The Grammys finally gave hip-hop the platform it deserves at this year’s ceremony on Feb. 5, rolling out the biggest star-studded tribute of all time in honor of its 50th anniversary. The powerful segment was narrated by Black Thought and introduced by LL Cool J as old-school hip-hop artists united on stage at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles for an explosive time capsule of rap history.
From left: Busta Rhymes, Flavor Flav and LL Cool J performing as part of the Grammys’ celebration of 50 years of hip-hop
The performance featured appearances from legends like Missy Elliott, Big Boi, Busta Rhymes, De La Soul, DJ Drama, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Grandmaster Flash, Grandmaster Mele Mel & Scorpio/Ethiopian King, Ice-T, The Lox, Method Man, Nelly, Public Enemy, Queen Latifah, Rahiem, Rakim, Run-DMC, Salt-N-Pepa, Spinderella, and Too $hort (yes, that many artists), all of whom performed some of their greatest hits on stage.
New-school acts like Lil Baby and GloRillaalso joined the explosive Grammys performance, which was produced by Questlove (who also served as music director).
Hip-hop and the Grammys have had a notoriously rocky relationship, as it took the Recording Academy more than a decade after hip-hop’s birth (Aug. 11, 1973) to recognize the genre at its annual award show (the first rap Grammy was awarded to DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince, aka Will Smith, in 1989). However, it seems the Grammys are trying to rectify history.
“For five decades, hip-hop has not only been a defining force in music, but a major influence on our culture,” said Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, in a statement, per Billboard. “Its contributions to art, fashion, sport, politics, and society cannot be overstated. I’m so proud that we are honoring it in such a spectacular way on the Grammy stage. It is just the beginning of our yearlong celebration of this essential genre of music.”
Hip-hop’s impact was acknowledged throughout the 2023 Grammy Awards. Kendrick Lamar swept up wins in almost all of the rap categories, while DJ Khaled and JAY-Z performed their Grammy-nominated collaboration “God Did” alongside Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, John Legend, and Fridayy at the close of the ceremony. Beyond that, Billboard reported that the Recording Academy, in partnership with CBS, is also set to debut a special hip-hop music event later this year.
