Eyes on This
Studio album by
MC Lyte
ReleasedOctober 3, 1989 (1989-10-03)
Recorded1989
Studio
GenreGolden age hip hop
Length47:49
LabelFirst Priority Music/Atlantic Records
91304
ProducerAudio Two, Grand Puba, The King of Chill, Marley Marl, Nat Robinson, PMD
MC Lyte chronology
Lyte as a Rock
(1988)		 Eyes on This
(1989)		 Act Like You Know
(1991)
Singles from Eyes on This
  1. "Cha Cha Cha"
    Released: September 8, 1989
  2. "Stop, Look, Listen"
    Released: February 1, 1990
  3. "Cappucino"
    Released: August 2, 1990

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]

Recording and production

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]

Music and lyrics

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".

Artwork

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]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Robert ChristgauB+[13]
Rolling Stone[14]

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]

Retrospect

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]

Track listing

The song writing information is according to the ASCAP website.[21][22][23]

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Cha Cha Cha"Freddie ByrdKing Of Chill3:00
2."Slave 2 the Rhythm"
PMD4:17
3."Cappucino"
Marley Marl3:55
4."Stop, Look, Listen"
  • Lana Moorer
  • Freddie Byrd
King Of Chill3:19
5."Throwin' Words at U"
Audio Two3:00
6."Not wit' a Dealer"Kirk RobinsonAudio Two3:20
7."Survival of the Fittest"
  • Lana Moorer
  • Freddie Byrd
King Of Chill4:08
8."Shut the Eff Up! (Hoe)"
Audio Two5:49
9."I Am the Lyte"
Grand Puba4:00
10."Rhyme Hangover"
King Of Chill2:03
11."Funky Song"
Grand Puba3:55
12."Please Understand"
  • Lana Moorer
  • Kirk Robinson
Audio Two3:01
13."K-Rocks Housin" Audio Two4:02
Total length:47:49

Sample credits

Song title Sample(s)
"Cha Cha Cha"
"Slave 2 the Rhythm"
"Cappucino"
"Stop, Look, Listen'"
  • "Born to Lose You" by Ecstasy, Passion & Pain (1974)
  • "Lyte Thee Mc" by MC Lyte (1988)
  • "Survival of the Fittest" by MC Lyte (1988)
"Throwin' Words at U"
"Not wit' a Dealer"
"Survival of the Fittest" (remix)
"Shut the Eff Up! (Hoe)"
"I Am the Lyte"
"Rhyme Hangover"
"Funky Song"
  • "A Funky Song" by Ripple (1973)
"Please Understand"
  • "Ease Back" by The Meters (1969)
  • "Sweet for You & Me" by Mtume (1984)
"K-Rocks Housin"

Personnel

Credits are taken from the liner notes.[24]

  • Lead vocals – MC Lyte
  • Producer – Audio Two (tracks: 5, 6, 8, 12, 13), Grand Puba Maxwell (tracks: 9, 11), Marley Marl (tracks: 3), Pee MD (tracks: 2), King Of Chill (tracks: 1, 4, 7, 10)
  • Mixed By – Audio Two (tracks: 5, 6, 8, 9, 12, 13), DJ Doc (tracks: 2), MC Lyte (tracks: 11), Marley Marl (tracks: 3), Pee MD (tracks: 2), King Of Chill (tracks: 1, 4, 7, 10)
  • Engineer – DJ Doc (tracks: 2), Marley Marl (tracks: 3), Milk Dee (tracks: 5 to 10, 12, 13), Shlomo Sonnenfeld (tracks: 1, 4, 11), Yoram Vazan (tracks: 1, 4, 11)
  • Art Direction – Bob Defrin
  • Design – Lynn Kowalewski
  • Mastered By – Dennis King
  • Photography By – Robert Manella
  • Executive-Producer – Nat Robinson
  • Management [Represented By] – Nat Robinson Management, Inc.

Charts

References

  1. 1 2 Pareles, Jon (November 5, 1989). "RECORDINGS; Female Rappers Strut Their Stuff In a Male Domain". The New York Times – via NYTimes.com.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Eyes on This - MC Lyte | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic.
  3. ↑ "MC Lyte Chart History". Billboard 200. Retrieved 2021-03-13.
  4. ↑ "MC Lyte Chart History". Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Retrieved 2021-03-13.
  5. ↑ "MC Lyte Album & Song Chart History: R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2021-02-12.
  6. ↑ "MC Lyte - US Hot Rap Songs". billboard.com. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  7. ↑ "MC Lyte's 'Eyes On This' Turns 30: Anniversary Retrospective". Albumism. October 2, 2019. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  8. 1 2 3 "MC, Lyte". Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  9. 1 2 "Full Clip: MC Lyte Breaks Down Her Entire Catalogue (Brandy, Janet Jackson, LL Cool J & More)". Vibe.com. January 7, 2011. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  10. ↑ "Slave 2 the Rhythm - MC Lyte". Genius. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  11. 1 2 "TODAY IN HIP-HOP HISTORY: MC LYTE DROPS HER SOPHOMORE 'EYES ON THIS' LP 31 YEARS AGO". The Source. September 12, 2020. Retrieved March 20, 2021.
  12. ↑ "11 Stylish '80s Hip-Hop Album Covers". Flavorwire. December 23, 2010. Retrieved April 10, 2022.
  13. ↑ "Robert Christgau: CG: MC Lyte". www.robertchristgau.com.
  14. ↑ Harris, Keith (2004). "MC Lyte". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. p. 526. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  15. ↑ "Robert Christgau Review". Robert Christgau (website). Retrieved March 14, 2021.
  16. ↑ "Mc Lyte". Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
  17. ↑ Leland, John (1989). SPIN Nov. 1989.
  18. ↑ "Hip-Hop's Greatest Albums By Year (Ego Trip Magazine)". Genius. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
  19. ↑ "MC Lyte's 'Eyes On This' Turns 30 - Anniversary Retrospective". Albumism. October 2, 2019. Retrieved March 20, 2021.
  20. ↑ "30 HIP HOP & R&B ALBUMS THAT STILL AREN'T ON STREAMING SERVICES". HipHopDX. November 29, 2019. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  21. ↑ "MOORER LANA MICHELE". ASCAP (website). Retrieved 2021-07-24.
  22. ↑ "BYRD FREDDIE HARPER". ASCAP (website). Retrieved 2021-07-24.
  23. ↑ "ROBINSON KIRK S". ASCAP (website). Retrieved 2021-07-24.
  24. ↑ Eyes on This (track listing). MC Lyte. First Priority Music/Atlantic. 1989. 7 91304-2/91304-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  25. ↑ "MC Lyte Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
  26. ↑ "MC Lyte Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard.
  27. ↑ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1990". Billboard. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
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