(AURN News) — On Feb. 23, 1989, the Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences awarded its first-ever Grammy for Best Rap Performance to DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, Oscar-winning actor Will Smith, for their crossover hit, “Parents Just Don’t Understand.”
It was a historic moment for hip-hop, even as the culture was still fighting for mainstream respect.
The other nominees reflected rap’s growing power and diversity: LL Cool J with “Going Back to Cali,” Salt-N-Pepa with the club classic “Push It,” Kool Moe Dee with “Wild Wild West” and J.J. Fad with “Supersonic.”
While some critics debated the choice, the category itself marked a turning point — proof that a genre born in Black and brown communities in the Bronx had forced the music industry to pay attention.
Hip-hop was no longer a fad. It was here to stay.
Click play to listen to the AURN News report from Clay Cane. Follow @claycane & @aurnonline for more.
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