Hip-hop legend MC Lyte celebrated her 50th birthday with a bash full of family, friends and good food.
According to Ebony Magazine, Lyte had dinner with family and friends at the swanky Hunt & Fish Club on Saturday. Guests included Love and Hip Hop creator Mona Scott-Young, reality star Jonathan Fernandez and DJ Tony Touch. Guests were treated to various dishes, including herb-crusted King Salmon, macaroni and cheese and brussels sprouts with bacon.
The birthday girl looked good as hell in a metallic gold romper by British designer Richards Radcliffe. MC Lyte shared how she keeps her Black from cracking.
“Drink lots of water and simply be just as good to yourself on the inside as you are on the outside,” she told Ebony. “Self-care is all about handling the within.”
MC Lyte burst onto the hip-hop scene in 1988 with her debut album Lyte As a Rock, per the Hip hop Archive & Research Institute. The Brooklyn native was the first female rapper to earn a gold record and receive a solo Grammy nomination. Lyte is also the first hip-hop artist to perform at Carnegie Hall.
She is still making music in addition to various acting and hosting jobs. Her next project, The Pastor and The Poet is slated to be released next Spring. The album’s release will be accompanied by a documentary.
“I don’t think I’m too old to rap. When you’re younger, you can keep up with all the trends, all the lingo, but as you mature, other things become the focal point,” she told Ebony. “Once you get older, you still want to be timely and inspire when you take to the mic. But when you’re at the top of the game in hip hop, it must be your everything. At this point in my life, I know what I will and won’t say and…I can keep it clean.”
As she enters her 50th year, Lyte is working on building the rest of her legacy.
“When all is said and done, I hope people will say that I was an inspiration to all, and I found my way. Back in the day, I was saying something important, but I had a foul mouth,” she said. “Today, to grow into who I am is a testimony for me to always be a positive influence and, more importantly, to continue to be of service to others.”
