The following is the discography of MC Lyte, an American hip hop musician.
MC Lyte began her recording career in 1987 with "I Cram to Understand U (Sam)". In 1988, her collaboration with Sinéad O'Connor on "I Want Your (Hands on Me)" became her first single to reach the charts, appearing in England and New Zealand hit lists. That same year with her debut album Lyte as a Rock Lyte became the first woman to release a full-length Rap album as a solo artist. On October 21, 1989, her second album Eyes on This became the first by a female solo rapper to appear on the Billboard 200 (then called Billboard Top Pop Albums), on which it remained for 20 weeks, peaking 86 in November. It also peaking 6 on the Billboard Top Black Albums, the MC Lyte's highest position on this chart, as well as her first and only top 10 appearance. In December of the same year, she became the first woman to reach number one on the Billboard Rap Songs as lead artist with "Cha Cha Cha". In March 1992 "Poor Georgie" became her first song to chart on the Billboard 200. On November 30, 1993 "Ruffneck" became the first work by a female solo rapper to be certified gold by the RIAA. In September 1996 her fourth album Bad as I Wanna B peaked at No. 59 on the Billboard 200, the MC Lyte's highest position on this chart. In Germany, the album reached No. 95 on the Offizielle Top 100, becoming MC Lyte's first studio album to chart outside of the United States. Lyte's sixth studio album, Seven & Seven (1998), failed to chart on the Billboard main chart, as did her subsequent release Da Undaground Heat, Vol. 1 (2003), which was released independently. In September 2001 she published her first compilation album The Very Best of MC Lyte. In May 2008 he published an EP as part of the group The Almost September. In April 2015, more than 8 years after the release of her last solo studio album, MC Lyte publishes Legend.
In total 5 Lyte songs (4 as the main artist and one as part of the Stop the Violence Movement) would reach number one on Billboard Rap Songs and hold seven entries on the Billboard 200, reaching the top 10 with their collaboration on Janet Jackson's "You Want This" (number 8) and "Keep On Keepin' On" (number 10). Internationally, her most successful single in terms of commercial performance is arguably "Cold Rock a Party" (1996), which was certified platinum in New Zealand.
Albums Studio albums + List of studio albums with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales US USR&B/HH GER Lyte as a RockReleased: April 19, 1988 Label: First Priority/Atlantic Formats: CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming—50— Eyes on ThisReleased: October 3, 1989 Label: First Priority/Atlantic Formats: CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming866— Act Like You KnowReleased: September 17, 1991 Label: First Priority/Atlantic Formats: CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming10214— Ain't No OtherReleased: June 22, 1993 Label: First Priority/Atlantic Formats: CD, Cassette, digital download, streaming9016— US: 238,000(as of 2007) Bad As I Wanna BReleased: August 27, 1996 Label: East West/Elektra Formats: CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming591195 Seven & SevenReleased: August 18, 1998 Label: East West/Elektra Formats: CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming—7187 Da Undaground Heat, Vol. 1Released: March 18, 2003 Label: BMG (US)iMUSIC (EU)Cortex (AUS) Formats: CD—95— LegendReleased: April 18, 2015 Label: Sunni Gyrl/Omnivore Formats: LP——— 1 of 1Released: September 20, 2024 Label: Sunni Gyrl/My Block/Vydia Formats: digital download, streaming——— "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
Compilation albums + List of compilation albums Title Album details The Very Best of MC Lyte Released: September 4, 2001 Label: Rhino Formats: CD The Shit I Never Dropped Released: August 12, 2003 Label: Unda Ground Kings Formats: CD Rhyme Masters Released: October 4, 2005 Label: Flashback Formats: CD, cassette The Very Best of MC Lyte Released: July 28, 2009 Label: Rhino/Elektra Formats: digital download, streaming Cold Rock a Party – Best of MC Lyte Released: May 25, 2019 Label: X5 Music Group/Warner Formats: digital download, streaming
Mixtapes + List of mixtapes Title Mixtape details Track listing The Oracle (Xtra Files Pt. 1)(compilation – with DJ Flipcyide) Released: July 28, 2017 Label: self-released Formats: CD, digital download
Remix albums + List of remix albums Title Album details Badder Than B-Fore Released: November 10, 1997 Label: East West Formats: CD, digital download
EPs + List of extended plays Title Details Lyte of a Decade(compilation) Released: April 23, 1996 Label: East West Formats: CD, cassette Rhino Hi-Five: MC Lyte(compilation) Released: April 24, 2007 Label: Rhino Formats: digital download Almost September(as part of Almost September) Released: May 6, 2008 Label: One Formats: CD, digital download
Singles As lead artist + List of singles, with selected chart positions and certifications, showing year released and album name Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album US US R&B US Rap BEL CAN GER NLD NZ SWI UK "I Cram to Understand U (Sam)"(with DJ K-Rock)1987 — —align="center" rowspan="4" — — — — — — —Lyte as a Rock "10% Dis"1988 — — — — — — — — — "Paper Thin" — — — — — — — — — "Lyte as a Rock" — — — — — — — — — "I'm Not Havin' It"(with Positive K)1989 — — 16 — — — — — — — The First Priority Music Family: Basement Flavor "Cha Cha Cha" — 35 1 — — — — — — —Eyes on This "Stop, Look, Listen"(with DJ K-Rock)1990 — — 9 — — — — — — — "Cappucino" — — 8 — — — — — — — "When in Love"1991 — 14 3 — — — — — — —Act Like You Know "Poor Georgie" 83 11 1 — — — — — — — "Eyes Are the Soul"1992 — 84 — — — — — — — — "Ice Cream Dream" — — 11 — — — — — — —Mo' Money (soundtrack) "Ruffneck"1993 35 10 1 — — — — — — 67 RIAA: GoldAin't No Other "I Go On" — 68 27 — — — — — — — "Keep On, Keepin' On" (featuring Xscape) 1996 10 3 2 — — 32 38 18 41 27 RIAA: Gold Sunset Park (soundtrack) / Bad As I Wanna B "Everyday" — — — — — — — — — 81Bad As I Wanna B "Cold Rock a Party" (Bad Boy Remix)(featuring Missy Elliott) 11 5 1 12 11 15 36 1 22 15 RIAA: Gold RMNZ: Platinum "Druglord Superstar (Milk Remix)"1997 — — — — — — — — — — Badder Than B-Fore "I Can't Make a Mistake"1998 — — — — — — — — — 46Seven & Seven "It's All Yours" (featuring Gina Thompson) — — — — — — — — — 36 "It's On" 2001 — — — — — — — — — — "Fighting Temptation"(with Beyoncé, Missy Elliott & Free) 2003 — — — 37 34 54 13 — 42 — The Fighting Temptations (soundtrack) "Can I Get It Now" 2005 — — — — — — — — — —rowspan="7" "Don't Walk Away"(with Meechie) — — — — — — — — — — "Mad At Me" 2007 — — — — — — — — — — "Juke Joint" 2008 — — — — — — — — — — "Get Lyte" — — — — — — — — — — "You Cut" — — — — — — — — — — "Brooklyn" 2009 — — — — — — — — — — "Rockin' with the Best" — — — — — — — — — —The Oracle (Xtra Files Pt. 1) "All Over Me/Home" — — — — — — — — — —rowspan="2" "Dada da Da" 2011 — — — — — — — — — — "Dopestyle" 2012 — — — — — — — — — —SLAM x Mick Boogie Present: Brooklyn Originals Mixtape "Cravin'" (featuring Stan Carrizosa) 2013 — — — — — — — — — —Legend "This Is Your Life"(with Psyko Punkz & Chris Willis) 2014 — — — — — — — — — — "Dear John" (featuring Common & 10Beats) — — — — — — — — — —Legend "Ball" (featuring Lil' Mama & AV) — — — — — — — — — — "Check" 2015 — — — — — — — — — — "Money on My Mind" (featuring AVY) 2017 — — — — — — — — — — "Revolution" 2018 — — — — — — — — — —The Best of Vintage Hip-Hop: The Lost Tapes Series, Vol. 2 "9 To 5" (featuring Cheyenne Lavene) — — — — — — — — — —rowspan="7" "Wide Awake" (featuring V. Bozeman) — — — — — — — — — — "SpotLyte" (featuring Zay) — — — — — — — — — — "Get It Started" (featuring Shah) — — — — — — — — — — "Easy" (featuring Lil Mama & Brookelynn) — — — — — — — — — — "Anything"(featuring AV & JoiStaRR) — — — — — — — — — — "Thick Chick"(with Juju Bacardi) 2021 — — — — — — — — — — "Partners in Rhyme Unstoppable'"(with Precious Way & Xhaania) — — — — — — — — — — Partners in Rhyme Soundtrack "Woman"(featuring Salt, Big Daddy Kane & Raheem DeVaughn) 2024 — — — — — — — — — — 1 of 1 "Mood For You"(with Lalah Hathaway) — — — — — — — — — — Vantablack "King King"(with Queen Latifah) — — — — — — — — — — 1 of 1 "Thank You"(featuring Mary Mary & Muni Long) — — — — — — — — — — "Make A Livin'" — — — — — — — — — — "Realest Whine'"(with Briannagh D)2025 — — — — — — — — — — "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. "*" indicates a chart that did not exist at the time.
Featured singles
+ List of singles as featured artist, with selected chart positions and certifications, showing year released and album name Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album US US Dance US R&B US Rap AUS CAN GER NLD NZ SPA SWE UK "I Want Your (Hands on Me)"(Sinéad O'Connor featuring MC Lyte)1988 — — —align="center" rowspan="2" — — — — 40 — — 77 The Lion & the Cobra "Victory Is Calling"(Michie Mee and L.A. Luv featuring MC Lyte) — — — — — — — — — — — The First Priority Music Family: Basement Flavor "Self Destruction"(as part of Stop the Violence Movement)1989 — — 30 1 — — — — 33 — — 75 RIAA: Gold "Dr. Soul"(Foster & McElroy featuring MC Lyte) — — 10 — — — — — — — — — FM2 "I Ain't Lyin'"(Sinbad featuring MC Lyte)1990 — — 90 — — — — — — — — — Brain Damaged "Heal Yourself"(as part of H.E.A.L. Human Education Against Lies)1991 — — — — — — — — — — — — Civilization vs. Technology "You Want This"(Janet Jackson featuring MC Lyte)1994 8 9 9 — 16 15 90 37 11 — — 14 RIAA: Gold janet. Remixed "Can't Hang"(Xscape featuring MC Lyte) 1996 50 — 9 — — — — — — — — — Off the Hook "Come On"(Billy Lawrence featuring MC Lyte)1997 44 — 19 — — — — — 28 — — — Set It Off (soundtrack) / Paradise "Let's Get Funk"(Mellowman featuring MC Lyte) — — — — — — — — — — — — Au Jour Le Jour "I'm Leavin' U (Gotta Go Gotta Go)"(Bootsy Collins featuring MC Lyte) — — — — — — 59 — — — — 79 Fresh Outta 'P' University "Curious"(LSG featuring LL Cool J, Busta Rhymes and MC Lyte)1998 — — — — — — 70 — — — — 23 Levert.Sweat.Gill "Jammin'"(Bob Marley featuring MC Lyte) 2000 — — — — — — — 54 — 10 59 42 Chant Down Babylon "Time for a Change"(The Rapsody featuring MC Lyte, Khaled & Danacee) — — — — — — — — — — — — Hip Hop Meets World "Roots Love & Culture"(Tre Hardson featuring MC Lyte) 2002 — — — — — — — — — — — — Liberation "Girlfriend's Story"(Gemma Fox featuring MC Lyte) 2004 — — — — — — — — — — — 38 Messy "Money"(KRS-One featuring MC Lyte) 2007 — — — — — — — — — — — — Adventures in Emceein "Beautiful"(as part of Almost September) — — — — — — — — — — — — Almost September "Love"(as part of Almost September; featuring KRS-One & Sleepy Brown) 2008 — — — — — — — — — — — — "Lay Down Slow"(Medusa featuring MC Lyte) 2011 — — — — — — — — — — — — Whrs the DJ Booth? "That's Still the Way"(Bishop Brigante featuring MC Lyte & Sticky Fingaz) 2017 — — — — — — — — — — — — Legacy "Dare to Change the World"(Denise Lopez featuring MC Lyte) 2018 — — — — — — — — — — — —rowspan="5" "Shut the F... Up (Street Version)"(Paula Perry featuring MC Lyte) — — — — — — — — — — — — "I'm Still Not Havin' It"(Positive K featuring MC Lyte) 2019 — — — — — — — — — — — — "Can't Help Myself"(Sir the Baptist featuring Saint Ashleey, Estelle, MC Lyte, Syleena Johnson, Ann Nesby and The Boys & Girls Club of the Gulf Coast) 2020 — — — — — — — — — — — — "Know the Game"(Hindustani featuring MC Lyte) — — — — — — — — — — — — "Mom the Bounty Hunter"(Keke Palmer featuring MC Lyte)2023 — — — — — — — — — — — —My Dad the Bounty Hunter: Season 2 (soundtrack) "JAM"(Ray Chew featuring Stephanie Mills, MC Lyte, Doug E. Fresh & Kid Capri)2024 — — — — — — — — — — — —rowspan="3" "Too Bold"(Van Van featuring MC Lyte, Da Brat & Rapsody) — — — — — — — — — — — — "Back Like I Never Left"(LG Roc featuring MC Lyte)2025 — — — — — — — — — — — — "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.