So did anyone else tune into VH1’s Hip Hop Honors last night? This year featured a cool crop of honorees — De La Soul, Slick Rick, Cypress Hill, Naughty By Nature, and Too $hort. And I didn’t notice any of the guest performers committing blogger-enraging mistakes, unlike last year. That said, at two full hours the broadcast still dragged a bit (just like every awards ceremony in the history of pop culture). Which means it’s time for us to mete out some honors on top of the Honors…
Best Dressed: Slick Rick (pictured, left), far and away. The Ruler rocked a lime-green eyepatch during his interview segment, a sparkly silver one during the other artists’ tribute, and eventually a hot-pink patch for his own performance. Bravo! (Runners-up: Busta Rhymes, who oddly but stylishly wore a sky-blue eyepatch during the Slick Rick tribute, and Cee-Lo, who made a silver muu-muu look dope during the De La tribute.)
Worst Dressed: Fat Joe in an oversized-flannel-shirt-plus-bucket-hat combo during the Cypress Hill tribute. ‘Nuff said.
Best All-Star Tribute: The De La tribute wins hands-down, with segments from Q-Tip and Estelle; Mos Def and Public Enemy; Cee-Lo; and finally old-school heroes EPMD. Several of those artists have been honored at previous ceremonies, and the ones who haven’t surely deserve to be recognized in a future year (save Estelle, who’s still a newcomer).
Worst "All-Star" Tribute: The execrable Kid Rock opened up Too $hort’s tribute segment, which is more like an insult than an honor if you ask me. (Short Dawg’s dubious expression while Rock attempted to rap was kinda great though.) Follow-up performances by Lil Jon and Bun B weren’t enough to save it.
Best Cover Band: The Roots, backing Cee-Lo (pictured, right), Estelle, Scarface, Mos Def, Public Enemy, and more on the posthumous Isaac Hayes tribute.
Worst Cover Band: The non-Travis dudes from Gym Class Heroes, who continued to playinstruments for some reason after Cypress Hill came out to perform. No offense, but no one needed to hear what B Real sounds like over upstate-New York emo-rap grooves.
But that’s just my opinion. Would any of you choose different winners or losers? Kid Rock fans, start kvetching!
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Comments (1-11) of 11 Add your comment
The best tribute had to be The Rulers. Oh my God, they really went all out for the guy! Also, Fat Joe needs to stop showing up to these things because he’s yet to have a good performance from it!
LOVED IT. It is something about this award show that keeps getting better and better each year. My only criticism is that they have yet to find a host that really can work for this type of format. However, the real energy and love for hip hop translates across the tv and makes me stay up all night making a new playlist in honor of it.
Overall I thought that the show was great! You hit Too $hort’s reaction right on the head! Kid Rock was a poor choice – I thought. I loved the De La trib the best followed closely by Slick Rick’s trib and his performance! I have saved it on the TiVo to be deleted when I choose!
PS – my best friend texted me last night about Busta’s outfit…I was not mad at it!
I have it tivo’d so ill get around to watching it. I don’t understand why they have Kid Rock come to these things. He is NOT hip-hop. Anyways, the crop of honorees this year was solid. Can’t wait to watch it.
I think a fact is a fact. Kid Rock I clearly remember being legit enough to get signed back in 89 by JIVE and rolling out on fellow label Too Shorts tour. I recorded with a fellow cat named Champtown at K.R basement studio in Warren MI early 90s. Champtown was involved in both K.R and Eminem beginnings in Detroit. The cat is straight talented as hell. Why you think Run from RUN DMC is touring with him? He knew that the only way he’d excel is to find a link between c&w rock and rap. Which he has. Rocked with him on RUN DMC tribute when JMJ passed, and he rocked those Too Short lyrics well. Great on the turntables, guitar, drums, and mic. Give credit where credit is due. If I have a problem with how America treats hip hop and history , is that it ignores many of the necessary facts from a basis of emotion. Its a tendency that cripples young heads when it comes to black culture. EW has to do better homework regarding the contributors, and this requires them talking to real cats who know.
@ Chuck D – I am not negating Kid Rock’s contribution to the genre. I think that he is a good performer and his music definitely adds interest. I just think that his performance last night was meh – he did not bring it like I have seen him bring it in the past.
Kid Rock was horrible. I understand he’s Hip Hop but he shouldn’t have performed for that Short Dawg. I loved seeing Scarface again. I think De La Soul and Cypress Hill had the best tributes. Good show all around expect for the Short Dawg tribute. I still wish Ice Cube was there for the Cypress Hill tribute. And I wish De La Soul would have sung Buddy.
Cosign with Chuck D, (hey, are you the Real Chuck D—say it isn’t so!!! if so, get outta here!!! of course, saying this with much love, awe and disbelief.) Kid was signed to Jive in ‘89 and gives props to DJ D-Nice from BDP Crew for mentoring him when he started out as a rapper and DJ back then. Love you Chuck (whether you’re the real Chuck D or not) for setting EW straight! Queens – Long Island connect baybeee!
DJ Jazzy Jeff, Roxanne Shante, Stestasonic, DJ Screw, Geto Boys, Funky 4 + 1 More, EPMD, and Ralph McDaniels deserve their recognition next year.
also co-sign with 2cents. get a better host next year. i would like to see Will Smith get off his high hollywood horse and host next year, great tie-in if they decide to roast DJ Jazzy Jeff.
I understand kid rock has a past history with Too $hort and Jive records, but his performance was tired. When he botched his lyrics up towards the end it reminded me of when he F’d up when he did 99 problems with Jay-z afew years back on BET. Kid Rock might be a talented dude but he is not hip-hop, like Nas said “Kid Rock, LImp Bisket soft!”….Anyways, Too $hort deserved a better tribute….and did Juelz Santana know any of the words to the Naughty by Nature song?….one last thing does anyone know if they have inducted Tupac in the Hip Hop Honors?
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