Snoop Dogg, Lil Wayne, Wiz Khalifa, Dozens More Celebrate Hip Hop 50 At Yankee Stadium, Derek Jeter Showed Up!

Tens of thousands of people crowded into Yankee Stadium on Friday night to celebrate the anniversary of Hip Hop, the cultural force that has shaped what we’ve been listening to for the past 50 years. 

“If you remember anything from tonight, remember this one thing: I ain’t shit without you,” proclaimed Lil Wayne, wrote Billboard. 

The roster of hip-hop luminaries and superstars included some of the biggest names in rap like Lil’ Kim, Trina, Ghostface Killah, Method Man, Wu-Tang, Run-DMC and Ice Cube. Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa represented the West Coast. At one point, Nas introduced surprise guest Lauryn Hill to the buzzing crowd that filled the stadium. 

According to Billboard, Snoop Dogg delivered one of the most beloved sets of the night. From “Drop It Like It’s Hot” to “Gin and Juice.” 

“Snoop Doggy Dog kept the hits flowing, but, in true hip-hop fashion, his performance was about his own legacy just as much as it was about honoring rap’s pioneers and highlighting where the genre is headed,” wrote the outlet.

Derek Jeter

And, of course, being that the party was at Yankee Stadium, none other than Derek Jeter just walked out onto the stage during Kid Capri's performance. Yankee Stadium broke out in a "Derek Jeter" chant for New York's favorite shortstop. 

How It All Started

The now legendary DJ Kool Herc, a Jamaican American DJ often called the “Godfather of Hip-Hop” attended a teen back-to-school party in the Bronx in August 1973. It was the first time he used his breakbeat DJing techniques along with rappers and dancers. This laid the groundwork for what would become the four elements of hip-hop: DJing, rapping, breaking (dance) and graffiti art. Since then, the social, cultural and global powerhouse that is hop-hop surpassed rock as the most popular musical genre in 2107, according to Nielsen Music report.

One of the most important and influential art forms in the world. 

"Considering when we got involved with it, it was supposed to be a fad,” said Ice-T, who was 15 when hip-hop was born. "It's a huge milestone. They said hip-hop wouldn't last, but we knew it was a culture, just like the rock era. It was a moment in time when new music was born. Now, I say hip-hop has gray hair.”

Hip Hop 50 Live was co-produced by Mass Appeal, Live Nation, and the New York Yankees. 

See more HERE, including videos at Billboard.

Photo: Wiz Khalifa and Snoop Dog, Jessica Carroll, NY Yankees Twitter