If you, like Crossfade, are guilty of watching way more VH1 than is worth admitting, you may be hotly anticipating this year's edition of the annual VH1 Hip-Hop Honors awards show. This year's official focus is on "Honoring the Dirty South," and it airs live on the channel next Monday, June 9, at 9 p.m.
If you, like us, have maybe or maybe not been watching such educational fare as What Chilli Wants and Basketball Wives, then you've surmised that Miami is among the cities slated to get some major props during the special. (The channel has aired a specific promo spot, hosted by journalist Nelson George, focusing on Miami's hip-hop contributions, but it was pretty superficial and we can't currently remember a single thing in it.)
Among the homegrown artists slated to perform or be honored at the ceremony include Rick Ross, DJ Khaled, Flo Rida, Trina, Pitbull, 2 Live Crew, and, separately from that group, Miami New Times columnist Luther "Luke" Campbell.
(Also, random thought, but why is Kid Rock a presenter? Despite all his Lynyrd Skynyrd-esque aspirations, he's from MICHIGAN!)
Anyways, despite these nods to the 305, it's not enough for Campbell, he says.
In today's edition of Luke's Gospel, his column over on Riptide 2.0, Miami New Times' news blog, he's got this to say about the whole thing:
And with all due respect, I don't think the people in charge of the VH1 Hip Hop Honors show have a clue about the actual pioneer of Southern hip-hop.Uncle Luke then goes on to claim that it was his own Luke Records that truly brought hip-hop to the South. Do you agree with his argument? Head on over to Riptide 2.0 to read his whole column on the matter and weigh in with your opinion.
Yeah, I played a significant role with 2 Live Crew, but foremost I was the first independent hip-hop record label owner in the south. The producers didn't ask me about that. I was blackballed for so many years because of my accomplishments.