Source: Robert Gauthier / Getty
Hip-Hop will celebrate its fiftieth year of existence this summer and all year, outlets such as ours are celebrating the culture as expected. The Grammy Awards took place on Sunday and carved out time for a segment demonstrating the broad scope of the music that has emerged over the past half-century.
For those uninitiated, August 11, 1973, is widely considered to be the official birth date of Hip-Hop by way of the legendary DJ Kool Herc. For the 65th Annual Grammy Awards celebration, LL COOL J introduced the segment produced by Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson of The Roots fame. Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter narrated the first two “chapters” of the tribute, which opened with a two-song set from Grandmaster Flash, Grandmaster Melle Mel, and Rahiem of Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five fame.
They were later joined by Run-DMC, LL COOL J, Salt-N-Pepa, Rakim, Chuck D, and Flava Flav of Public Enemy fame. De La Soul, Scarface, Ice-T, Queen Latifah, Method Man, Big Boi of Outkast, Busta Rhymes, Spliff Starr, and Missy Elliot came through for the second chapter.
With the aforementioned Queen Latifah taking over narration duties for the final act, Nelly and City Spud, Too $hort, The Lox with Swizz Beatz, Lil Baby, GloRilla, and Lil Uzi Vert ended the tribute.
Adding to this, the Grammys also had a rolling scroll of several Hip-Hop acts from both the mainstream and underground, including J-Live, Sage Francis (“watch me as I do dances”), The Arsonists, Sa-Ra Creative Partners, Spice 1, Kid Capri, and many more.
There was some chatter about certain acts being snubbed or not featured in the tribute, and Questlove answered those inquires and fought off the snub accusations in the thread we’ll post below.
general ?s answered about last night: (some are asking if we are playing erasure games so uh….yeah I don't play that so—in answering the questions of "why wasn't dada there?)
1. already booked
2. declined our offer straight up
3. or a third option im not gonna get into— Dr. Love (@questlove) February 6, 2023
On Twitter, the reactions to the tribute from both artists and fans alike were heartwarming to witness which hammered home just how vital and influential the genre continues to be. We’ve got all those reactions, including the tribute, below.
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Photo: Getty
1.
Ok, wait…now it’s official. Hip-hop was turned into a Sage Francis sandwich last night at the Grammys. And everyone knows that sandwiches are the 5th element.
#strangefamous pic.twitter.com/L0E8qdDBG8
— Sage Francis (@SageFrancis) February 6, 2023
2.
The fact that in 1989 most of the artists onstage last night boycotted The Grammys cuz they wouldnt even air them getting awards made last night that much sweeter! "You never thought that Hip Hop would take it this far"-Notorious B.I.G #HipHop50 pic.twitter.com/B7gH7JmhwQ
— Mad Skillz (@SkillzVa) February 6, 2023
3.
Last night was such an honor to share the stage with our fellow Hip Hop pioneers
. Thank you for having us @RecordingAcad
#HipHop50 #50thAnniversaryofHipHop pic.twitter.com/tzdH9gfZam
— Salt N Pepa (@TheSaltNPepa) February 6, 2023
4.
The Grammys last night made me want 2 things from the BET Awards this year:
1. An even longer, more expansive Hip-Hop 50 tribute (I was pleasantly surprised at how well the Grammys did but I know BET can top it).
2. Give Beyoncé the lifetime achievement award. Now is the time.
— mh. (@MikeHamiltonJr) February 6, 2023
5.
So I’m late watching the Grammys but watching this hip hop tribute…. Baby that between lox and lil baby… that was a big gap.
— THIQUE (@ScottieBeam) February 6, 2023
6.
HIP HOP TRIBUTE TONIGHT ON THE #GRAMMYs #HipHop50
pic.twitter.com/Y4oVD6vonQ
— Grandmaster Flash (@DJFlash4eva) February 5, 2023
7.
So when the @RecordingAcad /Grammy’s first introduced the rap category in 1988 we were amongst the first group of rappers to be nominated. Now there’s a celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip hop at the Grammy’s and we aren’t invited?? Make that make sense!!
pic.twitter.com/Gb4uLr3Ar0
— J J FAD (@jjfad) February 4, 2023
8.
We went from rappers boycotting the Grammys on a few occasions to them recognizing and giving Hip Hop a 50th year anniversary performance.
That's progress.
— Old Head Energy (@Cheamane) February 6, 2023
9.
Man listen…. Or don’t listen… either way Hip Hop is speaking. Happy 50. @mrchuckd_pe @flytetymejam @bustarhymes @recordingacademy #grammys #hiphop #chuckd #jimmyjam #bustarhymes #plugwon #delasoul @ The Grammys https://t.co/DRVngTCuuE
— POS (@PlugWonDeLaSoul) February 6, 2023
10.
#GRAMMYs Nobody:
Me in my living room during this hip hop performance: pic.twitter.com/T00wrHR2sR—
R_Le’Rose
11.
VERY PROUD OF HIP HOP LAST NIGHT!!!!
Brilliantly assembled and magnificently executed @questlove @blackthought @djjazzyjeff215 @theroots @llcoolj and every legend that touched that stage!!#HipHop50 @RecordingAcad pic.twitter.com/MbVoEbwqrs
— J.PERIOD (@jperiodBK) February 6, 2023
12.
Hip Hop is old enough to have grey hairs and sciatic nerve pain and I…think that’s really beautiful.
#GRAMMYs
— A. Harmony (@AHarmonyMusic) February 6, 2023
13.
All the yt people in the crowd during the Grammys hip hop segment pic.twitter.com/vMzNl0d4OA
— NATE (@NATERERUN) February 6, 2023
14.
Coach The @RecordingAcad Don’t respect My our Miami contribution to hip-hop. Even though we got banned went to jail went all the way to the Supreme Court for the culture. It’s all good Coach nothing new. https://t.co/aen8Di0VPF
— Luther Luke Campbell (@unclelukereal1) February 6, 2023
15.
The GRAMMYS putting all of the those hip hop icons on the stage to celebrate 50 years of hip hop after denying their art form legitimacy most of that history to win awards is another example of Black people being such a forgiving people in the face of the racism of this country
— 𝐄𝐱𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐨𝐩𝐞 (@exavierpope) February 6, 2023
The post The Grammys Saluted Hip-Hop For The Culture In Honor Of 50th Anniversary appeared first on The Latest Hip-Hop News, Music and Media | Hip-Hop Wired.