The GRAMMYs are getting the best of the best to celebrate 50 years of hip hop!
Music's biggest night just got more exciting! In addition to the usual fanfare of the GRAMMYs, the 65th annual awards show will celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop with a showcase of the genre's rich history and continued global influence. The segment will feature electrifying performances by Big Boi, Busta Rhymes with Spliff Star, De La Soul, DJ Drama, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Missy Elliott, Future, GloRilla, Grandmaster Flash, Grandmaster Mele Mel & Scorpio/Ethiopian King, Ice-T, Lil Baby, Lil Wayne, The Lox, Method Man, Nelly, Public Enemy, Queen Latifah, Rahiem, Rakim, RUN-DMC, Salt-N-Pepa and Spinderella, Scarface, Swizz Beatz and Too $hort.
LL Cool J will introduce the segment, perform and give a dedication to hip hop. Questlove will serve as producer and musical director, music will be provided by The Roots, and Black Thought will narrate.
"For five decades, Hip Hop has not only been a defining force in music, but a major influence on our culture," Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, said in a statement. "Its contributions to art, fashion, sport, politics, and society cannot be overstated. I'm so proud that we are honoring it in such a spectacular way on the GRAMMY stage. It is just the beginning of our year-long celebration of this essential genre of music."
Also taking the stage for some stellar performances during the 2023 GRAMMYs are nine-time GRAMMY winner Mary J. Blige, who is nominated for six awards including Record of the Year, Album of the Year and Best R&B Performance; Bad Bunny, who is looking to add three gramophones to his two-win count, including Best Pop Solo Performance and Best Música Urbana Album; six-time GRAMMY winner Brandi Carlile, who is up for seven awards, including Best Rock Performance, Best Americana Performance and Best Americana Album; and Lizzo, who is nominated for five GRAMMY Awards, including Song of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album.
Luke Combs and Steve Lacy are also among the list of nominated musicians slated to give performances during the Sunday night show, along with first-time nominee Kim Petras, who four-time winner Sam Smith will join. The duo earned a Best Pop Duo/Group Performance nomination for their wild hit, "Unholy."
Additionally, Harry Styles will be performing at the awards ceremony. Styles is nominated for six GRAMMYs this year, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year for "As It Was," as well as Album of the Year for Harry's House, among others.
Former Daily Show host Trevor Noah returns to emcee the GRAMMYs for a third consecutive time.
Part of the thrill, Noah told Billboard, is getting the chance to go "off the cuff" to improvise and engage the audience, but always "in service of the show."
"Everyone is there to have a good time. It’s an awards show, but it’s also one of the greatest concerts you’ll ever get the opportunity to go to," he added.
The 2023 GRAMMYs will broadcast live from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2023 at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET on CBS and will stream live and on demand on Paramount+.
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