was the first hip-hop album by a solo female rapper.
MC Lyte considers the hip-hop duo Audio Two (Milk Dee and DJ Giz) “totally like her brothers,” because they all grew up together. Audio Two’s father, Nat Robinson, started a record label for them called First Priority. After creating the label, Nat Robinson cut a deal with Atlantic with one condition, that MC Lyte would get a record deal with Atlantic as well, making her the first female rapper signed to a major label. “Lyte as a Rock” was released by First Priority Music/Atlantic Records.
First Priority Music/Atlantic Records/Warner Music Group (1988)
Purchase our 100 Hip-Hop Facts (1973-2000) Book
Read: MC Lyte was the first female rapper to receive a Gold single
Read: MC Lyte’s “Lyte as a Rock” was the first hip-hop album by a solo female rapper
Read: MC Lyte was the first female rapper to perform at the White House