{{short description|American rapper}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = | image = Lady B side 1.jpg | image_upright = | image_size = | landscape = <!-- yes, if wide image, otherwise leave blank --> | alt = | caption = | background = solo_singer | birth_name = Wendy Clark | alias = Bahiyyah Clark | birth_date = <!-- {{Birth date and age|YYYY|MM|DD}dNdjrekekegm.dngsc s s ggwb} for living people supply only the year unless the exact date is already WIDELY published, as per WP:DOB --> | birth_place = | origin = Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (death date first) --> | death_place = | genre = Hip hop | occupation = Radio DJ | instrument = | years_active = <!-- YYYY–YYYY (or –present) --> | label = | associated_acts = | website = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} or {{Official URL}} --> }}
'''Bahiyyah Clark''',<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wellington |first=Elizabeth |date=2019-01-30 |title=Lady B will be back on the air soon and that gives this hip hop head life {{!}} Elizabeth Wellington |url=https://www.inquirer.com/columnists/lady-b-classix-philadelphia-radio-20190130.html |access-date=2024-07-15 |website=www.inquirer.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Writer |first=John N. Mitchell Tribune Staff |date=2019-01-30 |title=Lady B returning to local radio |url=https://www.phillytrib.com/lady-b-returning-to-local-radio/article_c696ddb4-fcb4-5b34-a936-013f358755bf.html |access-date=2024-07-15 |website=The Philadelphia Tribune |language=en}}</ref> born '''Wendy Clark''' (c. 1962), better known by her stage name '''Lady B''', is an American radio DJ and rapper from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She is one of the earliest female rappers in hip hop, and the first female hip hop artist to record a single, "To the Beat, Y'all", in 1979.<ref name="anthology">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NZcNXLXGNJIC&dq=%22Lady+B%22+to+the+beat+y%27all&pg=PT181|title=The Anthology of Rap|publisher=Yale University|year=2010|isbn=9780300141900|editor1-last=Bradley|editor1-first=Adam|location=New Haven, Connecticut|editor2-last=DuBois|editor2-first=Andrew}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jZtLAgAAQBAJ&dq=%22Lady+B%22+to+the+beat+y%27all&pg=PT15|title=MCs: A Children's Guide to the Origins of Hip Hop|last=Clark|first=Lamont|publisher=70 West Press|year=2013|accessdate=2018-01-01}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/composition/e5c72fe8-5f58-47ff-9094-159567912b93-To-The-Beat-Yall|title=To The Beat Y'all|website=Discogs|access-date=2019-02-03}}</ref> Clark's rise and long influence<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last1=Phillips |first1=Layli |last2=Reddick-Morgan |first2=Kerri |last3=Stephens |first3=Dionne Patricia |date=July 2005 |title=Oppositional Consciousness within an Oppositional Realm: The Case of Feminism and Womanism in Rap and Hip Hop, 1976-2004 |journal=The Journal of African American History |volume=90 |issue=3 |pages=253–277 |doi=10.1086/jaahv90n3p253 |issn=1548-1867 |s2cid=140943451}}</ref> in the genre earned her the title as "Godmother of Hip Hop".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pelta-Heller |first=Josh |title=The High Key Portrait Series: Lady B |url=https://xpn.org/2020/03/03/hkps-lady-b/ |access-date=2024-07-15 |website=WXPN {{!}} Vinyl At Heart |language=en}}</ref> She was one of the first DJs to play rap records on the radio outside New York,<ref>{{cite news |last=Wellington |first=Elizabeth |date=2011-08-21 |title=WRNB's Lady B celebrates 30 years as hip-hop jump-starter |url=http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/20110821_WRNB_s_Lady_B_celebrates_30_years_as_hip-hop_jump-starter.html |accessdate=2018-01-01 |newspaper=The Philadelphia Inquirer}}</ref> playing artists such as Will Smith, Run-DMC, Queen Latifah, LL Cool J, and Public Enemy at the start of their careers.<ref name="anthology" /><ref name="metro">{{cite web |last=Newhouse |first=Sam |date=December 20, 2017 |title=Lady B's defenders want her returned to the airwaves |url=https://www.metro.us/news/local-news/philadelphia/lady-bs-defenders-want-her-returned-to-the-airwaves |accessdate=2018-01-01 |publisher=Metro Media}}</ref>
== Career == Clark was born in Wynnefield, Philadelphia and attended Overbrook High School along with actor Will Smith.<ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-09-04 |title=Philadelphia Students Author Book Honoring Hip Hop Icon Lady B - The School District of Philadelphia |url=https://www.philasd.org/blog/2020/09/04/philadelphia-students-author-book-honoring-hip-hop-icon-lady-b-2/ |access-date=2024-07-15 |language=en-US}}</ref> In her late teens, she began going by her Islamic name, '''Bahiyyah'''.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Wellington |first=Elizabeth |date=2011-08-21 |title=WRNB's Lady B celebrates 30 years as hip-hop jump-starter |url=https://www.inquirer.com/philly/entertainment/20110821_WRNB_s_Lady_B_celebrates_30_years_as_hip-hop_jump-starter.html |access-date=2024-07-15 |website=www.inquirer.com |language=en}}</ref> At one point, Clark was dating the Philadelphia 76ers basketball star World B. Free, with whom she was freestyling during a trip to New York City after encountering the rap scene and "Rapper's Delight" for the first time.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Phillips |first1=Layli |last2=Reddick-Morgan |first2=Kerri |last3=Stephens |first3=Dionne Patricia |date=July 2005 |title=Oppositional Consciousness within an Oppositional Realm: The Case of Feminism and Womanism in Rap and Hip Hop, 1976-2004 |journal=The Journal of African American History |volume=90 |issue=3 |pages=253–277 |doi=10.1086/jaahv90n3p253 |issn=1548-1867 |s2cid=140943451}}</ref> Mimicking the style back in Philadelphia, Clark was discovered by a local radio personality who persuaded her to record her first song, "To the Beat Y'all".<ref name=":4" />
Her career started with radio station WHAT in 1979, and later that year, Clark recorded "To the Beat Y'all."<ref name="anthology" /><ref name="Coard">{{Cite web |last=Coard |first=Michael |title=Coard: Treat Lady B like the Philly radio icon she is |url=https://www.phillytrib.com/commentary/coard-treat-lady-b-like-the-philly-radio-icon-she/article_dbefe3ac-e3af-552b-bca5-0247a18ed4c0.html |access-date=2019-05-02 |website=The Philadelphia Tribune |date=16 December 2017 |language=en}}</ref> The song, the title of which became a stock rap phrase,<ref name="anthology" /> was first released by TEC, a local Philadelphia-based record label, and released again in 1980 by Sylvia Robinson's rap label,<ref name=":0" /> Sugar Hill Records.<ref name=":3">{{cite book |last=Radner |first=Joan Newlon |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nZDfAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Lady+B%22+to+the+beat+y%27all |title=Feminist Messages |publisher=University of Illinois Press |year=1993 |isbn=9780252019579 |accessdate=2018-01-01}}</ref>
In 1979, Mary Mason on WRNB 100.3 gave Lady B her own weekend show, which transformed into a success and brought hip-hop to the radio in Philly.<ref name="Coard"/> In 1984, Lady B moved to Philadelphia's Power 99 FM and started The ''Street Beat'' program'','' which blew the radio station's ratings through the roof.<ref name="Coard" /> She ran this program until 1989.<ref name="hiphop">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XkCncJ7j744C&pg=PA153|title=Hip Hop in America: A Regional Guide|publisher=Greenwood|year=2009|isbn=9780313343216|editor-last=Hess|editor-first=Mickey|volume=1|location=Santa Barbara, California|page=153}}</ref> She later broadcast for Sirius Satellite Radio in New York City.<ref name="hiphop" /> She also worked for WRNB 100.3 in Philadelphia until she was dismissed in December 2017.<ref name="metro" /><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.phillytrib.com/news/listeners-protest-ouster-of-lady-b-from-wrnb/article_ba17cd8c-e654-11e7-b3e9-3b31bd9a94c5.html|title=Listeners protest ouster of Lady B from WRNB|last=Mitchell|first=John N.|date=December 22, 2017|newspaper=The Philadelphia Tribune}}</ref>
Lady B joined the on-air lineup at Classix 107.9 on February 11, 2019,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://philasun.com/entertainment/legendary-radio-host-lady-b-announces-her-new-philadelphia-radio-home/|title=Legendary radio host Lady B announces her new Philadelphia radio home|date=February 8, 2019|website=The Philadelphia Sunday Sun|access-date=May 17, 2024}}</ref> a role she continues to serve as of 2024.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://classixphilly.com/schedule/the-lady-b-show/|title=The Lady B Show|website=Classix Philly 107.9|access-date=May 17, 2024}}</ref>
== Awards and recognitions == Lady B has received numerous awards throughout her career. In 2002, she received the "Philly Urban Legend Award," which acknowledges pioneers in Philadelphia's rap music scene,<ref name="anthology" /> The World Renowned Entertainment, Role Model of Excellence Award, two Lifetime Achievement Awards (including the Douglass ”Jocko” Henderson award). She is also listed in Vibe magazine's History of Hip-Hop as “maybe the most influential female in hip-hop radio history”.<ref name=":0" />
On August 13, 2022, the city of Philadelphia renamed the 5700 block of Wyndale Avenue “Lady B Way” in recognition of her accomplishments.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=CBS News Philadelphia |date=2022-08-14 |title=Philadelphia renames part of Wyndale Avenue into Lady B. Way, honoring Philly hip-hop legend - CBS Philadelphia |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/philadelphia-renames-part-of-wyndale-avenue-into-lady-b-way-honoring-philly-hip-hop-legend/ |access-date=2024-07-15 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
===See also=== *Sha-Rock
== References == {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{AllMusic|class=artist|id=lady-b-mn0000121458|label=Lady B}} * {{Discogs artist | artist=Lady+B (2) | name=Lady B}} * {{MusicBrainz artist | id=73b60863-f46b-454f-8d94-4c9ae752cb07 | name=Lady B}} * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2mt5adKw84 Lady B. and Chuck Chillout on STREET BEAT (video clip)] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20110715191444/http://rnbphilly.com/author/ladyb/ Lady B DJ info on WRNB 107.9 radio Philadelphia], archived July 15, 2011
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Lady B}} Category:Living people Category:Rappers from Philadelphia Category:East Coast hip-hop musicians Category:21st-century American rappers Category:21st-century African-American rappers Category:1962 births Category:21st-century American women rappers Category:21st-century African-American women rappers