I remember when i first purchased Biggie Smalls "Big Poppa" single. It has an Isley Bros. Sample that Dre Dog (now Andre Nickatina) "Lips", ya know, that Bay Area style..ya smell me. In high school, all i listened to was California rap. Had my Nike Cortez sneakers, Dickies pants, a black plaid shirt, and black locs. Our crew repped the Bloods, Nortenos XIV POR VIDA.. We would bump Mac Dre, Mac Mall,GLP, Proper Dos, Kid Frost, RBL Posse etc..
On the B Side, Biggie had the song "Warning" . It was the hardest record i've heard since Tim Dog's "Fuck Compton" and PhD's "Without Warning"...
When the album Ready To Die came out, i copped it for the single "Big Poppa" . For awhile after i bought it, i put the record away.. I thought the rest of the album was garbage (can't imagine that i thought that then..SMH). "Juicy" was right up that West Coast Funk alley..Other than that, the rest of the album was no bueno for me..
It wasn't until after i graduated that i fully listened to the album closely(lyrics, beats, style) . The album had to grow on me. There would be times while listening i would say "Oh Shit, what did he say". After a couple of listens, The Source mag write up of how he wrote nothing down and paying attention to his flow..That's when i learned about his genius abilities..Reminded me of Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, MC Lyte etc...
Not to mention his Executive Producer was Puff Daddy...Puff was at Uptown, and Uptown was my shit (Jodeci, Mary J Blige, Father MC, Heavy D (RIP), Guy)..From then on i was hooked.. If i never picked up "Big Poppa" .."Going Back To Cali" would've been my first listen and by that time it would've been to late to know that Biggie was the greatest MC..
WE MISS YOU B.I.G. POPPA
http://www.spreaker.com/user/4636220/BiggieStaticMix1
Keeping it Brooklyn we are giving you an interview with a Hip Hop legend...MC LYTE
TB: What influenced you to be in the Hip Hop industry?
MCL: Oh! goodness, i wanted to make a difference and a change.. To speak about things that people could relate to that were from my neighborhood
TB: Anybody in the industry you looked up to?
MCL: It would probably be Salt N Peppa, Run DMC (RIP JMJ) , LL Cool J , Sparky Dee, Sha-Rock, Funky 4+1, Sequence etc..
TB: Coming as a new artist out the streets, who discovered you?
MCL: Our production company had a quite of few artists and it seemed we were waiting for our chance. The owner had an independent label and we kind of put some stuff out. We were able to get a deal rather quickly. How was i discovered..i really don't remember that moment.
TB: Was the deal thorough and independent or a major label?
MCL: Priority then was an independent label. We worked our way through to Atlantic Records..
TB: Being a female, was it hard being in a male dominated hip hop scene?
MCL: No, for the most part it gave me advantages because there were less females, so there was less competition. I think it made it easier..
TB: Name your first tour, and describe the feeling you had when you walked on stage for the first time.
MCL: The first concert i performed at was the Village Hut in Brooklyn. It was definitely a learning experience . I think i made like $75. At that time i was 16.
TB: It must have been an adrenaline rush to have that crowd participation.
MCL: Yeah! Totally, i was nervous as well. That's how it is the first time, those nerves just hit you. Plus the crowd participation eased those nerves and made ya feel like you were on to of the world..
TB: "Poor Georgie" was a classic of yours, what's the story behind that?
TB: Do people underestimate your skills as an MC?
MCL: I would imagine so. Really it's up to me to keep do what i'm doing and hopefully people catch on.
TB: Right now i think you can battle any female MC out...
MCL: Oh, no doubt!!! and half of the male MC's with that. I am full of confidence and very confident of what i can do. I measure greatness when it comes to MC'ing . There is a whole lot of thing that come with that. It's not about selling records. As we find out , you can say almost anything and sell a record. That's just being a rapper. Being an MC , you need to be able to spit the truth in a truth that no one can tell. Like Kool Keith, he can spit the the truth, but nobody gets it cuz he's on another level of the game. MC'in is about flow, getting in front of an audience and be entertaining .
TB: You worked with Missy Elliot , tell me what that was like?
MCL: Missy and i worked a couple of times as a matter of fact. With Missy (aka Puff Mama), she's so innovative, creative and on top of her game. She'll be in the studio listening to the record and hear what it means. It makes it easier to work with her because you trust her judgement. I'm not just talking about working with her on "Cold Rock A Party" . She produced some of my tracks for my Elektra album and she took on the producer roll. Producing songs, i am a fan of someone producing songs..
TB: From what i've heard , Missy Elliot looked up to you when she was growing up. She must have been like, WOW!!! This is MC Lyte..
MCL: Yeah, she must have been like that with "Cold Rock A Party" . Whenever i see her she lets me know that she keeps the album Eyes On This in her CD player, which is dope. I'm an MC's MC, it brings me no greater pleasure to have another MC to tell me they enjoy my stuff.
TB: How did you get into acting?
MCL: I wanted to act way before i wanted to do Hip Hop. Took a couple of lessons, did my first movie in 1991, and then i did a couple on indie films. Now i'm on my second sitcom..
TB:Which sitcom is that?
MCL: Half & Half. I have to show face to let the younger generation know who i am. Some kids guess, but mothers always school their kids and be like , that's MC LYTE...
***SIDE NOTE***: Charles Hamilton is MC Lyte's cousin. He was feature on the soundtrack for the hit TV show Empire..
http://www.spreaker.com/user/4636220/thebreaksmix
Shouts out to Pimpy K & Sixpack
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