Hip-hop was celebrated in the most star-studded and epic way at the 2023 Grammy Awards.
During music's biggest night on Feb. 5, a number of hip-hop heavyweights took the stage to celebrate the genre's 50th anniversary. LL Cool J first took the stage to present the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award, with Dre making a speech when accepting the trophy. LL then introduced the performance, noting that some major players were missing but that it would be a can't-miss show.
The performance, which featured The Roots, was split into three chapters to tell the history of hip-hop. As artists like Run-DMC, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Queen Latifah, Missy Elliott and Busta Rhymes kept coming on stage, the Grammys audience — including Jay-Z, Pharrell and even Shania Twain — and Twitter could not contain their excitement.
The camera kept panning over to Jay-Z and his crew, who were amazed to see artist after artist take the stage.
DJ Khaled also was seen holding a lighter up.
“For the culture,” LL Cool J concluded the star-studded performance.
On Twitter, people and some celebs were ecstatic and praising the artists.
"The Women of HipHop!!" actor Sheryl Lee Ralph tweeted.
Actor Jackée Harry tweeted, "This is a fantastic reminder that hip hop has produced more than beautiful artists. The #Grammys2023 stage is full of inventors and visionaries!"
"This hip-hop tribute is amazing!! #grammys!! Y’all did that!!!" one person tweeted.
"HIP-HOP IS SO IMPORTANT. AMAZING TRIBUTE, THANK YOU GRAMMYs," one user tweeted.
Others shared screenshots, GIFs and more of their reactions while watching.
"That damn @questlove is a genius. That tribute to hip hop was insane," writer Jemele Hill wrote.
"The fact that I just saw Too Short perform 'Blow The Whistle' on Primetime CBS just made me giddy," Kendall B. wrote.
Of course, there were other people who called out the performance for not including artists like Lil Kim, Foxy Brown, Nicki Minaj or Lauryn Hill.
See the full hip-hop 50th anniversary lineup below:
Chapter 1:
Black Thought Narration
Grandmaster Flash w/ Barshon, Mele Mel, Rahiem & Scorpio – “Flash To The Beat”
Grandmaster Flash w/ Barshon, Mele Mel, Rahiem & Scorpio – “The Message”
Run-DMC – “King Of Rock”
LL Cool J – “I Can’t Live Without My Radio”
DJ Jazzy Jeff – “Rock The Bells”
Salt-N-Pepa – “My Mic Sounds Nice”
Rakim – “Eric B is President”
Chuck D & Flavor Flav – “Rebel Without A Pause”
Chapter 2:
Black Thought w/ LL Cool J – “El Shabazz Skit”
De La Soul – “Buddy”
Scarface – “My Mind’s Playing Tricks On Me”
Ice-T – “New Jack Hustler (Nino’s Theme)”
Queen Latifah – “U.N.I.T.Y.”
Method Man – “Method Man”
Big Boi – “ATLiens”
Busta Rhymes & Spliff Star – “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See” / “Look At Me Now”
Missy Elliott – “Lose Control”
Chapter 3:
Queen Latifah narration
Nelly & City Spud – “Hot In Herre”
Too $hort – “Blow The Whistle”
Swizz Beatz & The Lox – “We Gonna Make It”
Lil Wayne – “A Milli”
Lil Baby – “Freestyle”
GloRilla – “F.N.F. (Let’s Go)”
Future – “F--- Up Some Commas”
LL Cool J – “Just Wanna Rock”
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