Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance
Encyclopedia
The Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance was an honor presented to recording artists at the 31st Grammy Awards in 1989 and the 32nd Grammy Awards in 1990 and again from 2012 for quality rap
performances. The Grammy Award
s, an annual ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, are presented by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without regard to album sales or chart position".
The first award for Best Rap Performance was first presented to DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
(the vocal duo consisting of DJ Jazzy Jeff
and Will Smith
) for "Parents Just Don't Understand
". The ceremony was not without controversy; nominees Jeff and Smith led a boycott
in protest of the award presentation not being televised, and some members of the rap community felt that more qualified artists were overlooked. The following year, Young MC
received the honor for the song "Bust a Move". The category was split in 1991 to allow separate recognitions for Best Rap Solo Performance
and Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group
. DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince were the only performing artists to be nominated more than once, though Young MC is credited as a writer for Tone Lōc
's nominated song "Funky Cold Medina
".
The category will be revived for the 2012 ceremony, combining the categories Best Rap Solo Performance and Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. The restructuring of these categories was a result of the Recording Academy's wish to decrease the list of categories and awards and to eliminate the distinctions between solo and duo or group performances.
that the music genre has "matured into several kinds of music, with several kinds of artists doing it". Diane Theriot, a representative of the awards department for the Academy, recalled being "inundated with eligible rap entries during the first few years of having the category". In 1991, the category was split into the categories Best Rap Solo Performance
and Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group
. Recognizing that both categories were continuing to receive numerous entries, the Best Rap Album
recognition was established for the 38th Grammy Awards in 1996—the inaugural award was presented to Naughty by Nature
for Poverty's Paradise
. In 2003, the Best Rap Solo Performance category was divided into separate recognitions for Female
and Male Rap Solo Performances
. The categories remained separated by gender until 2005 when they were combined into the genderless category originally known as Best Rap Solo Performance. Additional rap categories include Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
and Best Rap Song
, established in 2002 and 2004, respectively.
For the 31st Grammy Awards (1989), Best Rap Performance nominees included DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
for "Parents Just Don't Understand
", J. J. Fad
for "Supersonic" (from the album of the same name
), Kool Moe Dee
for "Wild Wild West
", LL Cool J
for "Going Back to Cali
", and Salt-n-Pepa
(the duo consisting of Cheryl James
and Sandra Denton
) for "Push It
". The duo known as DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince consisted of DJ Jazzy Jeff
(birth name Jeffrey Townes) and actor Will Smith
, whose nickname also appeared in the American television sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
, in which he starred. "Parents Just Don't Understand" appeared on the duo's 1988 album He's the DJ, I'm the Rapper
. "Going Back to Cali" appeared on the soundtrack
to the film Less Than Zero
as well as LL Cool J's 1989 studio album Walking with a Panther
. Kool Moe Dee's "Wild Wild West" and Salt-n-Pepa's "Push It" appeared on the albums How Ya Like Me Now
and Hot, Cool & Vicious
, respectively.
Rap and heavy metal
categories were introduced the same year (along with Best Bluegrass Album
), but according to show's producers time constraints prevented both categories from being televised. Nominee Kool Moe Dee performed during the ceremony, but the rap award was presented during the "usually fast-paced pre-televised ceremony". DJ Jazzy Jeff and Will Smith led a boycott
of the ceremony and were joined by fellow nominees LL Cool J and Salt-n-Pepa. Salt-n-Pepa issued the following statement: "If they don't want us, we don't want them". Adding to the controversy surrounding the category, some members of the rap community believed artists such as Big Daddy Kane
, KRS-One
, and N.W.A (whose debut album Straight Outta Compton
"launched gangsta rap") were overlooked. Awards were presented to Jeff and Smith at the Shrine Auditorium
in Los Angeles. While Smith was absent from the ceremony, Jeff was present to accept his award. In 2004, Serena Kappes of People magazine
ranked Smith's ceremony boycott number eight on their list of "Top 10 Grammy Moments". Jeff and Smith were also recognized by the American Music Awards in 1989
with awards for Favorite Rap Artists and Favorite Rap Album, and "Parent's Just Don't Understand" also earned the duo the first
MTV Video Music Award for Best Rap Video
. Smith later earned Best Rap Solo Performance awards in 1998 for "Men in Black
" and 1999 for "Gettin' Jiggy wit It
", and was nominated again in 2000 for "Wild Wild West".
Nominees for the 32nd Grammy Awards included De La Soul
for "Me Myself and I
", DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince for "I Think I Can Beat Mike Tyson
", Public Enemy for "Fight the Power
", Tone Lōc
for "Funky Cold Medina
", and Young MC
for "Bust a Move". "Me Myself and I" appears on De La Soul's studio album 3 Feet High and Rising
and in 2008 was ranked number 46 on VH1
's list of the "100 Greatest Hip Hop Songs Ever!!!" "I Think I Can Beat Mike Tyson", written by the duo along with Pete Harris, appears on DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince's third album And in This Corner...
. "Fight the Power" appeared on the 1988 soundtrack
for the film Do the Right Thing
and later on Public Enemy's third studio album Fear of a Black Planet
(1990). The song ranked number one on VH1's aforementioned list, number 40 on "AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs" list, and number 322 on Rolling Stone
s 2004 list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time
". "Funky Cold Medina", written by Young MC, Michael L. Ross and Matt Dike, first appeared on Tone Lōc's debut album Lōc-ed After Dark
. "Bust a Move" appeared on Young MC's debut album Stone Cold Rhymin'
. Allmusic editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine
described the song as "unabashed catchy" due to its "skittish, rhythmic guitar riff, looped beats", backing vocals, and "funny" rhymes. The award was presented to Young MC. In 2010, Joshua Ostroff of Spinner
included Young MC's win on his list of "The Grammy Awards' Biggest Mistakes", asserting that "Bust a Move" was merely a "fun little hip-pop song" while "Fight the Power" was a "revelatory single that still stands tall as one of music's greatest (and funkiest) political statements and perhaps hip-hop's finest moment".
Rapping
Rapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...
performances. The Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
s, an annual ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, are presented by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Inc., known variously as The Recording Academy or NARAS, is a U.S. organization of musicians, producers, recording engineers and other recording professionals dedicated to improving the quality of life and cultural condition for music and its...
of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without regard to album sales or chart position".
The first award for Best Rap Performance was first presented to DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince
DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince is a hip hop duo from West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Vocalist Will Smith met Jeff Townes while trying to make a name for himself in West Philadelphia's local hip hop scene. After joining forces with Clarence Holmes the team members became local celebrities...
(the vocal duo consisting of DJ Jazzy Jeff
DJ Jazzy Jeff
Jeffrey Allen Townes , also known as DJ Jazzy Jeff or simply Jazz, is an American hip hop, R&B record producer, turntablist and actor. He is best known for his early career with Will Smith as DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince...
and Will Smith
Will Smith
Willard Christopher "Will" Smith, Jr. , also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor, producer, and rapper. He has enjoyed success in television, film and music. In April 2007, Newsweek called him the most powerful actor in Hollywood...
) for "Parents Just Don't Understand
Parents Just Don't Understand
"Parents Just Don't Understand" is the second single from DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince's second studio album, He's the DJ, I'm the Rapper. The song won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance in 1989, one of only two songs to ever do so before the award was discontinued in 1991. It peaked at...
". The ceremony was not without controversy; nominees Jeff and Smith led a boycott
Boycott
A boycott is an act of voluntarily abstaining from using, buying, or dealing with a person, organization, or country as an expression of protest, usually for political reasons...
in protest of the award presentation not being televised, and some members of the rap community felt that more qualified artists were overlooked. The following year, Young MC
Young MC
Marvin Young , better known by his stage name Young MC, is an English-born American singer and actor. He is best known for his 1989 hit "Bust a Move"...
received the honor for the song "Bust a Move". The category was split in 1991 to allow separate recognitions for Best Rap Solo Performance
Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance was awarded from 1991 to 2011, alongside the Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. Previously a single award was presented for Best Rap Performance....
and Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group
Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group
The Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group was awarded between 1991 and 2011, alongside the Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance. Previously a single award was presented for Best Rap Performance....
. DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince were the only performing artists to be nominated more than once, though Young MC is credited as a writer for Tone Lōc
Tone Lōc
Anthony Terrell Smith , better known by his stage name Tone Lōc, is an American rapper and actor.-Early life and career:...
's nominated song "Funky Cold Medina
Funky Cold Medina
"Funky Cold Medina" is a hip hop song written by Young MC, Michael L. Ross and Matt Dike, and first performed by Tone Lōc. It was the second single from Lōc's debut album Lōc-ed After Dark . The single was released on March 18, 1989, and rose to #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 the following month...
".
The category will be revived for the 2012 ceremony, combining the categories Best Rap Solo Performance and Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. The restructuring of these categories was a result of the Recording Academy's wish to decrease the list of categories and awards and to eliminate the distinctions between solo and duo or group performances.
Background
The Best Rap Performance category was first presented at the 31st Grammy Awards in 1989. NARAS President Mike Green said in BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
that the music genre has "matured into several kinds of music, with several kinds of artists doing it". Diane Theriot, a representative of the awards department for the Academy, recalled being "inundated with eligible rap entries during the first few years of having the category". In 1991, the category was split into the categories Best Rap Solo Performance
Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance was awarded from 1991 to 2011, alongside the Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. Previously a single award was presented for Best Rap Performance....
and Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group
Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group
The Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group was awarded between 1991 and 2011, alongside the Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance. Previously a single award was presented for Best Rap Performance....
. Recognizing that both categories were continuing to receive numerous entries, the Best Rap Album
Grammy Award for Best Rap Album
The Grammy Award for Best Rap Album is an award presented to recording artists for quality albums with rapping at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards...
recognition was established for the 38th Grammy Awards in 1996—the inaugural award was presented to Naughty by Nature
Naughty by Nature
Naughty by Nature are a Grammy Award-winning American hip hop trio from East Orange, New Jersey that at the time of its formation in 1989 consisted of Treach, Vin Rock, and the DJ Kay Gee...
for Poverty's Paradise
Poverty's Paradise
Poverty's Paradise is the fourth album from Naughty by Nature, released on May 2, 1995 as their final album under Tommy Boy Records. It peaked at #3 on the Billboard 200 and #1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums...
. In 2003, the Best Rap Solo Performance category was divided into separate recognitions for Female
Grammy Award for Best Female Rap Solo Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Female Rap Solo Performance was an honor presented to female recording artists at the 45th Grammy Awards in 2003 and the 46th Grammy Awards in 2004 for quality rap solo performances...
and Male Rap Solo Performances
Grammy Award for Best Male Rap Solo Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Male Rap Solo Performance was an honor presented to male recording artists at the 45th Grammy Awards in 2003 and the 46th Grammy Awards in 2004 for quality rap solo performances...
. The categories remained separated by gender until 2005 when they were combined into the genderless category originally known as Best Rap Solo Performance. Additional rap categories include Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
The Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality songs on which rappers and singers collaborate...
and Best Rap Song
Grammy Award for Best Rap Song
The Grammy Award for Best Rap Song was first awarded in 2004. It is a songwriting award given to all who wrote the lyrics and music of the song. Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were presented, for works released in the previous year...
, established in 2002 and 2004, respectively.
Recipients
DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince
DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince is a hip hop duo from West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Vocalist Will Smith met Jeff Townes while trying to make a name for himself in West Philadelphia's local hip hop scene. After joining forces with Clarence Holmes the team members became local celebrities...
for "Parents Just Don't Understand
Parents Just Don't Understand
"Parents Just Don't Understand" is the second single from DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince's second studio album, He's the DJ, I'm the Rapper. The song won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance in 1989, one of only two songs to ever do so before the award was discontinued in 1991. It peaked at...
", J. J. Fad
J. J. Fad
J. J. Fad is an American rap group from Rialto, California, whose name initially stood for Just, Jammin', Fresh And Def, and were backed by Clarence "DJ Train" Lars.-Supersonic:...
for "Supersonic" (from the album of the same name
Supersonic (album)
Supersonic is a 1987 hip-hop album by J. J. Fad, released on Ruthless Records. The album was produced by Dr. Dre, DJ Yella and Arabian Prince. Executively produced by Eric Eazy-E Wright. The album was distributed by Atco Records, a division of Atlantic Records.The song was written by Dania Maria...
), Kool Moe Dee
Kool Moe Dee
Mohandas Dewese , better known as Kool Moe Dee, is an American Hip Hop MC prominent in the late 1970s through the early 1990s. He was born in Manhattan, New York...
for "Wild Wild West
Wild Wild West (Kool Moe Dee song)
"Wild Wild West" is the title a hip hop song written in 1988 by Kool Moe Dee as a single.Kool Moe Dee's 1988 release deals with the differences in gangs dealing with violence. Released on the Jive label, it was a R&B hit, reaching number four on Billboard's R&B chart. However, it only reached...
", LL Cool J
LL Cool J
James Todd Smith , better known as LL Cool J , is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and actor...
for "Going Back to Cali
Going Back to Cali
"Going Back to Cali" is single by LL Cool J from the Less Than Zero soundtrack and his third album Walking with a Panther. Produced by Rick Rubin and LL Cool J, the song was a success, peaking at #31 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #12 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, and was eventually certified gold by...
", and Salt-n-Pepa
Salt-N-Pepa
Salt-N-Pepa is an American hip hop trio from Queens and Brooklyn, New York, that was formed in 1985. The group, consisting of Cheryl "Salt" Renee James, Sandra "Pepa" Denton, and Deidra "DJ Spinderella" Roper, was one of the first all-female rap crews....
(the duo consisting of Cheryl James
Cheryl James
Cheryl R. James , better known as Salt, is an American rapper and actress. She is a member of the rap trio Salt-N-Pepa, which also includes Pepa and Spinderella...
and Sandra Denton
Sandra Denton
Sandra Denton, known as Pepa, is a Jamaican American rap/hip hop artist, actress, and a member of the female rap trio Salt-N-Pepa.-Biography:...
) for "Push It
Push It (Salt-N-Pepa song)
"Push It" is a song by the group Salt-N-Pepa, released as a single in 1986. It peaked at number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1987 and has been certified Platinum by the RIAA...
". The duo known as DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince consisted of DJ Jazzy Jeff
DJ Jazzy Jeff
Jeffrey Allen Townes , also known as DJ Jazzy Jeff or simply Jazz, is an American hip hop, R&B record producer, turntablist and actor. He is best known for his early career with Will Smith as DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince...
(birth name Jeffrey Townes) and actor Will Smith
Will Smith
Willard Christopher "Will" Smith, Jr. , also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor, producer, and rapper. He has enjoyed success in television, film and music. In April 2007, Newsweek called him the most powerful actor in Hollywood...
, whose nickname also appeared in the American television sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from September 10, 1990 to May 20, 1996. The show stars Will Smith as a fictionalized version of himself, a street-smart teenager from West Philadelphia who is sent to move in with his aunt and uncle in their...
, in which he starred. "Parents Just Don't Understand" appeared on the duo's 1988 album He's the DJ, I'm the Rapper
He's the DJ, I'm the Rapper
He's the DJ, I'm the Rapper is the second studio album by hip hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince.-Background:The original release of the album on Vinyl LP and Cassette lasts for more than 85 minutes...
. "Going Back to Cali" appeared on the soundtrack
Less Than Zero (soundtrack)
Less Than Zero is the soundtrack to the 1987 film Less Than Zero. It was released on November 6, 1987, through Def Jam Recordings and consisted of a variety of music genres, including hard rock, pop rock, hip hop, heavy metal and contemporary R&B, with most of the album being produced by Rick Rubin...
to the film Less Than Zero
Less Than Zero (film)
Less Than Zero is a 1987 American drama film loosely based on Bret Easton Ellis' novel of the same name. The film stars Andrew McCarthy as Clay, a college freshman returning home for Christmas to spend time with his ex-girlfriend Blair and his friend Julian , who is also a drug addict...
as well as LL Cool J's 1989 studio album Walking with a Panther
Walking with a Panther
Walking with a Panther is the third studio album by high-selling hip-hop artist LL Cool J. Released in 1989, the album was a commercial success, with several charting singles...
. Kool Moe Dee's "Wild Wild West" and Salt-n-Pepa's "Push It" appeared on the albums How Ya Like Me Now
How Ya Like Me Now
How Ya Like Me Now is the second album by emcee Kool Moe Dee.Kool Moe Dee was an original member of The Treacherous Three. He had a long running feud with LL Cool J releasing various "diss tracks" at his adversary...
and Hot, Cool & Vicious
Hot, Cool & Vicious
Hot, Cool, & Vicious is the debut album by rap act Salt-N-Pepa released by Next Plateau Records on December 8, 1986. It was one of the first albums to be released by an all-female rap group, and also became the first album by a female rap act to attain gold and platinum status in America.The album...
, respectively.
Rap and heavy metal
Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance Vocal or Instrumental
The Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance Vocal or Instrumental was an award presented at the 31st Grammy Awards in 1989 to honor quality hard rock/metal works...
categories were introduced the same year (along with Best Bluegrass Album
Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album
The Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality works in the bluegrass music genre...
), but according to show's producers time constraints prevented both categories from being televised. Nominee Kool Moe Dee performed during the ceremony, but the rap award was presented during the "usually fast-paced pre-televised ceremony". DJ Jazzy Jeff and Will Smith led a boycott
Boycott
A boycott is an act of voluntarily abstaining from using, buying, or dealing with a person, organization, or country as an expression of protest, usually for political reasons...
of the ceremony and were joined by fellow nominees LL Cool J and Salt-n-Pepa. Salt-n-Pepa issued the following statement: "If they don't want us, we don't want them". Adding to the controversy surrounding the category, some members of the rap community believed artists such as Big Daddy Kane
Big Daddy Kane
Antonio Hardy better known by his stage name Big Daddy Kane, is an American rapper who started his career in 1986 as a member of the rap group the Juice Crew. He is widely considered to be one of the most influential and skilled MC's in Hip Hop...
, KRS-One
KRS-One
Lawrence Krisna Parker , better known by his stage names KRS-One , and Teacha, is an American rapper...
, and N.W.A (whose debut album Straight Outta Compton
Straight Outta Compton
The lyrics on the album were mainly written by Ice Cube and MC Ren. Critics of the album expressed their view that the record glamorized Black-on-Black crime, but the emcees stated that the group was simply showing the reality of living in the areas of Compton, California, and South Central Los...
"launched gangsta rap") were overlooked. Awards were presented to Jeff and Smith at the Shrine Auditorium
Shrine Auditorium
The Shrine Auditorium is a landmark large-event venue, in Los Angeles, California, USA. It is also the headquarters of the Al Malaikah Temple, a division of the Shriners.-History:...
in Los Angeles. While Smith was absent from the ceremony, Jeff was present to accept his award. In 2004, Serena Kappes of People magazine
People (magazine)
In 1998, the magazine introduced a version targeted at teens called Teen People. However, on July 27, 2006, the company announced it would shut down publication of Teen People immediately. The last issue to be released was scheduled for September 2006. Subscribers to this magazine received...
ranked Smith's ceremony boycott number eight on their list of "Top 10 Grammy Moments". Jeff and Smith were also recognized by the American Music Awards in 1989
American Music Awards of 1989
The 16th Annual American Music Awards were held on January 30, 1989.-Pop/Rock Category:***-Soul/R&B Category:-Country Category:-Rap/Hip-Hop Category:-Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Category:...
with awards for Favorite Rap Artists and Favorite Rap Album, and "Parent's Just Don't Understand" also earned the duo the first
1989 MTV Video Music Awards
The 1989 MTV Video Music Awards aired live on September 6, 1989, honoring the best music videos from April 2, 1988, to June 1, 1989. The show was hosted by Arsenio Hall at the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles....
MTV Video Music Award for Best Rap Video
MTV Video Music Award for Best Rap Video
The MTV Video Music Award for Best Rap Video was first given out in 1989, and it was one the four original genre categories added at the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards. This award was last given out in 2006, as MTV did not bring it back in 2008 like it did with other genre awards...
. Smith later earned Best Rap Solo Performance awards in 1998 for "Men in Black
Men in Black (song)
"Men in Black" is a song by Will Smith from the movie Men in Black, in which he also starred. The song plays during the movie's closing credits...
" and 1999 for "Gettin' Jiggy wit It
Gettin' Jiggy Wit It
"Gettin' Jiggy wit It" is a single by Will Smith from his album Big Willie Style. Released in early 1998 and co-written by Nas, it was Smith's first hit produced by Poke & Tone, who replaced his long-time partner Jazzy Jeff, though the record-scratching techniques of Jazzy Jeff can be heard in the...
", and was nominated again in 2000 for "Wild Wild West".
Nominees for the 32nd Grammy Awards included De La Soul
De La Soul
De La Soul is an American hip hop trio formed in 1987 on Long Island, New York. The band is best known for their eclectic sampling, quirky lyrics, and their contributions to the evolution of the jazz rap and alternative hip hop subgenres...
for "Me Myself and I
Me Myself and I (De La Soul song)
"Me Myself and I" is a single by De La Soul, released in 1989.It established the group's characteristic style of combining hip hop with humor and social commentary. The group's frustration concerning their forced-upon hippie label is addressed in the typically dry humor which became the De La Soul...
", DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince for "I Think I Can Beat Mike Tyson
I Think I Can Beat Mike Tyson
"I Think I Can Beat Mike Tyson" is the first single taken from DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince's third studio album, And in This Corner…. The song was released a single in the summer of 1989...
", Public Enemy for "Fight the Power
Fight the Power
"Fight the Power" is a single by American hip hop group Public Enemy. First released on the soundtrack for the film 1989 Do the Right Thing, a different version was released on the group's third studio album, Fear of a Black Planet . The single reached number one on Hot Rap Singles and number 20 on...
", Tone Lōc
Tone Lōc
Anthony Terrell Smith , better known by his stage name Tone Lōc, is an American rapper and actor.-Early life and career:...
for "Funky Cold Medina
Funky Cold Medina
"Funky Cold Medina" is a hip hop song written by Young MC, Michael L. Ross and Matt Dike, and first performed by Tone Lōc. It was the second single from Lōc's debut album Lōc-ed After Dark . The single was released on March 18, 1989, and rose to #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 the following month...
", and Young MC
Young MC
Marvin Young , better known by his stage name Young MC, is an English-born American singer and actor. He is best known for his 1989 hit "Bust a Move"...
for "Bust a Move". "Me Myself and I" appears on De La Soul's studio album 3 Feet High and Rising
3 Feet High and Rising
3 Feet High and Rising is the debut album from American hip hop trio De La Soul, released in 1989.The album marked the first of three full-length collaborations with producer Prince Paul, which would become the critical and commercial peak of both parties. It is consistently placed on 'greatest...
and in 2008 was ranked number 46 on VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
's list of the "100 Greatest Hip Hop Songs Ever!!!" "I Think I Can Beat Mike Tyson", written by the duo along with Pete Harris, appears on DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince's third album And in This Corner...
And in this Corner...
And in This Corner… is the third studio album released by MC/DJ duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. The album was released in April 1989, reaching #39 on the US Billboard 200 albums chart...
. "Fight the Power" appeared on the 1988 soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
for the film Do the Right Thing
Do the Right Thing
Do the Right Thing is a 1989 American dramedy produced, written, and directed by Spike Lee, who is also a featured actor in the film. Other members of the cast include Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Richard Edson, Giancarlo Esposito, Bill Nunn, and John Turturro. It is also notably the...
and later on Public Enemy's third studio album Fear of a Black Planet
Fear of a Black Planet
Fear of a Black Planet is the third studio album by American hip hop group Public Enemy, released April 10, 1990, on Def Jam Recordings and Columbia Records. Production for the album was handled by the group's production team The Bomb Squad, who expanded on the dense, sample-layered sound of the...
(1990). The song ranked number one on VH1's aforementioned list, number 40 on "AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs" list, and number 322 on Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
s 2004 list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time
The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time
"The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" was the cover story of a special issue of Rolling Stone, issue number 963, published December 9, 2004, a year after the magazine published its list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time"....
". "Funky Cold Medina", written by Young MC, Michael L. Ross and Matt Dike, first appeared on Tone Lōc's debut album Lōc-ed After Dark
Loc-ed After Dark
Lōc-ed After Dark is the debut album by rapper, Tone Lōc. The album was released in 1989 for Delicious Vinyl Records and was a huge success, making it to #1 on the Billboard 200 and #3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop album charts...
. "Bust a Move" appeared on Young MC's debut album Stone Cold Rhymin'
Stone Cold Rhymin'
Stone Cold Rhymin' is the debut album by rapper Young MC. It was originally released in 1989 on Delicious Vinyl and was later re-issued by Rhino Records. The third track, "Bust a Move", was Young MC's biggest hit and was the song he is mostly remembered for today, reaching No. 7 on the Billboard...
. Allmusic editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine is a senior editor for Allmusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for Allmusic, as well as a freelance writer, occasionally contributing liner notes. He is also frontman and guitarist for the Ann Arbor-based band Who Dat?Erlewine is the nephew...
described the song as "unabashed catchy" due to its "skittish, rhythmic guitar riff, looped beats", backing vocals, and "funny" rhymes. The award was presented to Young MC. In 2010, Joshua Ostroff of Spinner
Spinner (website)
Spinner is an AOL Music property, which bills itself as "the ultimate music blog for free MP3s, free CD listening, [and] discovering new artists."...
included Young MC's win on his list of "The Grammy Awards' Biggest Mistakes", asserting that "Bust a Move" was merely a "fun little hip-pop song" while "Fight the Power" was a "revelatory single that still stands tall as one of music's greatest (and funkiest) political statements and perhaps hip-hop's finest moment".
See also
- History of hip hop music
- Will Smith discographyWill Smith discographyThis is a comprehensive listing of releases by Will Smith, an American actor and rapper. Will Smith has sold over 20 million albums as a solo artist.-Studio albums:-Compilation albums:-Singles:-Guest appearances:-Music videos:...