LI Rap Royalty Perform in Grammy Awards 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop Tribute
Five hip-hop legends from Long Island performed at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles Sunday night as part of a grand tribute to the 50th anniversary of the groundbreaking musical genre.
LL Cool J, who was born in Bay Shore, introduced and participated in the star-studded performance. The other Long Island artists who performed were Rakim, a Wyandanch native; Flavor Flav and Chuck D (Public Enemy), Roosevelt natives; Method Man, a Hempstead native; and Busta Rhymes, who grew up in Uniondale
“I’m proud to be a part of the hip-hop family,” LL Cool J said during his introduction. “We wish we could have included every hip-hop artist from 1973 to 2023.”
LL Cool J appeared on stage with a large, glitzy boombox for mini versions of the songs “I Can’t Live Without My Radio” and “Rock the Bells.” Later on he also appeared with Black Thought for “Rump Shaker.”
The rap medley, curated by QuestLove and narrated by Black Thought, took a journey through the history of hip-hop music, which is believed to have started at a party in a Bronx apartment building on Aug. 11, 1973, which “kickstarted a global musical revolution,” LL Cool J said.
The 15-minute performance included Busta Rhymes’ “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See” and “Look at Me Now,” Method Man’s “Method Man,” Public Enemy’s “Rebel Without a Pause,” and Rakim’s “Eric B. Is President.” The Long Island rappers performed alongside Run-DMC, Queen Latifah, Missy Elliott, Lil Uzi Vert, and several more.
LL Cool J closed out the tribute with all the artists on stage, saying, “Multigenerational. 50 years. From the Bronx to TikTok to the whole world.”
