MC Lyte is one of the most prolific female rap stars of all-time, and the only woman serving as a rap mentor on MTV's Celebrity Rap Superstar. The show, which pits eight celebrities against each other in a series of rapping contests, airs its finale tonight at 10pm. MC Lyte serves as mentor to Shar Jackson, who is one of the final two contestants alongside The Girls Next Door star Kendra Wilkinson.

BuddyTV interviewed MC Lyte to get her take on her Celebrity Rap Superstar experience, her feelings about mentoring Shar Jackson, and the likelihood of her repeating her duties for a second installment of the show. Read on to find out what MC Lyte had to say.

Why did you initially agree to be on Celebrity Rap Superstar?

Seemed like fun and if anyone was going to learn something about Hip Hop, I figured I'd be the one to impart that knowledge.


The judges and critics generally agree that Shar Jackson is the best celebrity rapper on the show. How much of that was raw talent when she first began, and what specifically have you helped her with?

A lot of it was raw. I helped her with her stage show and building that confidence to tackle the challenges.


If you weren't paired with Shar Jackson, what other celebrity from this season would you have most wanted to be paired with, and which one would you most not want to be paired with?

I would have wanted to mentor Sebastian because he's a star performer and handles the stage nicely. Least of my desires would have been Perez. He doesn't need a mentor, he pretty much does and says what he feels.


If MTV has a Celebrity Rap Superstar 2, would you want to be a rap mentor again? If yes, what celebrities out there do you think would make really good contestants?

Sure, I'll teach 'em all. Larry King! Barbara Walters! I want a real challenge!


Has all the recent drama with Britney Spears and Kevin Federline's custody battle affected Shar's ability to focus on the competition?

Nope. She's a frontrunner


When this show first premiered, it was met with a lot of skepticism about whether it was a serious competition or some absurd stunt. How did you initially see the competition, and how has or hasn't that opinion changed throughout the weeks?

I thought of it like Dancing with the Stars. All in fun.


In all seriousness, could Shar Jackson actually be a legitimate rapper?

Yes, with a couple of club performances under her belt along with passing the approval of The Apollo, she could make it.


- Interview conducted by John Kubicek
(Image courtesy of MTV)