MC Lyte

When MC Lyte emerged in the late '80s, one could rarely find a woman's perspective in hip-hop -- particularly a woman's point of view that was voiced in razor-sharp rhymes and didn't pander to the lovey-dovey R&B world. By the time Lyte dropped her finest full length, Act Like You Know, she had a few sisters on the radio with her, notably Queen Latifah, even if, by 1991, gangsta-rap bullshitters were monopolizing the airplay. In this context, "Ruffneck" came off as hip-hop's very own "He's a Rebel"; it was an ode to a tough-talking street thug who had Lyte's back.

In the '90s, hip-hop blew up commercially; by the end of the decade, potty-mouthed sexpots like Foxy Brown and Lil' Kim defined what it meant to be a woman in hip-hop. The genre had also made its peace with R&B, so Lyte went along for the ride: The danceable Seven & Seven enlisted help from Missy Elliott and L.L. Cool J, with fine results. Unfortunately, Lyte's lyrics had lost their edge -- which is a shame, because hip-hop could use women who trade on skill rather than sex appeal. (KEITH HARRIS)

From 2004's The New Rolling Stone Album Guide