Hip-hop pioneers Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five will be honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 63rd Grammy Awards next month.
Flash, the first to use a record turntable as a musical instrument, is credited with creating the scratches that became synonymous with hip-hop culture.
The group — consisting of Flash, Melle Mel, Kidd Creole, Keef Cowboy, Scorpio and Rahiem — came together in the South Bronx in 1978 and released a single four years later, “The Message,” that is considered one of the most impactful hip-hop songs of all time.
The six-minute record, a haunting track that talked about poverty and socioeconomic issues in the South Bronx, solidified hip-hop as a voice of the disenfranchised, plus served as a musical entry point and inspiration for scores of future rappers, DJs and their fans.
In an Instagram post, Rahiem responded to the announcement. “I just learned Grandmaster Flash & the Furious 5 will be receiving the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2021 Grammys,” his post reads.
In a statement to HipHopDX, he added, “I didn’t know the Grammys knew we existed, but it’s very nice we weren’t forgotten and it’s a tremendous honor. It’s still sinking in, though, so when the feeling finally hits me, a celebration of some sort will commence.”
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In 2002, “The Message” was added to the archives at the National Recording Registry. Five years later, in 2007, the group was the first hip-hop act to be inducted, by Jay-Z, into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Despite their early success and status as icons, tragedies did impact them group. In 1989, Keef Cowboy died of a drug overdose. In 2017, Kidd Creole was arrested for the fatal stabbing of a homeless man in New York City.
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The 2021 Grammy Awards are scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 31 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Due to coronavirus concerns, the event will be a combination of live and virtual presentations.
They’re set to be hosted by The Daily Show‘s Trevor Noah.
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