Lana Michele Moorer was born in the Queensborough of New York City^[18] and was raised in the East Flatbush section of Brooklyn, New York City. She began rapping at the age of 12.^[19] MC Lyte's original stage name was Sparkle.^[20] She began recording her first track at age 14, although it took two years before it was able to be released.^[21]: 1

She regards Milk Dee and DJ Giz, the hip hop duo Audio Two, as "totally like [her] brothers", because the three grew up together. Audio Two's father, Nat Robinson, started a label for them called First Priority.^[20] After making the label, Robinson cut a deal with Atlantic under a condition that Lyte would get a record contract with Atlantic as well.^[22]

In 1987, at the age of 16,^[23] Lyte released her debut single, "I Cram to Understand U (Sam)", being one of the first songs written about the crack era.^[24] She was 12 years old at the time she wrote the song.^[25]

In April 1988^[26] she would release her debut album Lyte as a Rock.^[21] In addition to "I Cram to Understand U (Sam)" were released as singles "Paper Thin", the eponymous "Lyte as a Rock", and "10% Dis" (a diss track to then-Hurby Azorassociate Antoinette).^[21] The album peaked #50 on the then Billboard Top Black Albums. Despite not having a great commercial performance, it is considered one of the best and most important rap albums, both in the 80s and in history.^{[27][28][29][30]} That year The Village Voice magazine would rate Lyte as "the best female vocalist in hip-hop".^[31] Lyte was also featured in the remix and music video of "I Want Your (Hands on Me)" by Irish singer Sinéad O'Connor, which debuted in May of that year on MTV.

In January 1989 Lyte joined Stop the Violence Movement with Boogie Down Productions, Public Enemy and Heavy D, among others. Together they released the single "Self Destruction" in response to violence in the hip hop and African American communities. The song debuted at #1 on the first week of Billboard Hot Rap Singles existence^[32]and the proceeds were donated to the National Urban League.^[33] In late August of that year, her song "I'm Not Havin' It" with Positive K would have an entry on the Billboard Hot Rap Singles (peaking at #16), becoming MC Lyte's first appearance on a chart as solo artist. In October 1989 Lyte would publish her second album Eyes on This. This album, like its predecessor, received a great critical reception and is recognized as a hip hop classic.^[34] With Eyes on This she became the first solo female rapper to have an entry on the Billboard 200. From this album came the singles "Cha Cha Cha" (with which for the first time as solo artist she charted on the BillboardHot Black Singles and reached #1 on the Hot Rap Singles). "Stop, Look, Listen", and the socially conscious "Cappucino". During that year she also collaborated with Foster & McElroy, known for their work with En Vogue and Tony! Toni! Toné!, in the song "Dr. Soul". This single peaked #10 on Billboard Black Songs.^[35]

In 1990 MC Lyte performed at Carnegie Hall.^[36]

MC Lyte's DJ since the start of her career, DJ K-Rock, is a cousin, Kennith Moorer; aside from a break in 1992, the two have toured consistently to the present.^[37][38][39] During that time she also had her own dancers, Leg One and Leg Two, who performed with her both in shows and in music videos.^[40]

On May 1, 1991, Lyte performed on "Yo! Unplugged Rap", the first MTV Unplugged to feature rap artists, alongside A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul and LL Cool J.^[41] Her performance was praised by Entertainment Weekly's Ken Tucker, who commented, "MC Lyte performed her song 'Cappucino' like a rapping Aretha Franklin: Lyte brought out the soul in her lyrics."^[42] In September 1991, Lyte released her third album, Act Like You Know, which incorporates a softer R&B/New Jack Swing sound across some of the tracks.^[43] This release received more mixed reviews than her previous albums and commercially it performed more weakly than its predecessor,  Eyes on This. From this album came the singles "When in Love" and the socially conscious "Poor Georgie" (Lyte's first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 and her third #1 on the Hot Rap Singles) and "Eyes Are the Soul". That year she also participated in the socially conscious single "Heal Yourself" by the collective "HEAL Human Education Against Lies", which also included Big Daddy Kane, Boogie Down Productions, Run-DMC, Queen Latifah and LL Cool J.

Between 1991 and 1992 Lyte participated in "The Greatest Rap Show Ever" concert held at Madison Square Garden with Public Enemy, Naughty by Nature, Queen Latifah, Geto Boys and DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, among others.^[44][45] In the fall of 1991, she also performed in the hip-hop special Sisters In The Name of Rap alongside Salt-N-Pepa, Yo-Yo, Queen Latifah and Roxanne Shanté, among many others. it was recorded at the Ritz in NYC as a pay-per-view TV concert and released on VHS the following year.^[46]

In October 1992, as part of the Mo Money soundtrack, MC Lyte collaborated with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, known primarily for their work with Janet Jackson, on the single "Ice Cream Dream".^[47] In 1992 she also performed on Kris Kross's Back to School Jam tour, which also featured A Tribe Called Quest and Fu-Schnickens.^[48]

Also during that year Lyte began work on her next album, titled Ain't No Other, which was released on June 22, 1993. With this album, in which she adopts a more hardcore hip hop sound, Lyte achieved better critical reception than her predecessor. "Ruffneck" was released as a single,^[21] which would become her first top 40 single on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #35, and fourth #1 on the Hot Rap Singles, also earning her first gold certification. With "Ruffneck" MC Lyte would also get a nomination for the 36th edition of the Grammy Awards in the Best Rap Solo Performance category. In October of that year, Lyte performed at the 1993 Budweiser Superfestwith SWV, Bell Biv Devoe, LeVert, Big Daddy Kane and Silk.^[49]

In May 1994 MC Lyte participated on the performance on the finale of The Arsenio Hall Show, alongside the likes of KRS-One, Wu-Tang Clan, Naughty by Nature, Guru of Gang Starr, Yo-Yo, Das EFX and A Tribe Called Quest, among others.^[50][51] In June collaborates with Ice Cube, Public Enemy's Chuck D and Ice-T on Public Enemy's Terminator X album Super Bad. In the middle of 1994 she collaborated with Janet Jackson on the single remix and music video for "You Want This", peaking at #8 on the BillboardHot 100 and earning a nomination for Music Video of the Year at the 2th edition of the Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards. Also during the summer of '94 participated in Janet Jackson's Janet World Tour.^[52]

In early 1995, she collaborated with Queen Latifah and Yo-Yo on the remix of Brandy's top 10 single "I Wanna Be Down", earning a nomination at the 12th edition of the MTV Video Music Award in the Best Rap Video category. In April of that year collaborated alongside Meshell Ndegeocello, Patra, Yo-Yo, Latifah, Salt-N-Pepa and TLC's Left Eye Lopes in the rap remix of "Freedom" on the Panther movie soundtrack^[53] In June she performed at the Jam for Peace with Warren G, Mary J. Blige, Brownstone, Adina Howard, Montell Jordan and Soul for Real.^[54] That year she also collaborated with Lin Que on the remix of Mary J. Blige's "You Bring Me Joy".

In February 1996, MC Lyte collaborated on the R&B group Xscape's single "Can't Hang". In that month also collaborated with Lord Finesse on the interlude "Taking It Lyte" from his album The Awakening. In March, after signing with East West Records, she released "Keep On Keepin' On", the first single from her forthcoming album. This new collaboration with Xscape reached #10 on the Billboard Hot 100, her highest position on this chart as main artist, getting a gold certification. "Keep On Keepin' On" would also be part of the soundtrack of the film Sunset Park. In September win the Best R&B, Soul or Rap Video category in the 3th edition of Soul Train Lady of Soul Awardswith this song.^[55] In August of that same year, Lyte released her fifth album, Bad as I Wanna B. With tracks with a Pop/R&B-oriented sound^[56]the album would receive mixed reviews. In November, is released as single a Sean "Puffy" Combs remix of "Cold Rock a Party" featuring Missy Elliott.^[21] This single peaked at #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 and would become her fifth #1 single on the Hot Rap Singles (fourth as lead artist), earning a gold certification. It also enters the top 40 of various charts outside the United States, being #1 and certified platinum in New Zealand.^[57]

In February 1997 "Keep on Pushin" was included in the soundtrack of Dangerous Ground, in which MC Lyte, Bahamadia, Nonchalant and Yo-Yo collaborate under the production of Pete Rock.^[58]In March 1997, she collaborated with R&B singer Billy Lawrence on the single "Come On", which was included in the soundtrack of the movie Set it Off. Between June and July of that year she embarked on a USO Tour, performing for American troops in Italy and Greece.^[59] In November she collaborated with LL Cool J and Busta Rhymes on the debut album of the R&B supergroup LSG on the track "Curious", which was later released as single. That year Lyte also collaborated with Parliament-Funkadelic's Bootsy Collins on the single "I'm Leavin U (Gotta Go, Gotta Go)" from his album Fresh Outta 'P' University.

In August 1998 MC Lyte released her sixth studio album Seven & Seven. This would have a poor commercial and critical reception despite having the collaboration of famous producers and artists such as The Neptunes, LL Cool J, Missy Elliott, L.E.S. and Trackmasters, which would lead to Lyte's departure from EastWest Records. That year she also embarks again on a USO Tour, performing in Germany.^[59]

In November 1999 MC Lyte collaborated in the remix of Jammin of Bob Marley in the remix album Chant Down Babylon. This track would later be released as single. During that month she also collaborated with Will Smith and Tatyana Ali on "Who Am I" from Smith's album Willennium.

In March 2000 MC Lyte collaborated with Common and Bilal on the track "A Film Called (Pimp)" on Common's album Like Water for Chocolate.

In September 2001 her first compilation album The Very Best of MC Lyte was released.

In April 2002 the soundtrack for the TV series Dark Angel is released, which includes Lyte's songs "Dark Angel Theme" (in collaboration with Public Enemy) and "No Dealz" (with Ericka Yancey). In May of that year, MC Lyte collaborated with Angie Stone on the album version of "Jam for the Ladies" by electronica musician Moby. In November she collaborates with Erick Sermonand Rah Digga on the track "Tell Me" on Sermon's album React. During that time Lyte also became honorary member of Sermon and Redman's supergroup Def Squad.^[4]

In March 2003, Lyte released the independently produced record Da Undaground Heat, Vol. 1, featuring Jamie Foxx. The album has little commercial impact and mixed reviews, but the single "Ride Wit Me" get a nomination for the 46th edition of the Grammy Awards in the Best Female Rap Vocal Performance category. In June of that year she teamed the rock group Aerosmith, Public Enemy's Chuck D and Flavor Flav, Busta Rhymes and Phife Dawg in the group the Spitballers. Together release "Let's Get Loud (Everybody Get Up)", which became the opening song of the 11th edition of the  ESPY Awards.^[60] In August Lyte collaborated with Beyoncé, Missy Elliott and Free on the single "Fighting Temptation" as part of the soundtrack for the homonymous film.^[61] That same month she released the compilation album The Shit I Never Dropped, which includes previously unreleased collaborations with En Vogue's Dawn Robinson, Da Brat, Missy Elliott, Erick Sermon and Clipse.^[62]In September collaborates with Black Eyed Peas's will.i.am and Fergie on the track "Mash Out" on will.i.am album Must B 21.

In May 2004, MC Lyte collaborated with Teena Marie and Medusa on the song "The Mackin' Game" from Teena Marie's album La Doña.^[63] In August he collaborated with Boyz II Men on their cover of "What You Won't Do for Love". That year Lyte was also nominated at the 4th edition of the BET Awards in the Best Female Hip Hop Artistcategory.

In 2005, she released two songs produced by Richard "Wolfie" Wolf called "Can I Get It Now" and "Don't Walk Away". MC Lyte's song "My Main Aim" was the title song of the basketball video game NBA Live 2005 by EA Sports. That year also collaborated with the Polish-born German producer DJ Tomekk on the track "Partyverlauf" from his album Numma Eyns.