I usually bring you Hip-Hop Reloaded: The Week in Review, where I recap the week’s buzzworthy Hip-Hop related events, narrating and making smart comments. This week is slightly different because Saturday was a hallmark event that reminded me why I haven’t given up on Hip-Hop (I was having my doubts) — the taping of Vh1’s third annual Hip-Hop Honors, airing Oct. 17, during Vh1’s Hip-Hop Honors Week and New York City’s first ever Hip-Hop Week (as declared by Mayor Bloomberg).
This year’s celebration honored Ice Cube, MC Lyte, Afrika Bambaataa, Russell Simmons, Rakim, Beastie Boys and Eazy E. Participating in the show were Lil’ Eazy E and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony honoring Eazy E. Talib Kweli, Raekwon, Styles P and Black Thought honoring Rakim. Lil’ Kim in her first post-prison performance. Remy Ma and Da Brat honoring MC Lyte. Erykah Badu, Bootsy Collins and George Clinton honoring Afrika Bambaata. P. Diddy, Fabolous and Q-Tip honoring the Beastie Boys. Xzibit and Dub C honoring Ice Cube, and of course, U-God, RZA, Method Man, Raekwon, and GZA representing themselves, the Wu (by the way, U-God confirmed that Wu-Tang is seriously considering a new album).
Ironically, Vh1, back when they only showed videos, did not check for Hip-Hop. It’s twenty-something years later and Hip-Hop is a worldwide phenomenon being recognized for something positive.
“Twenty years ago, when we all got in it they said it was a fad and now we still here and it’s bigger than ever,” said Ice-T, this year’s host. “There’s so much money being made; people are being employed by Hip-Hop. It’s good to have positive publicity connected to a movement that’s always connected to negative publicity.”
Ice-T was one of several icons I spoke to as I worked the red carpet that night. It seemed that collective work and responsibility were on a lot of people’s minds.
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“I think that tonight is important because the Hip-Hop nation really needs to honor its own and most importantly, the whole idea of being old or being played out or no longer being hip…that’s dead,” said Amir ?uestlove Thompson. “Ageism, is probably the biggest part that Hip-Hop has ever played…I mean that’s what entertainment and society does. Once a boxer turns 35 he’s no longer good; once a basketball player turns 40 he’s no longer good; but I think that once a basketball player turns 40, they should be trainers, they should be referees, they should be owners of the team. Hip-Hop should also nurture, and hopefully the Treaches of the world will soon be the next Russell Simmonses of the world.”
?uestlove, who was a lot of fun on the red carpet, summed up why Hip-Hop Honors is bigger than just an award show. Other red carpet highlights included chatting with Yo-Yo, U-God, Forrest Whittaker (yes yes ya’ll, he is a Hip-Hop-Head; FYI: The back of his neck doesn’t look that bad), T3 and Elzhi (Slum Village), The Cold Crush Brothers, Bootsy Collins (a Hip-Hop forefather and a very sampled artist in the Hip-Hop world) and Black Thought, who is already thinking ahead. Sharing his thoughts on who he wants to see honored next year, he told hiphopdx, “I’m looking forward to when they start honoring some producers like Marly Marl or DJ Premier, or some collectives like the Native Tongues or Public Enemy. They gotta do Public Enemy next year.”
I agree. That’s what I grew up on. As an 80’s baby in New York City, my early recognizance of Hip-Hop has to do with De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, Jungle Brothers, Queen Latifah and P.E.
I could go on and on about how much fun I had that night and some things I learned about myself (please believe I had to Deebo people on the red carpet so that I could get decent soundbytes) but for the sake of brevity, I won’t. Over all, this is an excellent way for younger generations to learn their history, and for people who do know their history to reminisce on why they got involved in the culture in the first place. There has been a lot of talk about Hip-Hop being dead but anyone who truly believes that is most likely part of its problems — not preserving and sharing its history, and not supporting artists who are dope and talented, even if they are local or considered old school and/or irrelevant by corporate, record label standards. It’s up to us to support Hip-Hop the right way by taking back what’s ours and letting poor, misguided souls know that “Laffy Taffy” and “Chicken Noodle Soup” are not what’s up.
“What I hate right now is all this bulls**t music and bulls**t radio and payola. That’s what’s f**king up the music right now,” lamented WC from the Westside Connection. “There was a time when if somebody was wack, they was getting booed. Now, bad music is being pushed in people’s face and little kids who see that think that’s how they have to be.”
It’s time to start recognizing. Tune in to Hip-Hop Honors airing Tuesday, Oct. 17 on Vh1 at 9PM. Keep the culture alive.
