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Source: Raymond Boyd / Getty / N.W.A
It’s been a long time coming. N.W.A, Gladys Knight, and others will receive flowers from The Recording Academy.
Spotted on Variety, the Rap group that pioneered Gangsta Rap, iconic R&B singer, Disco queen Donna Summers, Tammy Wynette, and legendary Gospel group Clark Sisters will receive the 2024 Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Awards at this year’s Special Merit Awards ceremony.
Other notable names being honored included Hip-Hop pioneer DJ Kool Herc, Linda Ronstadt/ James Taylor, producer/manager Peter Asher, veteran attorney, and longtime Grammy Academy executive Joel Katz, who will receive the Trustee Award.
Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, spoke on this year’s honorees, adding, “The Academy is honored to pay tribute to this year’s Special Merit Award recipients — a remarkable group of creators and industry professionals whose impact resonates with generations worldwide. Their contributions to music span genres, backgrounds, and crafts, reflecting the rich diversity that fuels our creative community. We look forward to honoring these music industry trailblazers next month as part of our week-long celebration leading up to Music’s Biggest Night.”
It’s About Time N.W.A Gets Their Flowers From The Recording Academy
For N.W.A, it’s about time the rap stable is getting some recognition. Variety shared the Academy’s explanation for the “Straight Outta Compton crew behind honored.
“N.W.A was a rap group from the Compton district in Los Angeles who are credited by many with inventing gangsta rap. The group, consisting of Eazy-E^, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, DJ Yella, and MC-Ren, developed a new sound, which brought in many of the loud, extreme sonic innovations of Public Enemy while adopting a self-consciously violent and dangerous lyrical stance. In 1988, N.W.A released their album, Straight Outta Compton, a brutally intense record that became an underground hit without any support from radio or MTV. This negative attention worked in their favor as it brought the album to multiplatinum status. Although the group was short-lived, gangsta rap established itself as the most popular form of hip-hop during the mid-1990s.”
The Recording Academy’s Special Merit Awards Ceremony goes down on Saturday, Feb. 3, at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles.
For the rest of the descriptions, head here.
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Photo: Raymond Boyd / Getty
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Eazy-E occupies a significant space in Hip-Hop history considering his founding of the legendary group, N.W.A., and co-founding Ruthless Records which thrust the West Coast into the spotlight. Later this month, the late rapper and label owner will be honored in his hometown with a street being named after him.
As reported by Rock The Bells, Eazy-E, born Eric Wright, will be honored by the City of Compton with officials renaming Auto Plaza Drive South to Eazy Street.
According to the City of Compton website, the event will take place at the Gateway Towne Center and will be open to the public. Officials will be on hand for the ceremony and will also be joined by Lil Eazy-E, the late rapper’s son, who will perform alongside N.W.A.’s DJ Yella with DJ Joe Cooley spinning tunes at the event. The ceremony is co-sponsored by the Compton Entertainment Chamber of Commerce and KJLH 102.3 FM
“The street naming serves as a symbol of recognition and commemoration, ensuring that our father, Eric ‘Eazy-E’ Wright, has a legacy that will be remembered and celebrated for generations to come,” Lil Eazy-E said in a statement. “It is a wonderful way for the city of Compton to honor his influence and the cultural significance that he brought to the community. I am truly grateful and honored to see my dad’s legacy continue to be remembered in my hometown, Compton, California on Eazy Street, 90221.”
Erica Wright also added comments in a separate press release.
“My dad loved where he was from,” Wright said. “Nothing could keep him from Compton. Nothing could keep his parents from Compton. This will forever be a highlight in my life. I am always looking to do things to make my daddy proud, and I know he would be so proud of Eazy Street. I can’t find the words to express my gratitude to the city. My dad loved Compton. He loved our community. I cannot count the many stories I’ve heard of him giving, whether it was from the stash out of his pocket, or to a charity. So with my siblings, we have developed the Eric Wright Family Foundation. We look forward to helping our community, and to show the world that it’s not so bad coming straight outta Compton. I love you, Daddy.”
To learn more about the ceremony, click here.
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Photo: Al Pereira / Getty
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