MC Lyte and Lil Kim shared their insight about the importance of sisterhood, especially in a male-dominated industry during Mastercard's "She Run This" event, which kicked off during Grammy weekend.
The three-day event celebrated Black entrepreneurship in business and Hip-Hop and was held in collaboration with Femme It Forward. The event launched with a three-part panel that featured veteran women in Hip-Hop including MC Lyte, Lil Kim, Yo-Yo, Salt-N-Pepa, in conversation with emerging artists including Baby Tate, Coi Leray, Jozzy, and a special appearance from Jennifer Hudson, Billboard reports.
Lyte, who emerged on the scene with her groundbreaking debut in 1988, Lyte As A Rock, became the first woman rapper to release a solo rap project. She talked about the misconceptions she had about working with business, and how over the years, her perspective evolved.
“All that I’d heard was that working with women wasn’t a good thing because they were so emotional," she admitted. "I adopted this thought, but the truth was, I had to become responsible in the way that I communicated. There is a way that you can communicate with love and care and kindness and I had not learned that when I [first started out],” she continued. “What I can say now is this business that I’m in is the best for me because I know what sisterhood is.
Lyte has since hired a female manager who's been with her for 13 years and is now her business partner. Lil Kim chimed in about why having women around her has been essential throughout her decades-long career.
“I never knew what it felt like to be unprotected around my sisters," Kim said. "Especially in a male-dominated [industry]. It was hard, but when I was in the comfort of my sisters, I was at my peak. I felt the most powerful. We did everything together,” Kim said, referencing her relationship with MC Lyte, Missy Elliott, Mary J. Blige, Da Brat, Queen Latifah and stylist Misa Hilton early in their careers.
As for Salt-N-Pepa, they recently hit the stage alongside Queen Latifah and a slew of Hip-Hop vets at the Grammy's tribute to the 50th anniversary of Hip-hop. Missy Elliott, Lil Kim, Eve, and more are set to perform at the Friends and Lovers Fest this May.
