It seems quite likely most NewsBusters readers have never heard of MC Lyte, but at Tuesday’s BET Hip Hop Awards, the female rapper while accepting a legacy award beseeched men to be more respectful of women.
“So stop cursing us out all the time,” she said. “Find some love for us somewhere” (video follows with transcript and commentary):
MC LYTE: First, I want to thank BET for this acknowledgement. I am humbled that you see the work that I strive to do each and every day. Thank you, Debra Lee, for being the epitome of grace and strong leadership. Very special, thank you. Thank you to my Momma for pushing me. Thank you Jada for being my little big sister and all the priceless advice that you’ve given me. And thank you to all my friends and family who have been in my corner.
Men, we are depending on you. We need you to protect us when no one else will. So stop cursing us out all the time, okay? Find some love for us somewhere, God bless. And ladies, I say if you want to be treated like a queen, act like one.
For those unfamiliar, according to our friends at Twitchy, MC Lyte is "the groundbreaking female rapper and gifted lyricist who spread positive messages in the late 1980s about the need for hip hop to respect women."
Sadly, it's clear her message hasn't been heeded.
Will it ever?
