This year, Larry King interviewed more Hip Hop artists on his talk show than ever before.
His new platform, Larry King Now, along with the move from CNN to Ora TV, enabled the veteran host to interview Tyler the Creator, Pusha T, DJ Khaled, T-Pain and Common, among others.
Although, King admits he’s “not a fan of the music,” he says he “respects that the music is appreciated by many.”
After King recently shared an entertaining exchange with T.I., VICE sat down with the 81-year-old TV personality to talk about Hip Hop, the music he actually enjoys and who he would like to collaborate with.
“I’m fascinated with all forms of music,” King said. “My musical tastes go back to [Frank] Sinatra and Ella [Fitzgerald], so most of these artists are new to me. But I’m fascinated, as I have young children, and they listen to these [musicians]. So sometimes I’ll go home and say, ‘I interviewed T.I. today,’ and I didn’t know who that was going in, but they knew all about him. I’m learning on the run. But enjoying it a lot.”
During his 25-year-stint as the host of Larry King Live on CNN, King primarily covered politics, global issues and interviewed controversial figures. Hip Hop was rarely a featured topic.
King points to his age, as the reason why he hasn’t taken a liking to the genre.
“I’m 81 years old,” he said. “I’m curious about a lot of things. I’m accepting of a lot of things. To me, lyrics mean Cole Porter and Irving Berlin and Frank Sinatra singing them.
“I don’t appreciate Hip Hop,” he added. “But if it’s good Hip Hop, and people like it, I understand it finding its audience.”
Despite his distaste for Hip Hop, King has been able to conduct many successful interviews with guests that belong to the genre. He’s even developed relationships with rappers outside of the show.
In 2013, Snoop Dogg invited King to his own parody news show, GGN, where he rapped alongside Snoop and joked about “breaking ground as a Jewish rap star.”
“I would love to do something with Snoop,” King says. “I dig all this. I’m youthful in my frame of mind. If you asked me to sing a Rap song with them, I would go do it. If they asked me to do one, bring a little Jewish element to it.”
Why is this news? Is it any surprise to anyone that an 81 year old doesn’t appreciate hip-hop? Even an 81 year old black guy is gonna say the same thing.
I dont appreaciate these new imbeciles either. That’s why I dont listen to that shit. I mainly listen to underground and independent artists.
I dont listen to Lil Gayne or none of these so called “artists”
u probably listen to hopsin foh
Check out Larry King on the Snoop Show GGN
breakning news, puff daddy doesn’t appreciate ebola
sorry to break it to you larry its 2k14 NOONE cares about hiphop much no more..its a trend one guy poppin 10 years later forgot he existed
the only genre of music where the legends and NEVER respected.
the reason y KING don’t like hiphop is because they curse a lot..its all about killing, sex, alcohol etc..just look at what hiphop does to the black community this days.. violence black on black crimes etc…
you’re that much of a coward you need to pass off your warped opinion as his on an internet forum, lol
it is a fact….open your eyes…black teens idolize this wangsta like its real but its all punch of fake shii..
ITS VERY CLEAR THAT YOU HAVE A LACK OF UNDESTANDING OF HIP HOP. HIP HOP IS AGAINGST SEX DRUGS AND VIOLENCE. YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT RAP MUSIC.
if most of todays generation of rappers dont even appreciate hip-hop why should some dusty old white guy
he’s still more of a hip hop afficianado than chief keef
Old JE//S hate Hip-Hop, but love the money it brings to them.
It frustrates me how poor some of the headlines that HipHopDX runs are. Was the point of this entire article really that Larry King doesn’t like Hip-Hop? HipHopDX only does it for the “clicks” 9/10 times. Where is the real rap journalism?
hell my mother and father barely appreciate hiphop and they are not 81. I respect that.