KRS-One and Kurtis Blow have added another accolade to their legendary careers, receiving the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award at the National Hip Hop Museum Induction Ceremony last week.
According to AllHipHop, President Biden honored the rap legends with the awards at the National Hip-Hop Museum in Washington, DC during a special ceremony on Thursday (April 4).
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The ceremony was hosted at the RIAA’s Headquarters, attended by about 300 guests. During the event, the two Rap legends were celebrated during a speech from Reverend Dr. George Holmes.
“There are two ways for a leader to go through life: as a thermometer or as a thermostat,” Holmes said. “The thermometer merely measures the climate, but the thermostat sets the tone and creates it. That’s who you are, KRS-One and Kurtis Blow.”
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While President Biden was not in attendance, a letter from the White House addressed to the two pioneers was read as part of the presentation.
“As it is with Kurtis Blow, as it is with you, America’s story depends not on any one of us, not on some of us, but on all of us,” read the note. “On behalf of the American people, President Biden extends his heartfelt appreciation to you for your volunteer leadership, and he encourages you to continue to answer the call to serve. The country is still counting on you.”
The rappers were both honored in part due to their work in local communities.
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Blow and fellow rap icon Chuck D serve as the Executive Director and President of the Hip Hop Alliance, respectively. KRS-One serves as the organization’s Chairman.
The Hip Hop legends teamed up with SAG-AFTRA back in 2022 to educate artists, lawmakers and the media about the challenges record labels and studios often create for artists.
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“Chuck D and I have been working on this Hip Hop Alliance ever since 2007,” Curtis told HipHopDX. “Finally, we got it done. Thank you to everyone involved. Hip Hop culture is the hottest scene in society today. Everyone around the globe is tuning in to listen to what Hip Hop has to say.”
Blow added: “We truly live in a Hip Hop generation. Rap music is the No. 1 streamed music on the planet. The agreement between SAG-AFTRA and the Hip Hop Alliance will bring many benefit options to the culture in the near future. Caring for people will save lives like SAG-AFTRA did for me.”
KRS-One has also been very outspoken in his support of the genre. He was noticeably absent from the Grammy Academy’s most Hip Hip 50 show – and that was very intentional.
In an interview published in December, the legendary MC explained he turned down a personal invite from LL COOL J himself as he felt the Grammys hadn’t shown love to the culture until Hip Hop 50 celebrations began.
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“I was asked about two months ago; they asked me to do it and I turned them down,” he said. “With all due respect, LL COOL J himself called me, spoke to my wife and pretty much begged for me to be on the show but we turned him down.
“And reason being is because I know people don’t understand this — and I say this respectfully. KRS-One is a Hip Hop extremist. I’m not violent, a violent extremist. I’m insane with this culture. I know I must have lost my mind in this.”
