KRS-One was noticeably absent from the Grammy Academy’s most recent Hip Hip 50 show – and that was very intentional.
In a new interview published on Tuesday (December 12), the legendary MC explained he turned down a personal invite from LL COOL J himself as he feels 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.”
He continued: “I don’t fight it, I don’t apologize for it. I recognize that my experience in this thing called Hip Hop is different from mostly everybody else’s experience with Hip Hop. […] I restrict myself in a certain way, because I know who I am in this culture. You’re in the temple of Hip Hop, this is our home. This place, this institution can never side with, come under, understand the exploitation of our culture. Never will you ever see me standing in the environment where our culture is being exploited.
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“So when I got the call, I immediately said nah. First of all, it’s the Grammys? You get no respect here. None. Now we respect your existence, we know you exist. And we know that you’re the Grammys and we understand that and we respect that. But you ignored Hip Hop for 49 years. At the 50th year, you wanna call us? You couldn’t even call on 47 and gear it up to 50. You wait to the 50th year to call Hip Hop’s authentic teacha? Nah, you don’t get that privilege.”
You can check out the interview below:
Pete Rock reposted KRS’ comments, adding: “Some of yall aint gon like this. What burns me is to hear people say how good this show was lol. Not when you missed 60% of major artist and producers and DJ’s,thats not a complete hip hop 50 show. You know what? smh go siddown or sum. i know Real Historians did not appreciate what they saw if they even saw it.”
Nikki D also reshaped the clip, writing: “Stop playing with #HIPHOP it’s a culture not a rapper! @teacha_krsone I LOVE YOU!! You always respectfully put things in perspective! #Thisishiphop #Krsone #grammys #scammys2023”
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On Sunday (December 10), ‘A Grammy Salute to 50 Years of Hip Hop’ featured, among others, Queen Latifah, Common, Public Enemy, Rakim, Doug E. Fresh, MC Lyte, Rick Ross, Jeezy, Jermaine Dupri, YG, Too Short, E-40, De La Soul, Akon, Black Thought, Nelly, Gunna and Chance The Rapper.
It was capped off by a reunion of DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, who performed a medley of group and Will Smith solo hits including “Brand New Funk,” “Miami,” “Summertime,” and the theme to The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
Along with KRS-One, MC Hammer apparently declined to appear as well, according to executive producer Questlove.
The same day the event was aired on television, the Roots drummer answered questions about the show on X/Twitter.
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Of all the people who said no to being a part of the TV special, Quest said that Hammer‘s response “hurt the most.” “We begged him to open,” Quest explained. “We really wanted him to have his flowers.”
