On Tuesday evening (Aug. 8), hundreds of R&B and hip-hop executives gathered in Los Angeles to celebrate one another — and honor 50 incredible years of hip-hop.
As the red carpet started to jam with guests eager to get the night started, those already inside Billboard’s 2023 R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players event were treated to a warm up set from DJ Jadaboo and passed food courtesy of Fixins Soul Kitchen.
“I’m so excited to see Lil Wayne,” said one attendee. Meanwhile, fellow cover star Nas was getting comfortable in a private booth as Ice Spice did the same one table down.
Soon, Billboard‘s chief brand office Dana Droppo kicked things off with a stellar introduction. She not only set the tone for the evening, but also introduced Billboard executive director, R&B/Hip-Hop, Gail Mitchell. “Gail is the first person to big up her team and the first to fight for coverage that she believes in,” said Droppo. “Thank for you being a tireless champion of this music and of music journalism.”
Mitchell then took the stage (fittingly dressed in gold to honor hip-hop’s 50th) and spoke about how 50 years ago, the very genre being celebrated tonight was dismissed as a fad. She then gave a special shout out to Quality Control CEO Pierre Thomas, winner of Billboard‘s first-ever peer-voted R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players’ Choice Award, before welcoming Antonio “L.A.” Reid to the stage, who presented Larry Jackson with his Executive of the Year Trophy.
From Jackson’s impassioned speech — during which he read a letter from Clive Davis to Billboard written in 1997 — to Lil Wayne revealing his post-party plans, below are the best moments from the special night.
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Larry Jackson’s Quick History Lesson
While accepting his award for Executive of the Year, Larry Jackson — who this year launched his entertainment company, gamma — said, “This award is for the culture that we love and that we represent.” He then gave a shout out to his mentor, Clive Davis, and read a letter the legend wrote in 1997 to Billboard‘s then-editor in chief.
It said: “I’m writing you not to complain about a particular review but to strongly protest what is clearly a personal crusade against the genre of rap albums, certainly the most successful of them.” Davis went on to cite reviews of albums from Tupac, The Notorious B.I.G. and Puffy (Sean Combs), writing their latest releases at the time were described as “tired” and “demeaning.” Jackson summarized, “He goes on to say that the trend is patently clear.”
As Davis wrote: “The Billboard reviewers with pre-existing attitude should really disqualify themselves from the rap genre. They’re doing a tremendous disservice to the industry. The expected level of objective criticism is just not being met and the bias is much too blatant.”
“It’s good I have your attention now – that was just 25 years ago,” said Jackson. “I think we take the progress that we’ve had as a genre, that we’ve had as a people, that we’ve had as a culture, sometimes for granted — myself included.” He then explained what happened soon after that letter was received: “They had to hire Gail Mitchell. She then became the custodian, she then became the shepherd, she then became the guardian for us of our genre.”
Before exiting while intentionally leaving his award on the podium, he said, “I accept this for all of us.”
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Ice Spice Accepting Her First-Ever Award
“She’s taken the world by storm, from the Met Gala to Met Life Stadium with Taylor Swift,” began Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop reporter Heran Mamo while introducing Ice Spice. Mamo then rattled off an impressive chart tally for the rising star, noting Spice has scored four top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 — all this year.
“She’s been crowned the People’s Princess by her fans,” continued Mamo, “but tonight she receives a new title: Billboard’s 2023 R&B/Hip-Hop Rookie of the Year.”
Ice Spice kept her own speech short and sweet, thanking her team and her fans and enthusiastically exclaiming: “This is my first award ever in life!”
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Lil Wayne’s Hilarious Introduction
After Mitchell rattled off some impressive stats for the legendary Lil Wayne, including his five Grammy Awards and 185 Hot 100 entries — including 25 top 10s — she welcomed Wayne to the stage “in his own words,” plucking a quote from her cover story with the star, introducing him as: “a naturally, organically amazing, one of a kind, nothing can duplicate this motherf—er.”
After warmly embracing Mitchell while laughing, Wayne — who was being honored for his induction into Billboard’s Hip-Hop Hall of Fame — said, “You already know I gotta give thanks to the man up above. Also those that we lost, those that we wish were here, we thank you as well… And to my fans, I think I worded it the best way when I said I ain’t shit without you. This is for y’all, y’all as in my fans, those in the crowd, my supporters, those that work for me, those that work with me, those that work around me, those that work like me. This is for us.”
“Just another footnote,” he then added, “I ain’t stopping. They told me what time to be here, I was in the studio. They told me when I can leave, I’ll be going back tot he studio. Thank you, I love you all – Moolah!”
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Nas’ Profound Realization
“With six No. 1 albums and 16 top 10s on the Billboard 200 — which tied for the most ever amongst rappers… Nas is one of the most influential figures in hip-hop,” said Carl Lamarre, Bilboard‘s deputy director of R&B/Hip-Hop.
Lamarre then welcomed the icon himself to the stage, who began his speech with an eye-opening realization: “I’m starting to win awards in my third prime… I never won awards in the ’90s. 49 years old, I’m about to turn 50 along with hip-hop, man. And I’m starting to see awards.”
“I didn’t get into it for awards, we got into it because we love the artform. 50 years of hip-hop and we have a concert at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. 50 years of hip-hop saluting some of the pioneers who inspired me…since DJ Mr. Magic started rap radio, since Mally Mall at Red Alert made us record mixtapes of our own when this shit was underground. From seeing it from back then, I’m just so honored to still be alive to see it be 50 years as a fan. So I want to thank you all for getting awards at 49; Not when I was 29, but I appreciate you. I ain’t gonna lie, I stayed away from award shows back then, I thought that shit was the devil … But it ain’t. You make it what it is.”
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