S. Samuel
Rap veteran LL Cool J has opened up about paying homage to pioneer hip-hop group Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five tonight (November 30) in Los Angeles with a special tribute performance of their recently inducted Grammy Hall of Fame classic, "The Message".
Confirming plans to perform at tonight’s “Grammy Nominations” concert, LL said fans can expect to see rap stars Lupe Fiasco and Common on-stage.
“Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five, for me, I was listening to them when I had pajamas with the feet in the bottom,” LL told radio hosts Big Tigger and Free. “They got this amazing song so obviously we got Melle Mel, Scorpio and Grandmaster Flash and then I got Common and Lupe Fiasco to do parts with me. We’re gonna have some fun with ‘The Message’ you know what I’m saying? I get to be on-stage and rub elbows with my childhood heros, you know, with Scorp, Mel and Flash. So that’s going to be a lot of fun. I hope people enjoy that.” (“Big Tigger Morning Show”)
Earlier this week, reports claimed Miami’s Rick Ross would also be involved in the tribute.
On November 30, Common, Lupe Fiasco, Rick Ross and LL Cool J will join Furious Five members Melle Mel and Scorpio for a special performance of “The Message” during “The Grammy Nominations Concert,” airing live on CBS. The one-hour show, will reveal the nominations for the 54th annual Grammy Awards which will take place on February 12, 2012 in Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. LL Cool J will host the awards and Lady Gaga, Ludacris, Rihanna, Sugarland and Usher have already been announced as performers while Nicki Minaj and Katy Perry will be on deck as award presenters. (MTV)
Last week, it was revealed Furious Five’s “The Message” would be the first-ever hip-hop record inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
The new entries, which also include Bruce Springsteen‘s “Born in the U.S.A.” album, Cole Porter‘s pop standard “Anything Goes,” Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five’s pioneering rap single “The Message” and Tina Turner‘s career-rejuvenating hit single “What’s Love Got to Do With It” bring the total number of recordings chosen for the Hall of Fame to 906. (Los Angeles Times)
Since its 1980’s release, “The Message” has been considered a hip-hop classic.
Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five merged the Afrocentric consciousness expressed by such early rappers as Gil Scott-Heron and the Last Poets with b-boy production to create “The Message,” an all-time rap anthem. It was the focal point of this LP, which also included “It’s Nasty” and “Scorpio,” two other strong cuts that might have been winners on their own. Unfortunately, rather than a starting point, this album proved to be their ultimate peak. (All Music)
The “Grammy Nominations” live concert is slated to air Wednesday, November 30th at 10 PM EST on CBS.
Check out “The Message” down below:
