It’s highly unlikely that you will see a post from me that gives Viacom any credit for something positive, but somehow they lucked up with the Hip-Hop Honors project. VH-1 has been the chief sponsor for the upcoming Hip-Hop Honors week here in New York City. There is a full slate of free events scheduled for all around the city with some focusing on the educational aspect of Hip-Hop, the empowerment facet, and of course, the entertainment component.
For at least one week, it’s a great time to be a fan of this here thing called Hip-Hop.
Kicking off on Thursday, October 12th Hip-Hop Education day finds various artists working with kids throughout NYC’s public schools. The message for the day should be about using education as a tool to acheive one’s goals. I’m not sure which artists have been assigned to attend these sessions, but I pray that G-Unit and DipSet were disinvited. The day culminates with the opening of the documentary ‘No Sleep ‘Til Brooklyn’, a 30-year retrospective of hip hop culture illustrating it’s humble beginnings in the South Bronx through its glorious rise to global domination.
Friday, Oct. 13th, will be Hip-Hop Restaurant Day during which restaurants in all of the five boros will feature special discounts and promotions. If Friday the 13th isn’t scary enough for you, REMY MA will be serving food at Junior’s Times Square. Let’s pray she wears a hairnet over that hot yakky madness.
Hip-Hop Music and Culture day will be on Saturday, October 14th and there will be special events taking place at ome of the city’s foremost cultural institutions, like ‘Graffiti Basics’
at the Brooklyn Museum of Art and The Hip Hop Cultural Centre at the Magic Johnson Theatre. The special treat for the evening will be when the legendary EPMD reunite for a special one-off performance at the B.B.Kings’ nightclub. I already dusted off my fisherman’s cap.
Sunday October 15th has been designated Hip-Hop Sports and Parks day and will be capped off by a celebrity basketball game featuring CHRIS BROWN, ICE-T, KURTIS BLOW and others. Since basketball is only promoted to the jig babies I will be in Van Cortlandt Park playing lacrosse with Everlast, MC Serch, Bubba Sparkxx and any other random non-jigs we can muster. Come on through, no READE SELIGMANN.
Monday the 16th is when we get finally have a chance to pay respects to the trends in design and fashion that Hip-Hop has inspired. On Hip-Hop Fashion and Shopping day we will even get a 10% discount at all Jimmy Jazz negrophilia outlets. Jimmy Jazz is where I buy all my ‘snowman’ t-shirts and Ice Cream hoodies.
Finally, on Tuesday evening at 9:00pm, VH-1 broadcasts their 2006 Hip-Hop Honors awards program. This year’s hip hop honorees include Wu-Tang Clan, AFRIKA BAMBAATAA, Wig Owner RUSSELL SIMMONS, MC Lyte, RAKIM, Beastie Boys and Eazy E. The music and influence of each of the honorees will be recognized through performances by classic artists in collaboration with today’s hottest new talent. It might be the only thing that Viacom produces all year that is truly worth watching, unless you love the white glove minstrelsy of ‘Flavor of Love’.
According to the Duck Down email newsletter, Thursday the 12th also has:
Crooklyn Dodgers Reunion
See Buckshot, Masta Ace and Special Ed Live at South Paw, in BK on October 12th
VH1 Hip Hop Appreciation week presents a Crooklyn Dodgers Reunion with Buckshot, Masta Ace and Special Ed. See the three artists live at South Paw, located on 125 5th Ave, between Starling Place and St. John’s Place in Brooklyn on Thursday, October 12th.
“Nigga u know I dont walk around with a backpack, im in this shit for money, money, money,money, cake!” (c) banks
Hip hop is fucking dead b, if it aint bout the paper now, it aint bout shit.
Only Hov and Nas can resurrect that shit, or at least add some time before life support gets cut off. 1
I hear you HovLost, that’s why so many munchkins lives are unfulfilled now. Everybody can’t be a Jay-Z or even a Memph Bleek for that matter. That’s why it’s important for me to highlight other vocations that are Hip-Hop related that don’t require rapping skills.
Neither Jay-Z or Nas are talented enough to resurrect an artform once it’s relevance has expired, but in the meantime babies will be born and they will need to be taught the things that allow them to grow into adults that are independent of the momma’s pussies ans tits.
I see too many people now in their 20’s and 30’s that still wish they could crawl back into their momma’s wombs because the world is a scary and difficult place when you are a miseducated coward. I wish that the education day for Hip-Hop Honors week could help them out too.
Last year show was really good.
Nelly did his ‘LL Cool J’ well. LL did LL really well.
But for me, one of the hottest performances was Black Thought, Common and Big Daddy Kane. Thought and Common came through with enough showmanship and energy to match Kane. Kane really didn’t miss a beat in all these years and I think he still has one of the best voices (as an instrument) in the rap game. T.I. rendition of ‘Smooth Operator’ was easily forgetful. I just thought it was the wrong song to perform.
Hip Hop Nerd Moment
Just because an artist was a ‘first’ or put out one or two questionably/arguably ‘classic’ album, I don’t necessarily think that makes them pioneers. I’m not questioning their talent or signficance but I question throwing out these words like ‘pioneer.’
What did M.C. Lyte pioneer? There were several female M.C’s before her. I know she was the first to go gold, blah blah blah, but whatever.
. . . and hopefully they won’t overlook Uncle Luke. I know it sounds crazy but he changed the way the game was played. He was independent, he brough freedom of speech via the Supreme Court, etc. etc. Hey, at least they recognized Ice-T!
. . . naah-mean
^Vee….
She also pioneered THUG BITCHES and the concept of Down Low Sistas…way way before it got trendy…..
Now see…. here yall go and give VH-1 some props for Hip Hop Honors week and then they go off and flip us the bird….
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Legendary emcee Ice-T will be literally schooling aspiring hip-hoppers with the premiere of his new show on VH1 entitled “Ice-T’s RapSchool”
The program, which is set to air a special sneak peek on Tuesday, October 17 at 11pm EST, will officially begin airing on Friday, October 20 at 9pm EST. The sneak preview will follow “VH1’s 3rd Annual Hip Hop Honors” and will feature back to back episodes when it airs on the 20th.
The veteran rapper will be bringing his wisdom to New York City’s exclusive YorkPrep School on Manhattan’s Upper West Side in an effort to teach privileged youngsters the art form of hip-hop.
The West Coast pioneer’s students will get a crash course education in various methods of rhyming, deejaying and break dancing from both Ice himself as well as other special guest instructors that the rapper will include in the program.
The hip-hop lesson plans are also utilized to help the students combat personal obstacles including speech impediments and coping with a parent’s divorce. After intense and personal sessions with Ice-T, the students also will face a challenging final exam in the form of opening up for fellow pioneering rap group Public Enemy at a show at B.B. King’s in New York.
“Ice-T’s Rap School” airs on VH1 beginning October 17 at 11pm EST.
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what the ‘F’ is that about? ICE-T of all people? Those children will be traumatized and we’ll look foolish yet again……
”what the ‘F’ is that about? ICE-T of all people? Those children will be traumatized and we’ll look foolish yet again……”
We. I’m not going to look foolish.
That Hip-Hop week looks good, wish they would do events like that in London. For free of course.
Yo, York Prep is a bullshit private school, not “exclusive” at all…Dwight too (where LA reid’s kid goes) …for kids too stupid or not connected enough to get into the real NYC preps (Dalton, Trinity, Collegiate for boys, Spence, Brearley, Nightingale, Chapin for girls… Horace Mann- Diddy knows whassup, Fieldston St. Ann’s and Poly Prep in the outer boroughs)
I saw the commercial for that Ice T jig ish last night. Looks like he’ll be teaching a group of surburban kids how to be rappers..Man, this jig paper must be pretty good..I betta get to dancin’ too or I’m gonna miss out….
Damn shame!
“Neither Jay-Z or Nas are talented enough to resurrect an artform once it’s relevance has expired”
I agree…