Rapper MC Lyte talks about inspiring young programmers to make beats with Ciara

Iconic rapper MC Lyte has been a trailblazing female force behind the mic for over thirty years, and now she’s inspiring a new generation of young programmers to forge the next path of music industry creatives with Black Girls Code’s latest competition: “Build a beat challenge with Ciara.”

“If we’re talking about girls making beats and the technology to further their music production efforts, then of course that’s right up my alley!” MC Lyte narrates We weekly exclusively. “And so it just made sense that it would be here and now.”

Black Girls Code, a nonprofit organization dedicated to computer science education for Black girls and gender-nonconforming youth, announced earlier this month the launch of the nationwide “Build a Beat Challenge with Ciara” competition to spark a musical coding revolution to bring. The mission of the competition is to allow students aged 13 to 18 to code their own song so they can meet Ciara via video call and win up to $10,000 in technology prizes that will help inspire and realize their dreams.

“Just leading by example and definitely being an inspiration in the hip-hop genre,” adds MC Lyte. “When you say girls make beats, those beats can be behind any type of music and any genre. It just so happens that when we talk about hip-hop, we go back to the drum, to the kick and the snare, which is the beat and forms the basis. That’s why I wanted to participate.”

Through December 31, “Build a Beat Challenge with Ciara” invites young coders to join Infosys Foundation USA’s Pathfinders Online Institute to access video tutorials, designed and developed by Black Girls Code, to guide students on their coding journey. Using these newly acquired skills, participants can create their unique songs and remixes, combining their creativity with sounds from artists like Ciara, Alicia Keys, Just, Pharrell and more.

The winners are selected by a panel of celebrity judges, including MC Lyte, music producer and entrepreneur Craig KingTikTok sensation The BoykinZGrammy Award-winning artist and producer Bosko KanteRock the Bells- Chairman James Cuthbert and more.

When the ‘Cha Cha Cha’ hitmaker released her debut single in 1987, MC Lyte recalls that the same opportunities were not available to develop technological skills to take her passion for music to the next level.

“There was nothing like this when I was growing up,” says MC Lyte Us. “I remember taking a computer course at Boys and Girls High that would give me credit toward my high school diploma because I wanted to graduate early. So I spent the summer at Boys and Girls, programming at a very basic level with IBMs. So to be here today, to be able to have something for young girls is out of this world.”

She adds, “It’s about finding the next thing and the new thing and helping them hone their skills or what they enjoy doing.”

“It just feels like it’s one of the main reasons why I got into music or why I chose music,” MC Lyte continues. “I can be creative, but what it really means is that I’m there to explain why this works, why it doesn’t, and how we can add more to it. And it gives a very practical feeling. And that’s what I love and what I’m capable of [to] teach younger people just as much about the company.

And the rap legend is happy to collaborate with the “Level Up” singer.

“The interesting thing about Ciara is that she really is a sisterly girl. She is all about sisterhood,” says MC Lyte. “And you might think because of the level of success she’s had that she’s competitive. And I don’t get that from her at all. She wants everyone to succeed because she is very happy with the job she has created for herself and she is confident and confident and this allows her to spread the love to those who may not be feeling so confident and need some encouragement along the way.

“The Build a Beat Challenge With Ciara” runs through December 31. Register for the competition at the Black Girls Code website.