This year’s VH1’s Hip Hop Honors was great on so many levels: the artists selected and Tracy Morgan’s insanity was perfect to keep things moving. It’s truly hard to put how enjoyable it was into words. In the midst of a spontaneous dance move in the middle of the living room spurred by the sights and sounds of Whodini performing, I realized that for all my excitement, this is a show that’s lost on anyone that doesn’t have first-hand experience with the music.

You hear Whodini singing “Freaks Come Out At Night”.. “Friends” It’s all a blur of whatever. Imagine “Friends” being made by an artist today.. it was a huge song. And don’t even mention the tiny white shorts Ecstasy wore during Fresh Fest. Andre Harrell and Teddy Riley, that whole Uptown era, there are memories that go along with each and every one of the honorees, which get lost when translating those moments to anyone tha was most likely just born when those records were the shit.

Even Snoop, if you’re 15 you can’t really say you were bumping the Chronic or Doggystyle unless Mommy had a radio strapped to her belly, which means there’s no direct connection to the time.

I’m extremely happy that mom and pop got their freak on early enough that I was able to see hip-hop from the sprouts.. uh, not the seeds. Somewhere there is a grandfather talking about the ‘real’ times had at The T-Connection and Harlem World. I can go to Union Square and Latin Quarters.

It’s safe to say that what’s deemed great music, great times, is that music that you grew up with. And I’ll take the comparison of this current crop of hip-hop honors stuff over anything out today.

There truly is no fair comparison. It was so simple then.

Check Jermaine Dupri.. sliding into view.

Couple of observations from last night’s show

• That was Tweet?!?
  
  



• T-Pain proved he CANNOT sing without a vocoder.
  
  



• Kool Moe Dee = Fat. Only mentioned because it’s the exact opposite of LL
  
  



• Pharrell, the Skateboard P look is played.
  
  



• Tribe Called Quest still knows how to put on a show.
  
  



• Snoop’s daughter didn’t seem all that impressed seeing Dad on stage.
  
  



• Keyshia Cole did not bother to sing her part with Ne-Yo.
  
  



• Busta Rhymes saved the otherwise pathetic Tribe tribute, but that pseudo-Slick Rick/Mister T look is a gigantic step down from the wild hair, costumed character he used to be.
  
  



• These Tracy Morgan segments are classic. Who’s gonna put them on YouTube?
  
  

Can’t wait until next year… De La Soul, Marley Marl for producers? How about Luke and 2 Live Crew? Doo Doo Brown.. Doo Brown!! That would be an “Uncut” performance.