Friends and legends gathered to honor Slick Rick receiving the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award at the iconic Four Seasons Hotel in Los Angeles. Powered by Google Pixel and Hip Hop 50, the event was hosted by MC Lyte with music by Dj Cassidy.
Celebrities who walked the carpet included Slick Rick himself, MC Lyte, Russel Simmons, Evan Ross, DMC, DJ Cassidy, Cleotrapa, J. Ivy, Jermaine Dupri, and other special guests included Nas, Swiss Beats, Young Guru, Joey BoadA$$, Busta Rhymes. Following the carpet MC Lyte, Russel Simmons and wife and manager Mandy Aragones said a few words before previewing some of Rick’s upcoming music and toasting his Grammy Honor. After the toast guests enjoyed light bites and complimentary cocktails.
MC Lyte said, “I just want us to in this moment salute this gentleman and my God if he is not a brick within the Hip Hop structure I don’t know who would be, we have come today as we will for the rest of this year to celebrate the folks in Hip Hop who have laid the foundation and it brings me great pleasure and great honor to be in his existence.”
Russel Simmons said, “This 50 year anniversary is a moment in time, I won’t be here for 100 and even as Hip Hop is turning 50 I’ll soon be turning 40 (laughs) let me say this, it’s a great moment to celebrate the masterminds behind Hip Hop, the people who laid the ground work, many of whom don’t have compensational credit, I’m very proud and happy to be here at this moment celebrating the Ruler. There is probably no grater story teller in the history of Hip Hop than Slick Rick and for Def Jam for sure he laid the bricks to help us get where we got.”
Mandy Rick’s wife and manager said “I know we’re here for the Lifetime Achievement Award, but Slick Rick has an album coming in April in partnership with Mass Appeal”
We caught up with a few guests on the carpet to see what Slick Rick means to them.
Evan Ross: He’s everything, there’s no question. I grew up wit his music I’ve been a fan of his my whole life. That’s somebody we should always celebrate.
Dj Cassidy: I’m truly honored to be here today, anytime Rick calls me I jump and I’m honored to call Rick a friend, because growing up Rick was my hero and still is my hero today. At an early age I learned from Rick that you needed to treat your credit with the utmost showmanshipin order to create a persona and star power when you are on stage so for the moment my parents bought me turntables for my 10th birthday I knew that I not only wanted to express myself musically, but visually I wanted to look like some.