YO YO: STILL REIGNING SUPREME

[JumpinJack AJ]

Good read. I just bought the Yo Yo album i've been missing last nite. She's definitely overlooked his Hip-Hop's history. Her Total Control album is probably my favorite album. Anyways, here it is...

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Yo Yo: Still Reigning 'Supreme'

Posted Apr 1st 2008 4:44PM by Karu F. Daniels

Filed under: Entertainment Newswire

By Karu F. Daniels, BlackVoices.com

Female rap luminary Yo Yo will hop back into the national media limelight with the new reality series 'Miss Rap Supreme,' which will seek out to find the next great lady emcee.

Hosted by rap veteran Michael "MC Serch" Berrin, the show – officially titled 'ego trip's Miss Rap Supreme' – will debut April 14 on VH1. It promises to be a lively and engaging off-shoot of last year's wildly popular series, 'The (White) Rapper Show,' which chronicled the antics of aspiring Caucasian rappers pitted against each other in 'Apprentice'-like fashion.

For 'Miss Rap Supreme,' 10 femmes fatale will compete for a $100,000 prize, and the new title of "Miss Rap Supreme." The budding hip-hop divas have to find a way to make it through challenges that will test their sex appeal, stage presence and, of course, their mental toughness and creativity.

Yo Yo (real name: Yolanda Whitaker) has been tapped to school the young women and guide them through the rough waters of the rap game.

The quintessential female voice who truly represented what the west coast rap experience was like during the 1990s, Yo Yo jumped at the opportunity.

And for good reason too.

"Shining light on female emcees has always been needed, and something that I've always wanted to help do," says the stalwart ambassador for women in hip-hop.

"This is an opportunity to do just that. The title of 'Miss Rap Supreme' will be the answer to "some young girls dream." (Did that just rhyme?)

She was Introduced to the masses as a protégé of west coast hip-hop kingpin Ice Cube during the female rap explosion of the late 1990's – where emcees such as Roxanne Shante, Salt N' Pepa, MC Lyte and Queen Latifah reigned supreme. While all of them made indelible impressions in the rap community, Yo Yo was a west coast sister to be reckoned with.

And with Ice Cube and N.W.A. blowing up the way they were on the charts, a new entry was inevitable.

She first appeared as a guest on Cube's 'AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted' album in 1990, which made way for her critically praised debut (1991's 'Make Way for the Motherlode'), which yielded the single 'You Can't Play With My Yo-Yo.'.

Like a force of nature, Yo Yo descended onto the hip-hop scene – bleached blond braids, tight jeans and attitude to boot. And everyone -- who was anyone -- who came into contact with her just couldn't get enough of her.

Signed to east west/Atco records, her music career was cultivated by music industry titan Sylvia Rhone, who also handled the careers of EnVogue, Gerald Levert, Das Efx, Adina Howard and many hit-makers of the 1990s.

Yo Yo appeared in John Singelton's seminal 1991 film 'Boyz N The Hood,' The Hughes Brothers' beloved 1993 masterpiece 'Menace II Society' and in many other "hood" flicks. She even had a recurring role on the hit FOX series 'Martin' – as Keylolo, the sidekick of comedian Martin Lawrence's alter ego, Sheneneh.

In most recent years, the still-bleach blond beauty became a mother of two beautiful girls (Tiffany and Sanai), worked on completing her college degree, studied at the Lee Strasberg acting school in New York City and even taught at her former high school (Washington Prep).

Professionally, for the past three years she has served as a radio personality on the Los Angeles hip-hop station K-DAY (93.5 FM) and performed a host of voice-overs for video-games and rapped theme songs for television shows.

"So in the words of Jay-Z, 'I'm everywhere, you ain't never there,'" she quipped.

With all things considered, the rap game is not what it used to be -- for anyone who rose to prominence during the 1990s heyday.

So how does 'Miss Rap Supreme' fit into the scheme of things when it seems that all of the more renowned female lyricists of the moment are having more success with criminal records than rap records?

Is there a place for female rappers nowadays?

"Are you serious?" Yo Yo, who has partnered with MC Lyte to found the Let Your Light Shine Foundation (a camp for young girls) countered. "Will bees ever stop needing honey?," she continued. "There will always be a place for female emcees. Of course we need more support, attention, artist development and more doors open; but given the right leadership, I believe we'll start to see more development."

"Women are so independent that we sometimes lose out from not teaming up! Oh, but there is a need ... Just watch the show on VH1 April 14and you'll see!"

Clever segue.

And what about your rap career? Is it over?

"I won't ever say it's over, because once an artist always an artist," she maintained. "I just needed a way to create something bigger than me. I sometimes feel like every time I go back to music – it's my fear making me feel that's all I have to give!"

"We'll I've been there. Done that! I want my Fearless/YoYo Music [production/ management company] to be the group that discovers the next female superstar - the next "best kept secret" I want to help discover raw talent."

With this new turn at "celeb-reality," Yo Yo may just succeed at that monumental task.

[VIsqo]

yo yo???

[JumpinJack AJ]

U've never heard of Yo Yo?...say it ain't so.

[Silver Tiger]

You can't play with my Yo Yo!

God Blessa!

[VIsqo]

I just realized she existed..

[KevTastic]

A British circular chocolate snack from the 90's????????????

[Turntable]

I just dont think we need another Reality Show with some kind of Rapper. Hell I dont think we need another reality show. A Shot At Love did it for me, never gonna watch that crap again,lol. And AJ, I know Yo Yo, but I thinkl there is a reason that she aint heard of nomore.

[JumpinJack AJ]

...cuz kids listen 2 the commercial crap that u like instead of real Hip-Hop. Do u really know Yo Yo??

[Guest lambertj3]

i read somewhere that she had a ghostwriter for her songs don't know how true it is though

[dparrott]

IBWin wit my crewin!

Bonnie & Clyde Theme!

It's A Man's World! She was good on that to counter Cube's insults, roasted him good.

Haha, this is funny, I'm selling my Yo-Yo tapes on ebay right now...I should wait until her show comes out.

[Turntable]

...cuz kids listen 2 the commercial crap that u like instead of real Hip-Hop. Do u really know Yo Yo??

You dont know **** about what I listen to. The last Album is Bought is EMC-The Show. I listen two, when it comes down two it, 4 so called commercial Rappers, that is if you count Fat Joe And yes, I ****ing know Yo Yo. I actualy listen to something before I bitch about it.. You should try it.

And lambertje, ofcourse she had a ****ing Ghostwriter. So had Hammer, so had Kid N Play and so had all the other bubble gum Mc's Aj is calling real Hip Hop.

Edited April 16, 2008 by Turntable

[JumpinJack AJ]

Ha, apparently every pioneering old school legend had ghostwriters. Everyone knows Yo Yo worked with Ice Cube on her early work. Foxy Brown once worked with Jay-Z and Lil' Kim once worked with Biggie. The difference is that Yo Yo is the 1st real female emcee of the west coast and that she was on a whole other vibe than Queen Latifah, Salt-N-Pepa, and MC Lyte. Yo Yo's early work was merely guided by Ice Cube. She did write her own stuff and take on more responcibility for her music as female emcees were taken more seriously and got more respect and attention. Yo Yo has gone on 2 produce, host radio and TV shows, break in2 acting, and create/support foundations.

99% of these commerical acts can say they've done or will ever do a third of that. I see i shouldn't have stood up for Turntable when half of the other mods were about 2 ban him. Not only does he talk crap, but he has an immature temper 2...ha ha

[Turntable]

As far as I can remeber you started all this by trying to tell me what I listen to. And I didnt say all the stuff that you call real Hip Hop, I say all the bubble gum Rappers you call real Hip Hop. I mean, like what you wanna like, but even 50 could tear Kid N Play appart. Why you acting like thise anyway? You and some others allways cry about Hip Hop, but Threads like new PE Album only get two posts. I dont see no Threads about the good albums that came out lately, like Pete rocks, like EMC's, llike Buckshots and 9thWonders. I own all of them, so far for the crap I listen to.

And AJ, calling me immature isnt really smart. I just turned 18, and I'm allready living by myself (with my girl), taking care of myself, my girl, cooking, cleaning and going to school making good damn grades. I know how to handle my damn biz, so dont get at me calling me immature. For that I know that i overreacted, but obly in my use of curse words, so for that, and only for that, I apologize. Now ban me if you want, but whats gonna be the reaseon.. talking back?

And by the way, I'd still like you to react on my arguments (Pete Rock liking Jim Jones and stuff.. I got an Interviuew where he calls him a new New York Legend).

Edited April 17, 2008 by Turntable

[JumpinJack AJ]

Listen 2 Kid's music on his myspace...u are saying 50 Cent has the intellect and capability 2 take on a vet who makes real music? U are comparing a modern fake-thug commercial rapper 2 an 80's and 90's Hip-Hop duo who did their thing at a time where Hip-Hop was fun. Your comparison makes no sense.

I'm not telling anyone what 2 listen 2...but i will stand up and tear apart unoriginal commerical rap and educate those who think that it accurately represents Hip-Hop music and culture. Calling someone like 50 Cent "Hip-Hop" is a foolish mistake in which i'm gonna keep that stain off of Hip-Hop's name. Everyone is entitled 2 their own opinion of what they like an don't like.

And the immature comment was tied to the word temper. U flipped out and i waz talking about the post. I don't know u and wouldn't call u an immature person. But that reply was all immature drama and no dignity. After so many years of true Hip-Hop heads, many who have left the board after a season, it's hard for me 2 take all the people who have joined the board in the past year or 2 who openly praise watered down rap music and have no idea how much higher their standards 2 be. They are blind 2 how good music can be cuz they don't see past the charts.

And Pete Rock liking Jim Jones isn't any different from LL working with 50 Cent. It's annoying when legends support the new generation who is quickly ruining the game that they themselves took years 2 build up...and will take years 2 re-build. It happens alot. I can't explain it but that's the way it is. Maybe they think they can school them or steer them in the right direction, but i could never see the vets thinking ANY of these new school rappers being worthy of crown they have been wearing for years. It's like Hip-Hop babysitting.

[JumpinJack AJ]

Listen 2 Kid's music on his myspace...u are saying 50 Cent has the intellect and capability 2 take on a vet who makes real music? U are comparing a modern fake-thug commercial rapper 2 an 80's and 90's Hip-Hop duo who did their thing at a time where Hip-Hop was fun. Your comparison makes no sense.

I'm not telling anyone what 2 listen 2...but i will stand up and tear apart unoriginal commerical rap and educate those who think that it accurately represents Hip-Hop music and culture. Calling someone like 50 Cent "Hip-Hop" is a foolish mistake in which i'm gonna keep that stain off of Hip-Hop's name. Everyone is entitled 2 their own opinion of what they like an don't like.

And the immature comment was tied to the word temper. U flipped out and i waz talking about the post. I don't know u and wouldn't call u an immature person. But that reply was all immature drama and no dignity. After so many years of true Hip-Hop heads, many who have left the board after a season, it's hard for me 2 take all the people who have joined the board in the past year or 2 who openly praise watered down rap music and have no idea how much higher their standards 2 be. They are blind 2 how good music can be cuz they don't see past the charts.

And Pete Rock liking Jim Jones isn't any different from LL working with 50 Cent. It's annoying when legends support the new generation who is quickly ruining the game that they themselves took years 2 build up...and will take years 2 re-build. It happens alot. I can't explain it but that's the way it is. Maybe they think they can school them or steer them in the right direction, but i could never see the vets thinking ANY of these new school rappers being worthy of crown they have been wearing for years. It's like Hip-Hop babysitting.