Missy Elliott, Busta Rhymes, Nelly, and More Celebrate Hip-Hop's 50th Anniversary With Epic Grammys Performance

The Grammy Awards celebrated Hip-Hop's 50th anniversary with appearances from Missy Elliott, Busta Rhymes, LL Cool J, Questlove, Black Thought, and more.

Missy Elliott performing in 2019
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Image via Getty/Erika Goldring

Missy Elliott performing in 2019

The Grammys commemorated the 50th anniversary of hip-hop with a star-studded performance and people watching at home lost their minds. 

Missy Elliott and Busta Rhymes were just some of the titans of the genre who took the stage for the performance, which was produced by Questlove. 

🔥 50 YEARS OF HIP HOP – from the Bronx to the #GRAMMYs stage 🔥 pic.twitter.com/J5aNYT5PaG

— MTV (@MTV) February 6, 2023

Other hip-hop icons that performed include LL Cool J, Big Boi, De La Soul, DJ Drama, DJ Jazzy Jeff, GloRilla, Grandmaster Flash, Grandmaster Mele Mel & Scorpio/Ethiopian King, Ice-T, Lil Baby, The LOX, Method Man, Nelly, Public Enemy, Queen Latifah, Rahiem, Rakim, RUN-DMC, Salt-N-Pepa and Spinderella, Scarface, Swizz Beatz, and Too $hort. Check out a ripped version of the performance below.

Wow, shout out the genius Questlove’s direction. #Grammys2023’s celebration performance of 50 years of hip hop with so many legends part one… amazing pic.twitter.com/9OoOfzWGtC

— heysocialmedia (@zamnzapitalism) February 6, 2023

The segment was universally praised online, and as you can see from the following tweet, Jay-Z was clearly a fan of what he saw.

Jay 😂 pic.twitter.com/fYNhfjIqvC

— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) February 6, 2023

Check out some more, non Jay-Z reactions to the performance below. 

Busta knew he killed it pic.twitter.com/MHd5nbir71

— Gifdsports (@gifdsports) February 6, 2023

What podcasts can I tune into to get Grammys hip hop tribute snub takes. I must hear

— kang (@jaycaspiankang) February 6, 2023

busta did not show up to play catch that was home run derby

— ryan sutton (@qualityrye) February 6, 2023

they showed every face jay-z made

— Craig Bro Dude (@CraigSJ) February 6, 2023

That should’ve closed the show because I have no more in me

— Sandra E. Garcia (@S_Evangelina) February 6, 2023

this hip hop 50 😭😭😭

— Meena Harris (@meena) February 6, 2023

That damn @questlove is a genius. That tribute to hip hop was insane.

— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) February 6, 2023

ok so the grammys CAN be good…what’s their excuse for all those other times then

— aleksander chan (@aleksnotalex) February 6, 2023

That hip-hop tribute was incredible.

— Lil Uzi Hurt 🥺 (@lostblackboy) February 6, 2023

Well that segment will be watched one billion times on YouTube.

— Schooley ♟️ (@Rschooley) February 6, 2023

This celebration of hip hop is so so special.

To go from originally awarding the rap category off-air to this? EVERYTHING.

Thank goodness they knew enough to include Questlove on the musical direction.

I wish it was an hour long, honestly. #Grammys pic.twitter.com/rsnlcoyo7C

— Miss TLC (@IAmMissTLC) February 6, 2023

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