Hip hop veterans MC Lyte and Slick Rick didn't foresee the music they were creating two decades ago as becoming the stuff of "Legend."

"I had no concept," Lyte said. "I was just happy to partake and participate in a culture that was becoming more and more of everyday life for someone my age."

"We were just regular kids having fun like everyone else," Rick added.

Lyte and Rick are two of five acts scheduled to perform tonight (Nov. 20) at "Hip Hop Legends" at Merrillville's Star Plaza Theatre. Sharing the stage with Big Daddy Kane, Doug E. Fresh and DJ Kool, the "Legends" region show is scheduled to kick off at 7:30 p.m.

Hailing from the Big Apple, Lyte released her full-length debut, "Lyte as a Rock," in 1988. A year later, she topped the rap single charts with "Cha Cha Cha" from her sophomore set, "Eyes on This," and would find continued success on the rap, pop and hip-hop charts over the course of the next decade-plus with hits such as 1993's "Ruffneck," 1994's "Freedom" and 1996's "Keep On, Keepin' On."

In 2006, Lyte was saluted in VH1's "Hip Hop Honors" and was the second female hip-hop artist to be honored since the music cable station began their annual tributes in 2004. Lyte was also the host of the inaugural ceremony five years ago.

Lyte's advice to aspiring female hip-hop artists from a business standpoint is simple: Educate yourself.

"Ask a lot of questions," She said. "Never be afraid of saying that you don't know, because in the end, you want to know everything you can so that the wool isn't pulled over your eyes. And come from your heart. To be in the business, you have to love it."

Lyte's "Legends" stage mate Big Daddy Kane, received the VH1's "Honor" treatment in 2005. A pair of full-length sets, 1988's "Long Live the Kane" and 1989's "It's a Big Daddy Thing," have been certified gold, with sales of more than 500,000 copies.

Given kudos in song and in print by everyone from fellow old school pioneer Kool Moe Dee to present day mega-sellers such as Jay-Z and Eminem, Kane noted how rap and hip-hop have grown as a business over the course of the last two decades-plus.

"There's a whole lot of money in hip-hop now," he said. "(Hip-Hop) artists are respected as real artists now, and are making a lot more money like you see with the rock stars and the pop stars."

Like Lyte, Kane is a regular performer at multi-act shows such as "Legends."

"It's a whole lot of fun," he said. "These are the brothers and sisters that you grew up with."

Born in Britain and based in the Big Apple, Slick Rick first made waves in the mid 80s as a member of Doug E. Fresh's Get Fresh Crew. Like Kane and Lyte, Rick also first went out on his own in 1988; his debut, "The Great Adventures of Slick Rick," topped the rap charts upon its release and was certified platinum.

"(‘Hip Hop Legends' shows) are a chance to give everybody a good feeling of the old school rap and to bring my flavor to the party," said Rick, who received "Honors" from VH1 in their annual hip-hop celebration last year.

Although younger artists are currently dominating the charts and airwaves, Rick, Kane and Lyte are still keeping busy.

This year alone, Rick has made guest appearances on albums everyone from Mos Def to Asher Roth to Rakewon, while Kane has lent his voice to songs by fellow hip-hop pioneer Grandmaster Flash and dance songstress Kristine W.

Lyte has recently released "Still Not Havin' It," the second in a three-part single series titled "I'm Not Havin' It," and is also focusing on her acting career. She has appeared on the small screen on shows over the course of the last decade such as UPN's "Half & Half" and as a judge on 2003's short-lived "Star Search."

"I love to create," Lyte said. "I'm content with being able to do so much."

Joining Slick Rick, Big Daddy Kane and MC Lyte at today's "Hip Hop Legends" is Rick's former partner in crime, "Human Beatbox" Fresh, and DJ Kool, who had a hit in the mid `90s with "Let Me Clear My Throat."

 

'Hip Hop Legends,' 7:30 p.m. today

WHERE: Star Plaza Theatre, I-65 and U.S. 30, Merrillville

COST: $38, $58

FYI: (800) 745-3000, STARPLAZATHEATRE.COM