The 2023 Grammys was a hit. For the third consecutive year, Trevor Noah hosted the awards show, which notably contained a generation-spanning tribute to 50 years of hip-hop, arranged by hip-hop artist Questlove.
In addition, Beyonce set the record for the most Grammy wins of all time, having earned 29, and Harry Styles has sparked controversy by stating, “This doesn’t happen to people like me very often,” as he accepted the Album of the Year award.
The Recording Academy’s choice to create the Best Rap category in 1989 recognized the genre a decade after its creation. Although this was a big accomplishment, it was met with boycotts as the Recording Academy claimed they did not have enough airtime to televise the award. This left many of the nominees with a bad taste in their mouths, especially since hip-hop is an important part of Black culture.
It’s amazing to see the genre now celebrated, with hip-hop artists such as Jay-Z, Salt-N-Pepa and LL Cool J who boycotted the Grammys in the past performing in this year’s tribute.
The tribute was very well done and included classic icons alongside the new generation of stars as they performed hip-hop classics. It was met with cheers and applause from the audience, leaving hip-hop fans in awe. The 2023 Grammys set records and made history by celebrating this incredible genre and its frequently marginalized artists.
