VH1's "Hip Hop Honors Show" has been one of my fave awards/music events of the past 2 years. The first one was really well thought out and put together by people who definitely understood the history of hip hop does not begin in 1995. They honored the early pioneers like Grandmaster Flash and even DJ hollywood, who wasn't even a rapper just a guy with big ass speakers in the back of his cadillac who put on block parties. Nelson George, resident intelligent black guy writer about hip hop, has an obvious hand in putting together these shows for VH1 and it shows.
I think the second show really knocked it out of the park though. The performances became more of a spectacle bringing together the old and the new. One of my faves had to be when Common, TI (the only guy who didn't belong there), and the Roots came out and paid tribute to Big Daddy Kane with a massive medley of his greatest hits.
youtube of the performance
This year's class is very impressive: Afrikaa Bambataa, the Beasties, Easy E, Ice Cube, MC Lyte, Rakim (!!!), Russel Simmons, and of course the 36 chambers of the Wu-Tang Clan.
I can't wait to see these performances. Check it out tonight on VH1 at 9pm or multiple times throughout the week in reruns.
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Also, catch reruns of the 2005 edition on VH1 Classic and VH1 Soul. LL is there, Kane is there, Salt N Pepa perform on stage with En Vogue for the first time ever. like fazer said, these are well-crafted ceremonies with genuine excitement and respect, nothing frivolous.
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