MC Lyte "Ruffneck"
Album: Ain't No Other (First Priority; 1993)
Songwriters: Aqil Davidson and MC Lyte
R&B Peak Position: #10
"He's a rudeboy, a ragamuff/ Ready to bag another brother that he ranks not ruff enough"
Long before Missy Elliott was throwing heaps of horny praise towards her cherished, gat-strapped "Hot Boys", rap icon (to both female and male emcees) MC Lyte was turning attention to her favorite type of dude on "Ruffneck", the 1993 Top Ten single that brought back fans who had been turned off by the overt crossover-leanings of her preceding album, Act Like You Know.
Over a brazen hip hop instrumental brewed up by Wreckx-N-Effect member Aqil Davidson, MC Lyte spills rhymes with hardened excitement as she reveals the street-tough credentials a man must have to get her lickin' her lips. Forget those prissy wimp boys with the office 9-to-5's and the closets fulf of preppy gear. Naw, Lyte craves a non-snitchin', gold grill havin', dark corners at night pissin', spliff-lightin' thug who shows "little respect" and has a daily routine that only consists of "Eat, sleep, shit, fuck/ Eat, sleep, shit" when they're not on the block trying "to make a quick buck" or dodging 5-0. And when it comes to sex? "He knows exactly how I want my flow, and that's slow," she swoons.
Like the best tunes from Lyte, "Ruffneck" excels from the rappress' clear and sturdy flow. Never once do you strain to understand what she's rhyming and each line holds weight within the topic. Throw in a sealed tight beat that has radio appeal without sounding too sellout-ish and the track exudes rap perfection. The public and industry agreed, helping "Ruffneck" become Lyte's first Top 10 R&B single and garner her her first Grammy nomination. She also took the honors of being the first female solo rap artist to earn a Gold single.
Best Moment: When she describes her idea of the perfect male visual: "Drinkin' a beer, sittin' in his chair/ Hands in his pants fiddlin' with his dick hairs" (Ewwww...) (1:33)
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