ABSTRACT

Born Lana Moorer in Queens, New York, MC Lyte was one of the earliest female rap stars to project a hard-edged image. At age 12 she was trading rhymes with half-brother Milk and his Audio Two partner, Gizmo. They would achieve moderate success with “I Cram to Understand You (Sam)” (First Priority # ; 1987), an indictment of crack addiction, released on a label founded by her father Nat Robinson. Lyte made a substantial impact on the rap scene with her first two album releases, Lyte as a Rock (High Priority/Atlantic #90905; 1988) and Eyes on This (High Priority/ Atlantic #91304; 1989), dissing-among others-rival rapper Roxanne Shante, game-show hostess Vanna “Whyte,” dope dealing hustlers, and sex-scamming homeboys. From 1991’s Act Like You Know (First Priority/Atlantic #91731) onward, she experimented with her established formula, attempting to incorporate new influences and stay abreast of current fashions. Her “Ruff Neck” (First Priority #98401; 1993), gold single and only song to hit pop charts (albeit only #35). She remains an outspoken social and political activist, contributing public service announcements for the Rock the Vote movement and working tirelessly in the fight against AIDS. [Graff 1998.]

FRANK HOFFMANN

American jazz cornetist, born James Dougald McPartland in Chicago. He studied violin and cornet, then founded and played in the Austin High Gang, young, white, self-taught musicians who built on the Black New Orleans Dixieland style. He was soon performing with Bix Beiderbecke, whose style was similar to his own, and whom he replaced in the Wolverines when he was just 17 years old. McPartland was a key artist in the development of the Chicago jazz style. He was in the bands of Art Kassel and Ben Pollack during the late 1920s. In the 1930s he was with Horace Heidt, who led his own groups; he had a year with Jack Teagarden, 1941-1942, then went into military service. He met and married Marian Turner, a jazz pianist; later divorced and remarried her before he died. They played in Chicago groups together. He was active into the 1980s. He died in Port Washington, New York. McPartland was heard on the last Wolverine recordings, made in December 1924: “When My Sugar Walks down the Street” and “A Prince of Wails” (Gennett #5620). He recorded with McKenzie and Condon’s Chicagoans in 1927, on four sides for Okeh. “Singapore Sorrows” was one of his discs with Ben Pollack (Victor #21437; 1928). With his own orchestra in 1939 he made “Jazz Me Blues”/“China Boy” (Decca #18042) and “The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise”/“Sugar” (Decca #18043). There were LP albums for a half dozen labels, of which the most notable was MCA #2-4110 (1956).