Hip Hop, You Don’t Stop! 3-6 Mafia made history becoming the 1st Hip Hop group to perform at the Academy Awards and then joining Eminem as the second Hip Hop act to take home the coveted Oscar. Host Jon Stewart joked “You know what… I think it just got a little easier out here for a pimp,” and later added, “For anyone keeping record, Martin Scorsese, zero Oscars. For Three 6 Mafia, one.”
Who woulda thunk that the guys who brought us “Ridin’ Spinners” and rapped “It’s Hard Out Here For A Pimp,” would join the illustrious likes of Sidney Portier, Denzel Washington, Al Pacino, Meryl Streep, Jack Nicholson, Marlon Brando, Sir Laurence Olivier, Elizabeth Taylor, Tom Hanks, Dustin Hoffman, Robert De Niro, and Jodie Foster. It reminds me of that old Willie D song, “Who gives a f*ck about a G-damn Grammy?” Well I thank the guys for pushing Hip Hop culture further. I just have one question, will they be flossin there Gold Men in videos now instead of their Pimp Cups?
Adding to the Hip Hop theme of the night the movie, Crash with an all-star ensemble cast which includes Ludacris, Larenz Tate, Don Cheadle, Brendan Frasier, Sandra Bullock, Terance Howard and many more took home the Oscar for Best Picture. I saw this movie and was moved by it. It is a very realistic look at the intricacies of race, class, and status and how we all interact and deal with it daily in America. This is must-see watching if you haven’t seen it.
Since Eminem and 3-6 Mafia are the only Hip Hop acts to ever win an Oscar, it made me think of the great Hip Hop songs from movies that should be honored. So with no further ado here’s my list:
- Beat Street Breakdown, Melle Melle – Beat Street (I saw Beat Street at the drive-in originally. You can’t buy that!)
- Colors, Ice T – Colors (The world’s introduction to LA’s gang-bang culture.)
- Fight The Power, Public Enemy – Do The Right Thing (Who was ready to riot after Radio Rahiem was murdered by the police? I still ask businesses in the Black community, Why it ain’t no brothas on the wall?”)
- 911 Is a Joke, Flava Flav – House Party (This song is stuck in my head with John Witherspoon hollering out the window “Public Enema!”)
- Same Song, Digital Underground / Tupac – Valkenvania (Tupac’s lyrical debut to the nation as he let us “He klowns around when he hangs around with the Underground.” This was tucked away on this Chevy Chase B-movie. Did anyone see it besides me?)
- How To Survive In South Central, Ice Cube – Boyz In The Hood (Ice Cube’s acting debut and the beginning of his descent down the slopes of menaingful rhyming.)
- Deep Cover, Dr. Dre and Snoop – Deep Cover (The introduction of Snoop Dogg’s and Laurence Fishburne playing one of his hardest roles ever.)
- Juice Know The Ledge, Eric B. and Rakim – Juice (Tupac’s big-screen, acting debut. A very prophetic portrayal.)
- Men In Black, Will Smith – Men In Black (Don’t hate, Will’s a hero of mine and I got his back!. He’s a very positive brotha, and he rose from quirky teen rapper to Top 5 Leading Man in Hollywood. The Hip Hop American Dream!)
- Kill Bill Score, The Rza – Kill Bill (The movie was dope and Rza killed it with some out the box, ode to the classics ish.)
Please add your comments, songs, and movies that should be added to the list.
