October 30, 2023
Queen Latifah, LL Cool J, and Black Thought will take to the YouTube Theater in Inglewood, California to tape “A Grammy Salute to 50 Years of Hip Hop” special, Billboard reports.
An official Grammy celebration of 50 years of hip-hop will close out the year in a special airing on CBS in December.
On November 8, hip-hop legends Queen Latifah, LL Cool J, and Black Thought will take to the YouTube Theater in Inglewood, California to tape “A Grammy Salute to 50 Years of Hip Hop” special, Billboard reports. The two-hour special will air on Sunday, Dec. 10 and continue the “50 Years of Hip Hop” segment that was featured in the 65th annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 5.
Renowned acts slated to hit the stage include Big Daddy Kane, Cypress Hill, DJ Quik, E-40, GloRilla, Gunna, Jeezy, Juvenile, Latto, MC Lyte, Roxanne Shanté, Spinderella, Three 6 Mafia, Too $hort, T.I., 2 Chainz, Warren G, YG, and more. History makers are on the lineup including Arrested Development, who became the first hip-hop group to win the Grammy for best new artist, and Three 6 Mafia, who were the first hip-hop act to perform a nominated song on the Academy Awards and win an Oscar for their “Hustle & Flow” theme song, “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp.”
Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson of Two One Five Entertainment and LL Cool J are executive producing the special that includes appearances from Bun B, Common, De La Soul, Jermaine Dupri, J.J. Fad, Talib Kweli, The Lady of Rage, MC Sha-Rock, Monie Love, The Pharcyde, Questlove, Rakim, Remy Ma, Uncle Luke and Yo-Yo.
Questlove is adding to the curator role he took when organizing the 15-minute Grammy segment that was highly praised by attendees and viewers.
“For five decades, Hip Hop has not only been a defining force in music, but a major influence on our culture,” Harvey Mason jr., CEO of the Recording Academy said.
“Its contributions to art, fashion, sport, politics, and society cannot be overstated. I’m so proud that we are honoring it in such a spectacular way on the Grammy stage. It is just the beginning of our year-long celebration of this essential genre of music.”
The special highlights how long hip-hop has come since D.J. Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince’s hit “Parents Just Don’t Understand” became the first hip-hop recording to win a Grammy for best rap performance. However, Will Smith, Jazzy Jeff, and other rap acts boycotted the Grammys in 1989 after learning the category would not be televised.
A year later, Fresh Prince and Jazzy Jeff returned to become the first hip-hop act to perform on the Grammys.
“We’d like to dedicate this performance to all the rappers last year that stood with us and helped us to earn the right to be on this stage tonight,” Smith said at the start of the performance.
RELATED CONTENT: Russell Simmons Says Hip-Hop Is Not Dead, ‘It Is Always Evolving’
