2023 Grammys Hip-Hop 50 Tribute Performance
The Grammys Celebrate 50 Years of Hip-Hop With Star-Studded Tribute Performance
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 honour 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 onstage at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles for an explosive time capsule of rap history.
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 and Spinderella, and Too $hort (yes, that many artists), all of whom performed some of their greatest hits onstage.
New-school acts like Lil Baby and GloRilla also 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 over a decade after hip-hop's birth (Aug. 11, 1973) to recognise 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 is 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 honouring 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 are set to perform their Grammy-nominated collaboration "God Did." 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.
See photos from the Grammys tribute to hip-hop ahead.
