I still can’t believe I saw it. Three 6 Mafia won an Oscar. For over a decade, the six man (and woman) collective (now trimmed down to a trio) has developed one of the most intense followings not only in the south, but in all of hip-hop. Yet, mass commercial appeal and award recognition have never come to the Memphis group.

That all changed last night at the 78th Academy Awards. The group was nominated for Best Original Song in a Motion Picture for It’s Hard Out Here For A Pimp from Hustle & Flow.

It was shocking enough that they were nominated and winning seemed out of the question considering the always stuffy Academy. But fittingly, it was Queen Latifah who proudly introduced them and they ran and jumped on stage showing more excitement than anyone else that night.

“I just couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t stand still. I had to run somewhere. I started to run somewhere. People thought the police was probably chasing me somewhere,”Jordan “Juicy J” Houston said backstage.

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Host Jon Stewart, clearly amused by their acceptance, noted “You know what? I think it just got a little easier out here for a pimp. How come they are the most excited people here? They are thrilled. That’s how you accept an Oscar.”