Eyes on This | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | October 3, 1989 | |||
Recorded | 1989 | |||
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Genre | Golden age hip hop [ citation needed ] | |||
Length | 47:49 | |||
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Producer |
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MC Lyte chronology | ||||
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Singles from Eyes on This | ||||
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Eyes on This is the second studio album American hip hop recording artist MC Lyte. [1] It was released on October 3, 1989, via First Priority and Atlantic Records, and featured production from Audio Two, as well as Grand Puba, The King of Chill, Marley Marl and PMD. [2]
The album 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 No. 86 in November 1989. [3] It also peaking No. 6 on the Billboard Top Black Albums, being the first female solo rapper to break into the top 10 of that chart, as well as the highest position reached by Lyte. [4]
The lead single Cha Cha Cha reached No. 35 on the Billboard Hot Black Singles [5] and spent 19 weeks on the Billboard Hot Rap Singles, peaking at No. 1. Later, Stop, Look, Listen and Cappucino would become top 10 in the Hot Rap Singles (in No. 9 and No. 8, respectively). [6]
As on the album Lyte as a Rock , most of the songs are produced by Audio Two and King of Chill, incorporating other producers on some specific tracks. "Capuccino" was produced and co-written by Juice Crew's Marley Marl and recorded at his "House of Hits" home studio in Chestnut Ridge. "Slave 2 the Rhythm" was co-written and produced by EPMD's PMD. "I Am the Lyte" and "Funky Song" was co-written and produced by Brand Nubian's Grand Puba. For his part, Positive K, with whom Lyte had previously worked on the duet I'm Not Havin' It, has songwriting credits on the track "Rhyme Hangover." [2]
The album addresses some social issues such as violence around drugs and addictions ("Cappucino", "Not wit' a Dealer") [2] [7] and machismo ("Please Understand"). [8] Regarding the content of Please Understand, Lyte told Deborah Gregory in an Essence profile "I’ve never let a man dog me and I never will, It’s just not gonna happen!". [8] The track "Survival of the Fittest" is a remix by King of Chill along with Audio Two of the original included on the compilation album The First Priority Music Family: Basement Flavor (1988). As the last track was included "K-Rocks Housin", a set by Lyte's disc jockey DJ K-Rock.
The diss track to Antoinette "Shut the Eff Up! (Hoe)", which was originally the b-side of the single Lyte as a Rock, was included on the album. [9] The diss track to Antoinette "Shut the Eff Up! (Hoe)", which was originally the b-side of the single Lyte as a Rock, was included on the album. [9] On the track "Slave 2 the Rhythm" she would say "It took a whole album for you to try and diss me/And ha-ha-ha, slum bitch, you still missed me/But yo, I'm off the dissin tip, cause that takes no creation" and would add "'Gangstress', don't make me laugh" in reference to Antoinette's nickname. [10]
"Shut the Eff Up! (Hoe)" was later sampled on TLC's Hat 2 da Back, The Lox's "Goin' Be Some Shit" and Common's "Orange Pineapple Juice". "Slave 2 the Rhythm" was sampled by Naughty by Nature on "Strike a Nerve" and by electropunk group Mindless Self Indulgence on "Tornado".
The cover photo, taken by Robert Manella, shows Lyte with her DJ K-Rock with two Porsche Carrera '89. This was taken at pier 6 of Brooklyn Bridge Park, with the World Trade Center complex of buildings visible behind them. [11]
In December 2010 the cover was included by Flavorwire in their "11 Stylish '80s Hip-Hop Album Covers" list, reviewing "MC Lyte’s hairstyle and oversized power suit haven’t necessarily aged well, but her DJ looks smooth, and there’s something ageless about lounging by a couple of Porsches before the city skyline. The soft focus adds a touch of mystery to the proceedings." [12]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Robert Christgau | B+ [13] |
Rolling Stone | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
In his "Consumer Guide" column in The Village Voice , critic Robert Christgau commented "backtalk like a pro, sometimes like an original --the rhythmic obscenities on the spectacularly unsisterly "Shut the Eff Up! (Hoe)" are mind-boggling. Her tales of the drug wars are tough and prowoman, and the narrative tone of "Cappucino"—part fable, part metaphor, part confessional revery, part dumb it-was-only-a-dream—is avant-garde. Elsewhere she's a pro." He also highlighted a better production compared to his debut album. [15] Rolling Stone magazine described the album as a "slamming, street-smart" endeavor. [8] People's Michael Small considered MC Lyte on the album “maintained her reputation as an insult-hurling tough talker who rapped to hard, simple beats”. [16] For his part, Jon Pareles of The New York Times would write in his review of the album "Most of the songs continue to brag and sling insults, a gambit that can wear thin in the course of an album" although he highlighted the presence of songs like Please Understand, Not Wit 'a Dealer and Cappuccino "Even so, MC Lyte still has her ears to the street." [1] John Leland reviewed for Spin magazine "(...) the new album is unrelentingly on, making a hard virtue of its simplicity and crudeness. In a genre that shows little patience for the vicissitudes of growing up, Lyte hangs onto her youth, battling more as a tomboy than a sexual warrior, all the while slipping into a childless world of drug dealers and casual murders." [17]
In 1999, Ego Trip's editors ranked the album No. 17 in their list Hip Hop's 40 Greatest Album by Year 1989 in Ego Trip's Book of Rap Lists. [18]
Alex Henderson of AllMusic commented that the album "tends to be one-dimensional lyrically -- she spends too much time bragging about how superior her rapping skills are and how inept sucker MCs are. Though it's hard not to admire the technique and strong chops she displays on such boasting fare as "Shut the Eff Up! (Hoe)" and "Slave 2 the Rhythm," she's at her best when telling some type of meaningful story." He also considered "Cappucino" the most outstanding song on the album "Were everything on the album in a class with "Cappuccino," it would have been an outstanding album instead of simply a good one." [2]
In October 2019, on the 30th anniversary of its publication, it was reviewed by Jesse Ducker of Albumism, who commented "Eyes On This showcases Lyte's tenacity and increased confidence as an artist. Her lyrical abilities continued to improve, as she sounded even more confident . With the determination of a bulldog, she attacks each track, showing no mercy towards those who dare step to her." He would also comment on his later albums "Though Eyes On This was a success for Lyte, it was her last album where she mostly focused on emcee shit." [19]
In November 2019 HipHopDX commented on the album "The original femme fatale turned heads and reloaded her arsenal on her sophomore album with a sharp wit, thick-as-molasses funky production and inspired a generation of female rappers including her fellow Brooklynites Lil Kim, Foxy Brown, and contemporaries such as Nicki Minaj and Rapsody." [20]
In September 2020 it was reviewed by Sha Be Allah of The Source, who considered the album a "classic", described it as "Lyte’s introduction into stardom" and highlighting songs like "Cappucino," "Cha Cha Cha," and "Shut The Eff Up (Hoe)!" [11]
The song writing information is according to the ASCAP website. [21] [22] [23]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Cha Cha Cha" | Freddie Byrd | King Of Chill | 3:00 |
2. | "Slave 2 the Rhythm" | PMD | 4:17 | |
3. | "Cappucino" |
| Marley Marl | 3:55 |
4. | "Stop, Look, Listen" |
| King Of Chill | 3:19 |
5. | "Throwin' Words at U" |
| Audio Two | 3:00 |
6. | "Not wit' a Dealer" | Kirk Robinson | Audio Two | 3:20 |
7. | "Survival of the Fittest" |
| King Of Chill | 4:08 |
8. | "Shut the Eff Up! (Hoe)" |
| Audio Two | 5:49 |
9. | "I Am the Lyte" |
| Grand Puba | 4:00 |
10. | "Rhyme Hangover" |
| King Of Chill | 2:03 |
11. | "Funky Song" |
| Grand Puba | 3:55 |
12. | "Please Understand" |
| Audio Two | 3:01 |
13. | "K-Rocks Housin" | Audio Two | 4:02 | |
Total length: | 47:49 |
Song title | Sample(s) |
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"Cha Cha Cha" |
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"Slave 2 the Rhythm" |
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"Cappucino" |
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"Stop, Look, Listen'" |
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"Throwin' Words at U" |
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"Not wit' a Dealer" |
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"Survival of the Fittest" (remix) |
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"Shut the Eff Up! (Hoe)" |
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"I Am the Lyte" |
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"Rhyme Hangover" |
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"Funky Song" |
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"Please Understand" |
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"K-Rocks Housin" |
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Credits are taken from the liner notes. [24]
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
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Lana Michele Moorer, better known by her stage name MC Lyte, is an American rapper. Considered one of the pioneers of female rap, MC Lyte first gained fame in the late 1980s, becoming the first female rapper to release a full solo album with 1988's critically acclaimed Lyte as a Rock. The album spawned the singles "10% Dis" and "Paper Thin".
Goin' Off is the debut studio album by American hip hop musician Biz Markie. The album was released by Cold Chillin' Records, and produced by Marley Marl. Big Daddy Kane wrote the lyrics of the album's first five songs. The album also showcased Biz's talent as a human beatbox on the song "Make the Music with Your Mouth, Biz", and his skill in the game of dozens on the track "Nobody Beats the Biz". One of his most widely known songs, "Vapors", was on the album.
Hip Hop Lives is the collaborative studio album by American rapper KRS-One and record producer Marley Marl. It was released on May 22, 2007 via Koch Records. Recording sessions took place at House Of Hits in New York and at Westlake Recording Studios in Los Angeles. Production was handled by Marley Marl himself, except for one track produced with 88 Fingers. It features guest appearances from Blaq Poet, Busy Bee Starski and Magic Juan. The album's title is a response to Nas's 2006 album Hip Hop Is Dead.
Lyte as a Rock is the debut studio album by American hip hop recording artist MC Lyte. It was released on April 19, 1988 via First Priority and Atlantic Records, and featured production from Audio Two, Prince Paul, King of Chill and his group, Alliance.
In Control, Volume 1 is the debut studio album by American hip hop record producer Marley Marl of the Juice Crew. It was released on September 20, 1988 through Cold Chillin' Records with distribution via Warner Bros. Records.
Peaceful Journey is the third album by American rap group Heavy D & the Boyz. It was released on July 2, 1991, for Uptown Records and was produced by Pete Rock, DJ Eddie F, Teddy Riley, Marley Marl and Howie Tee. This marked the group's first album since the death of member Trouble T Roy, who died almost a year before the album's release, and several songs on the album pay tribute to him. Though not as successful as the group's previous album, Big Tyme, the album was able to reach Platinum status and made it to number 21 on the Billboard 200 and number 5 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
Act Like You Know is the third studio album by American hip hop recording artist MC Lyte. It was released on September 17, 1991, by First Priority Music, distributed by Atlantic Records, and featured production from Audio Two, The 45 King, Ivan "Doc" Rodriguez, The King of Chill, Pal Joey, Epic Mazur, Richard Wolf and DJ Master Tee.
Cha Cha Cha is the lead single from MC Lyte's second album Eyes on This. Produced by King Of Chill, who also has songwriting credits, it was released on September 8, 1989.
"Poor Georgie" is the second single from hip-hop artist MC Lyte's third album Act Like You Know (1991). The song was produced by Ivan 'Doc' Rodriguez, and released on December 12, 1991. The song seeks to convey an anti-addiction message, through the story of George and the dysfunctional relationship MC Lyte has with this individual with self-destructive behaviors. It features a sample of "Georgy Porgy" by rock band Toto.
The following is the discography of MC Lyte, an American hip hop musician.
"Ruffneck" is a hip hop song recorded by American rapper MC Lyte. It was published on May 27, 1993 by First Priority Music and Atlantic Street, as the lead single from her fourth studio album, Ain't No Other (1993). The song was produced by Aqil Davidson with Walter "Mucho" Scott, who along with Lyte have songwriting credits.
"Paper Thin" is the third single from MC Lyte's debut album Lyte as a Rock. It is produced by King of Chill, who along with Lyte has songwriting credits.
"Roxanne's Revenge" is the debut single by American rapper Roxanne Shante. It was produced by a then unknown Marley Marl and released in 1984 through the independent label Pop Art Records. In the song, a 14-year-old Roxanne Shante, whose real name is Lolita Shanté Gooden, responds to UTFO's hit song "Roxanne, Roxanne". In addition to her feud with UTFO, this also caused between 30 and more than 100 "answer songs" from different hip hop artists to be produced at that time, in what would be called "Roxanne Wars".
10% Dis is a single from MC Lyte's album Lyte as a Rock produced by the hip hop duo Audio Two, who are also credited as songwriters.
Cappucino is the third and final single from MC Lyte's album Eyes on This. It was published on August 2, 1990. In its single version it is a remix by Ivan "Doc" Rodríguez of the original version of the album produced by Marley Marl.
"I Cram to Understand U (Sam)" is the debut single by American rapper MC Lyte, in which features their DJ, DJ K-Rock, released in 1987. The song was part of her first album Lyte as a Rock, released the following year.
When in Love is the first single from MC Lyte's third album Act Like You Know. It was released on August 22, 1991. Although its original version of the album is produced by Wolf & Epic, its single version includes a remix made with Carmen Rizzo.
In Control Volume II (For Your Steering Pleasure) is the second studio album by American hip hop record producer Marley Marl. It was released on October 1, 1991, via Cold Chillin' Records. Recording sessions took place at Marley's House Of Hits in Chestnut Ridge, New York. Production was handled by Marley Marl himself, with Benny Medina, Francesca Spero and Tyrone Williams serving as executive producers. It features guest appearances from Tragedy Khadafi, Big Daddy Kane, Craig G, Heavy D, Kool G Rap and Masta Ace, who contributed on In Control, Volume 1, as well as Big Money Wiz, Chubb Rock, Chuck D, Def Jef, Eclipse, Grand Puba, Kev-E-Kev & AK-B, King Tee, Little Daddy Shane, LL Cool J, MC Amazing, MC Cash, Mike Nice, Nexx Phase, Perfection, Portia Kirkland, Pure Cane Sugar, Rap Industry For Social Evolution and The Flex. Action, Biz Markie, MC Shan and Roxanne Shanté did not appear on this album.
Legend is the eighth album released by American rapper MC Lyte. The album was released in 2015 via Omnivore Recordings and its global entertainment firm, Sunni Gyrl, and featured production from Dominique Ludarius Cohill, Emmanuel A. Jimenez, Emmanuel Wells II, Loudbox and Olson Kenneth Wells II.
"Lyte as a Rock" is a 1988 single from the album of the same name by American rapper MC Lyte. Although in its version on the album it is produced by Audio Two, the single and the music video use a house music mix produced by King of Chill. The song was composed by Lyte With Audio Two's Milk Dee.
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