President Joe Biden recently recognized two hip-hop legends.
New York City hip-hop luminaries KRS-One and Kurtis Blow were acknowledged by the president at the National Hip-Hop Museum in Washington, D.C., on April 4. The lifetime achievement awards were part of a ceremony honoring legends who contributed to the genre before it exploded worldwide: DJ Hurricane, Roxanne Shante, The Fat Boys (Kool Rock Ski), MC Sha Rock, Sweet G, The B-Boys (Donald D), and Queen Lisa Lee.
Biden recognized the rappers who were born Lawrence Parker (KRS-One) and Kurtis Walker (Kurtis Blow) in a letter to the two historic recording artists.
“As it is with Kurtis Blow, as it is with you, America’s story depends not on any one of us, not on some of us, but on all of us. On
behalf of the American people, President Biden extends his heartfelt appreciation to you for your volunteer leadership, and he encourages you to continue to answer the call to serve. The country is still counting on you.”With all the hoopla over the 50th anniversary of hip-hop last year, KRS-One, who was invited to perform at the Grammys, turned down the opportunity to do so, even at the request of fellow hip-hop legend LL COOL J. He reasoned that the organization hadn’t respected the genre for the first 49 years, and he did not want to participate now since he was never invited previously.
He explained why in a YouTube interview.
“So when I got the call, I immediately said, ‘Nah, nah.’ First of all, it’s the Grammys. You get no respect here. None. None, you have no respect here. 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. Your existence. But you ignored hip-hop for 49 years…You wait til the 50th year to want to call hip-hop’s authentic teacha? Nah, you don’t get that privilege. I refuse to show up.”