Seven & Seven is the most underrated album MC Lyte ever made, and though it may have been overlooked at the time of its release, it has some of the most astounding performances of her career. Lyte was perhaps spurred on by the wild creativity of her younger colleague Missy Elliott, who was always quick to namecheck Lyte as a major influence. Missy appears on two of this album’s best songs: “In My Business” and “Want What I Got.” In addition to proffering her talents, Elliott introduced Lyte to an up-and-coming production team from Virginia called The Neptunes. “It’s All Yours,” “I Can’t Make a Mistake,” and “Closer” are three of the earliest examples of the style that the production team would make famous in the early '00s. At the end of the day, though, Lyte is the star of her own show. She's sharp regardless of the setting, and she even revitalizes the vintage rap of Audio Two on a reworking of “Top Billin’.” “This Emcee” is a showcase for her natural abilities. In two short minutes, she displays a mastery of rap using nothing more than a naked breakbeat for support.