Tuesday, September 27, 2005

Long Live the Kane

I'm not even go to lie to you, I absolutely thought I would dread watching vh1's "Hip Hop Honors" last night. It wasn't because it was cutting into my masturbation time, it was because vh1 tends to drop the ball when it comes to Hip Hop.(Actually, everyone seems to drop the ball) You think I'm being too harsh, OK, what do you think about Puff Daddy being listed ahead of greats like Rakim, Nas, KRS one and De la soul on the "Top 50 Hip Hop acts of all time" list? Yep, that's what I thought, fucking blasphemous!

So the opening credits come on and I see that they will be honoring LL Cool J, Grandmaster flash and The Furious Five, Ice T, Salt and Pepa, The Notorious B.I.G, and Big Daddy Kane. I watched and overall it was "alright", I mean whoever produced the show and handles what camera angles should be used should be shot, but it was OK. Nelly performed a few LL Cool J songs, reminding me of why I exactly hate that motherfucker.(At least, I'm pretty sure, that was the first time I actually heard him rap though and not sing.) Cierra joined hm on stage for LL's "Doing it" and I kept wondering if the rumors about her having "man meat" were true, so I kept focusing on her crotch. Then LL performed, and regardless of what people think about the guy he is still a motherfucking legend. Even though, sorry L, I could have done without you pouring water on your body like you were in "Flashdance" and shit. But then again, I know that wasn't for me.

The segment for Grandmaster Flash and the Furious 5 was remarkably, this is hard to say, informative considering it was vh1. They dropped some knowledge, schooling the masses that it was indeed "Cowboy" who started the whole call and response tactic that MC's used up until today.("Throw your hands in the air") The segment with Grandmaster Flash performing alongside Kid Capri and Jazzy Jeff was cool, but it just cemented in my mind that Jazzy Jeff is the best DJ ever.

The Ice T performance was cool, especially since he performed, alongside Snoop, two of my favorite songs that were, "Colors" and "6 in the morning". I respect Ice T, and the main fact that he was once a pimp and has Successfully crossed over is a feat in itselfand totally blows my mind.

As I saw Salt and Pepa perform I suddenly got a massive "chubby", because in High School I had the biggest crush on Spinderella. Shit, I still have a big crush on her, do you think I can win her over by saying, "Hey baby, you know I won a blog award right?" OK, maybe not, but they performed alongside En Vogue and I guess they did their thing. The one thing that perplexes me about Salt and Pepa, and I respect them, is how "legendary" are they since Herbie wrote a shitload of their earlier work? I'm just wondering.

There was a tribute to Notorious B.I.G which was alright, but you know that Puffy obviously had to show his fucking face. Watching the performance I thought: 1:I don't ever want to see lil' Cease's non rapping ass on a stage ever again. 2. Ludacris is cool with me and 3. I liked Faith Evans when she had a bit more weight on her, or is that just me?

But, the performance of the night came from a guy who is one of the best rappers to ever do it, Big Daddy Kane. My cousin's changed my life in the summer of 88' when they brought me down 3 tapes that would change my life forever. EPMD's "Strictly Business", Public Enemy's "It Takes a Nation of Millions..", and Big Daddy Kane's "Long Live the Kane". That was my "Holy Trinity" of Hip Hop albums that would guide me through a lifelong love affair with said art form. Sure I liked Hip Hop before 88, but those albums made me forever breath, eat, and shit Hip Hop.

As I watched the artists who performed in tribute to him, I was happily surprised. As T.I did a verse from Kane's "Smooth Operator" I suddenly didn't despise his very existence any more, when Black Thought did a verse from "Set it off" I remembered why I liked "The Roots" in the first place. Common didn't do his rendition of Kane's "Raw" justice, but made up for it when he got on the floor and started B-Boying.

Then, the man himself, who has to be all of 37 and still ripping the mic with his classic "Warm it Up". I stood out of my chair and shouted when he did the same dance moves that he did in 1989, shuffling his feet back and forth while his arms were around his dancers, falling backwards only to be caught and propped up, to step on Scoob luva's leg and do the splits. That was some classic shit man. Listen, I love Biggie and all, but I must revise a lil' kim line that is in her new single "Lighters up". Revision: "Brooklyn Home to the greatest rappers/ Kane comes first THEN Big comes after!" Get it right you fucking jailbird!

After watching a living legend, I must ask you:

Who's flat top rules in 2005??!!


Check out the performances here

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

LL still looks good and Nelly did a pretty damn good impersonation of him.

EnVogue isn't aging well, but Salt 'N Pepa, on the otherhand, still got it!!

Why does Melly Mel always look like he's just got out of prison? Still swole after all these years.

Big Daddy Kane's tribute was the best of the night! I got hyped when Big Scoob, one of his former backup dancers, joined him on stage for a rendition of Warm It Up Kane.

Say Yeah said...

"Come, get some, you little bum
I take the cake but you can't get a crumb"

I didn't see it last night. But I'm sure it will be on over and over again. And you're right about VH1 they had at one point said they would never put hip hop on the channel. I guess all of that has changed since Viacom owns all of the video music outlets. Big brother's on the way.

Melle Mel used to be skinny as a crack head back in the days. He either did go to prison or fell off so much that he just turne to lifting.

Dee said...

Puff Daddy is a corporation and I love him for it.
But he is not no hip hop act.

GT said...

BDK is awesome! I'm also partial to Kool Moe Dee. Who had a better song about "work?" hmmm...

I agree, Jazzy Jeff is the best DJ. They should really do a competition of all-time hip hop DJ's. Now that would be cool.

Luke Cage said...

HC, it was great to see BDK rep it again. Somehow when they refer to the old school, he gets left out like Biz Markie. I don't think it's purposely, but still. Brotha man was rocking it alongside Scoob & Scrap wasn't he?

When Common got down and repped it via windmill, I was through. I thought in, at least in motion (not rapping), Nelly looked pretty good imitating LL. -LOL @ Nelly "actually" rapping over not singing. So true. LL is a God man.. I truly believe this..Talk about longevity. Rocking over 3 decades, tell me who's done that before? No one.

DJ Jazzy Jeff, the creator of the transformer mix is SICK!!! I do agree with you. Faith Evans is better with weight man. No doubt about that. As for that last question. NO flat tops rule in 2005 brah. NO ONE.! But, all and all, the show was cool.

Unknown said...

man, my boy Tek 1 performed too, he was b-boying.. i missed it. i fell asleep

CuteColumbiaChic said...

You're right. Faith needs to get a little weight on her.

Faith, eat a chicken.

Lil Cease should have just stayed home.

Dr. Deb said...

Vh1 made The Hammerstein Ballroom look awesome. I watched some of it. Loved Kanye's performance. Salt n Pepa were amazing and wow they were gorgeous...still gorgeous! I'm drawn to the lyrical poetry in Hip Hop. It's an art.

~Deb

Sparkling said...

I am addicted to reading your blog, but if I where to ever meet you in real life we would probably have very little in common.

However, (probably due to reading your blog) I watched A program about Hip Hop's attitude to women tonight.
http://www.radiotimes.com/ListingsServlet?event=10&channelId=132&programmeId=33713295&jspLocation=/jsp/prog_details.jsp

Now I know who Salt and Pepa & Ice T is, if nothing else.

ManNMotion said...

Warm it up Kane. I remember seeing him live in...was it 89?? Thanks for posting the link to the videos, I'm watchin em all.

Jdid said...

true about the kane. he was just ahead of his time with adding the rnb flava and hence big gets the props but everyone forgets the Kane.

what you on hobs dope or dogfood?

Anonymous said...

Kane is, was, and always will be the original Big Daddy. Anyone else puttin' Big in front of their name is just frontin'. Period.

I still don't like Nelly, but he did a good performance. If I hadn't seen him introduced, I wouldn't have known it was him (with his non-rappin' behind...).

S&P are still my girls, and En Vogue, although they didn't sound their best, still look good.

I had to leave the room for the Puffy tribute. You mean that was for BIG? Um, guess I missed that, with Puffy all over the damn stage showboatin'. And yeah, Faith did look better just a lil bit bigger. lol @ cutecolumbiachick - eat a chicken - you crazy!

Anonymous said...

Dear, Mr. "I'm too busy to write my fans, and get to whip continuous ass while your fans live vicariously through your life and have to piss in a jar for several aggravated assult charges weekly, and avoid conflict because of probation and parole". Kane? Are you insane? While I live a semi-anonymous bloglife, I have partnered and brang hip hop history to the stage, Slick Rick, Brand Nubian, Doug E., Kool G., KRS, etc. and New School, Capone, Buckshot, Lil Brother. The original Chief Rocker Busy Bee on my cell now, and I'm also on the team of the SAVIOR OF Hip Hop-- Flashy www.flashyfreddie.com yeah double R in the building-- how could you come out your mouth with Kane? You? The epitome of my mocksey? This is like the day that Superman could no longer fly (or walk) or when Mike got rocked and Roy got put to sleep. I lost a hero. BDK, brawds dream. Signed: "I am (as long as you keep beating the bullshit out of ofays) your (and not bigging up people in cameos)number one fan--Tif. I am also a shameless self promoter -- albeit a very good one-- Derek Jeter was at my last party beeatches! (I woulda been prouder if my younger brother HumanityCritic was there but it's ok)
www.tif.everythingsoul.com
www.elementsparty.com
www.poetology.com

Anonymous said...

I liked what the main person said about Kane as well as everyone else. I'm just glad a new generation was able to witness him, if they never saw him before. He's the epitome of a true legendary MC, and the best to ever do it, in my opinion. I'm not going to say much more but to let everyone know to join these 2 Kane groups below that I've helped contribute to, if you're a fan, and from all the internet searching, I found alot of people finally giving the man his due, and wanting to be down all of a sudden, but like a true old schooler/golden ager myself, I welcome it, and am glad to see this finally coming about, peace. -Manny (LonglivetheKane@yahoo.com)

http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/longlivethebigdaddykane/

http://www.bigdaddykane.org

Shaz said...

lol..this is the 3rd entry where U mention getting a "chubby"! I thought that stopped happening as often after your teens!?