GlobalGrind flew down to Atlanta for this year’s BET Hip-Hop Awards! While there, we caught up with all your favorite rappers, singers, producers and more to discuss the evening’s performances, their personal projects and even get a little hip-hop history lesson.
This year has been pretty epic for hip-hop; Jay-Z switched up the game, releasing an album through Samsung and selling 1 million copies, Kanye West showed everyone how it’s done with his album Yeezus, and Kendrick Lamar dropped the verse heard ’round the world on Big Sean’s “Control.” Each of these moments and many others like them will live on in hip-hop infamy, but the genre’s history goes back a long way and many more such moments have come before.
We asked some hip-hop heavyweights what they thought was the most epic moment in the history of the genre. The overwhelming answer? Notorious B.I.G and Tupac, of course. But that’s certainly not all.
Curious what Rick Ross, Netta Brielle, Lola Monroe, Memphitz, Yo Gotti and Benny Boom think was the most epic moment in the history of hip-hop? Check it out!
Memphitz
“As far as the bad? I would say the death of Biggie and Pac. The good? I have to say just the diversity that hip-hop sees today. It’s grown, so I’m just glad that we’re a part of life now. That’s epic to me.”
Lola Monroe
“I think Kendrick’s verse stirred up a lot and was kind of good for hip-hop! My child’s father, Los, gave a response to that; Kendrick said it was the best one. But the most epic moment in hip-hop was Biggie and Pac, so it’s hard to compete with that.”
Rick Ross
“The biggest moment in hip-hop history? That’d be the day MMG signed a label deal with Warner Brother records and gave birth to Meek Mill, Wale and Stalley.”
Netta Brielle
“I’m from the Bay Area, so I’m all about Tupac. I’m all about the West Coast, so that whole moment when Snoop Dogg, Tupac and Dr. Dre came together to start that whole west side movement – that’s probably the biggest hip-hop moment to me.”
Benny Boom
“I think Biggie passing was the biggest moment in hip-hop history. I only say that because when Pac passed, it was a week after he got shot. I think Big passing was the moment where we went, ‘Oh, wow. This is really serious.’ And I think it changed everything. I think it changed how record labels sign artists. That was a huge moment for hip-hop.”
Yo Gotti
“Hip-hop goes back a long time! The biggest moment overall – I’d have to go back to the Run DMC days!”
PHOTO CREDIT: Instagram, CME 3000 Photography, Getty
