The Grammys celebrate hip-hop’s 50th anniversary with a star-studded performance

The 2023 Grammy Awards finally gave hip-hop its due in celebration of the genre’s 50th anniversary.

“We’re going to ring the bells for the 50th anniversary of hip-hop,” LL Cool J said in the intro.

Pioneers of the game and established newcomers took to the coveted stage on Sunday to perform in honor of the birth of hip-hop, which officially dates back to August 11, 1973 – when famed DJ Kool Herc threw a party at 1520 Sedgwick Ave in New York. in the Bronx.

Def Jam Records founding rapper LL Cool J fittingly fronted the tribute, which was produced and directed by Questlove – and saw solo hosts and rap crews including Lil Wayne, De La Soul, Missy Elliott, Rakim, Nelly and Salt-N-Pepa – rip the roof off.

“You all think I came to play with you?” Busta Rhymes asked the crowd during his set, before launching into one of the fastest spitfire verses of his careerfrom “Look at Me Now (Part III)” by Chris Brown.

Other performers on stage include: Run DMC, Scarface, Public Enemy, Too $hort, Ice-T, Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Big Boi, Future, Grandmaster Melle Mel & Scorpio/Ethiopian King, Method Man, the Lox, Lil Baby and Queen Latifah.

Latifah said firmly, “Hip-hop will live forever,” before Nelly launched into her most famous song, 2002’s “Hot in Herre.”

Other notable performances saw Queen Latifah perform part of “UNITY” and the Lox rap part of “We Gonna Make It”.

“It started in the Bronx and since then it’s been everywhere,” LL Cool J said to end the performance. “To the five boroughs… for culture.”

In a press release before the 65th Grammy Awards even kicked off, Recording Academy president Harvey Mason Jr. revealed that Sunday’s hip-hop tribute at the Crypto.com arena in Los Angeles was just the beginning of things to come.

“For five decades, hip-hop has not only been a defining force in music, but a major influence on our culture,” he said. “His contributions to art, fashion, sport, politics and society cannot be overstated. I’m so proud that we’re honoring him so spectacularly on the Grammy stage.

“This is just the start of our year of celebrating this essential genre of music,” continued Mason Jr.

For the music awards show that infamously awarded Macklemore Best Rap Album against Kendrick Lamar in 2014 – and presented its first off-air hip-hop award in 1989 – tonight’s tribute was a long time coming. .