D.J. Jazzy Jeff & the Contemporary Prince are set to reunite at A Grammy Salute to 50 Years of Hip-Hop, which can tape on Nov. 8 at YouTube Theater in Inglewood, Calif. It is going to mark one in every of Will Smith’s first main public occasions since his notorious slap of Chris Rock on the 94th annual Academy Awards in March 2022.
In the course of the ceremony, Smith walked onstage and slapped Rock throughout the face after Rock made a joke about Smith’s spouse, Jada Pinkett Smith, whose head was shaved on account of alopecia areata. The Academy of Movement Image Arts & Sciences banned Smith from attending its occasions for a decade as punishment.
Right here, the temper shall be strictly celebratory, which might make it a protected house for Smith to start his gradual re-emergence into the general public eye. D.J. Jazzy Jeff and The Contemporary Prince joins a packed line-up of performers that features: Arrested Improvement, Huge Daddy Kane, Black Sheep, Cypress Hill, Digable Planets, DJ Quik, E-40, GloRilla, Gunna, Jeezy, Juvenile, Latto, Luniz, MC Lyte, Roxanne Shanté, Spinderella, Three 6 Mafia, T.I., Too $hort, 2 Chainz, Warren G, YG, Black Thought, Bun B, Frequent, De La Soul, Jermaine Dupri, J.J. Fad, Talib Kweli, The Woman Of Rage, LL COOL J, MC Sha-Rock, Monie Love, The Pharcyde, Queen Latifah, Questlove, Rakim, Remy Ma, Uncle Luke and Yo-Yo.
D.J. Jazzy Jeff & the Contemporary Prince made Grammy hip-hop historical past twice. The awards present didn’t have a devoted class for rap or hip-hop till the 1988 awards, which have been offered Feb. 22, 1989. The duo’s genial pop hit “Dad and mom Simply Don’t Perceive” was the primary hip-hop recording to win a Grammy (greatest rap efficiency). However they weren’t invited to carry out on the present that 12 months.
A 12 months later, on Feb. 21, 1990, the duo turned the primary hip-hop act to carry out on the Grammys. “We’d prefer to dedicate this efficiency to all of the rappers final 12 months that stood with us and helped us to earn the suitable to be on this stage tonight,” Smith stated on the time earlier than he and D.J. Jazzy Jeff launched into “I Assume I Can Beat Mike Tyson.”
The tribute particular will air Dec. 10 from 8:30 – 10:30 p.m. ET/PT, on CBS and shall be obtainable to stream stay and on demand on Paramount+.
A Grammy Salute to 50 Years of Hip-Hop is produced by Jesse Collins Leisure. Collins, Shawn Gee, Dionne Harmon, Claudine Joseph, LL COOL J, Fatima Robinson, Jeannae Rouzan-Clay, and Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson for Two One 5 Leisure will function govt producers and Marcelo Gama as director of the particular.
An prolonged “50 Years of 50-Hop” phase was one of many highlights of the sixty fifth annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 5. That kicked off a 12 months of hip-hop celebrations that has underscored the significance and dominance of the style.
The phase drew common reward. Billboard’s Joe Lynch pegged it because the greatest efficiency on the 2023 Grammys telecast. “Whereas it’s an inconceivable job to sum up 50 years of any style (a lot much less one which fought for many years to get a modicum of mainstream respect and ultimately turned the dominant style in American music), this electrifying medley dropped at vivid life the charged personalities, thumping grooves, deft deliveries and unpredictable prospers that make hip-hop a worldwide pressure.”
Questlove curated the 15-minute spot on the Grammy telecast, which featured three dozen rap acts. Collins, Robinson and Gee (Questlove’s supervisor and president of LNU) have been additionally among the many producers of that phase.
Whereas many will assume that the success of the spot on the Grammy telecast led CBS to rush a particular into manufacturing, the particular was within the works earlier than anybody knew there can be a phase on the telecast, in keeping with a supply.
Harvey Mason jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, hinted on the upcoming particular in a press release saying the telecast phase. “For 5 a long time, Hip Hop has not solely been a defining pressure in music, however a significant affect on our tradition,” he stated. “Its contributions to artwork, trend, sport, politics, and society can’t be overstated. I’m so proud that we’re honoring it in such a spectacular manner on the Grammy stage. It’s only the start of our year-long celebration of this important style of music.”
The present was initially set to tape on Aug. 11, which was the fiftieth anniversary (to the day!) of a back-to-school social gathering in The Bronx that many level to as the start of hip-hop tradition. CBS, which has broadcast the Grammy telecast since 1973, aired one other Grammy-branded particular – A Grammy Salute to The Seaside Boys – on April 9. That particular was taped on Feb. 8 on the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
Doorways open for the Nov. 8 taping at 6 p.m. PT. The live performance is about to start at 7 p.m. Tickets can be found to the general public now at Ticketmaster.com. The YouTube Theater is positioned at 1011 Stadium Dr., Inglewood, CA 90305.
