Without a shadow of a doubt, VH1's "Hip Hop Honors" show has become one of my favorite nights of the year as they have really done a great job over the past few years by consistently putting together one of the most respectable & entertaining award shows honoring the hip-hop culture. This is clearly evident judging by their almost perfect choices of honorees each year. Though some say some pioneers have been snubbed here and there, every honoree thus far has been more than deserving. Although the tribute performances have had some hits (see: Common/Black Thought/Roots/T.I.'s BDK tribute) and some misses (see: Fiascogate '07) the show has become THE must watch award show for any hip-hop head each year and it clearly eclipses anything MTV, BET, VIBE or any other award show attempting to rep hip-hop has done by far. Plain and simple...this show is a living, breathing testament to REAL Hip-Hop.
Tonight's show which airs on VH1 at 10pm est (& replays at 12am) will honor another deserving class of artists that have had a huge impact on our culture including Slick Rick, Too $hort, Naughty By Nature, De La Soul, & Cypress Hill. The show is hosted yet again by the perfect Tracy Morgan (who had your boy crying for about 10 straight minutes with his "you ever break a puerto rican's arm for sweatpants money?!?" line last year) and will feature performances from a slew of new school cats including Biz Markie, Scarface, Wyclef, Kid Rock, Ghostface, Bun B, Q-Tip, Big Boi, MC Lyte, Busta Rhymes, Cee-Lo, EPMD, Fat Joe, Juelz Santana, and of course some sure to be instant classic performances from all this year's honorees. Also keep an eye out for an all-star tribute to the late great Isaac Hayes, who has been sampled by more hip-hop songs than you could even count. Be prepared to be shocked to hear tonight's medley packed with songs you probably had no idea sampled Black Moses.
And as if the Hip Hop Honors show wasn't enough, the dude Mick Boogie has put together a cool little compilation titled "The Honor Roll" that features some of today's young up & coming emcees and producers recreating and reinterpreting some of the classic records from this year's crop of honorees. The whole mixtape will be leaking online tonight when the show starts over at NahRight and is definitely shaping up to be a must-hear with the likes of Kidz In The Hall, Talib Kweli, U-N-I, Freeway, Evidence, Big Pooh, Mickey Factz, Skyzoo, Joell Ortiz and too many more to name contributing and reworking some all-time classics.
*EDIT* "The Honor Roll" has leaked! check out the full tape by clicking the cover below to download...
MICK BOOGIE PRESENTS: THE HONOR ROLL
1. Introlude: MC Serch & Mick Boogie
2. Children’s Story: Kidz In The Hall (Double O)
3. Everything’s Gonna Be Alright: Freeway & Young Chris (Kickdrums)
4. How I Could Just Kill A Man: Netic of Game Rebellion (M Phazes)
5. Cypress Hill speak…
6. Hits From The Bong: Alchemist & Evidence (6th Sense)
7. The Bizness: Rapper Big Pooh, 6th Sense, & Butta Verses (6th Sense)
8. Life Is Too Short: Fashawn (Ab)
9. Breakadawn: Tanya Morgan f/ Ragen (6th Sense)
10. Naughty By Nature speak…
11. Uptown Anthem: Marky and Phil Nash (Ab)
12. The Show: Daytona (4 Korners)
13. Insane In The Brain: Izza Kizza (Kickdrums)
14. Too Short speaks…
15. Short But Funky: Mistah FAB (6th Sense)
16. Mona Lisa: Mickey Factz & Jade (Precize)
17. De La Soul speak…
18. Stakes Is High Part 1: U-N-I (6th Sense)
19. Buy You Some: A Pinks & Emilio Rojas (M Phazes)
20. Dirt All By My Lonely: Skyzoo & Mazzi (6th Sense)
21. Stoned Is The Way Of The Walk: Joell Ortiz, Scram Jones, & Loot (6th)
22. Interlude: MC Serch & Mick Boogie
23. Hand On The Pump: Torae (nVme)
24. OPP: Pacific Division (M Phazes)
25. Lick The Balls: Donny Goines & Chip Tha Ripper (nVme)
26. Ego Trippin’: Asheru & The Els (The Els)
27. Stakes Is High Part 2: Talib Kweli (eJones)
28. Freaky Tales: Ra The MC (Judah)
29. Hip Hop Hooray: AP (6th Sense)
30. Hey Young World : 6th Sense (6th Sense)
31. Outrolude: MC Serch & Mick Boogie
Also, to read an ill interview with Mick Boogie on how this project all came together click here.
