Thousands of people partied deep into the night Friday as part of an all-star Bronx bash celebrating 50 years of hip-hop, featuring trailblazers including Run-DMC, Nas, Lauryn Hill, and Snoop Dogg.
The pops were on lock and the joy absolute at a packed Yankee Stadium, where New Yorkers and tourists alike commemorated five decades of the music whose vast influence irrevocably shook the culture.
None other than Run-DMC –none of hip-hop’s most influential acts – headlined the evening, playing hits including the beloved “It’s Tricky,” which had the arena crowd screaming along despite the post-1:00 a.m. start time.
Before that performance, Nas, the mammoth concert’s ringleader, played a string of songs off his seminal album “Illmatic,” including “The World Is Yours” and “N.Y. State of Mind.”
The crowd roared when the New York icon closed his set by inviting fellow legend Lauryn Hill onstage to sing the track they collaborated on “If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)” as well as her own smash single “Doo Wop (That Thing)” and her rendition of “Killing Me Softly,” that she originally performed as part of The Fugees.
That was preceded by none other than Snoop Dogg, who also played fan favorites including “The Next Episode,” “Nuthin’ But A ‘G’ Thang” and “Gin And Juice.”
The 51-year-old G-funk pioneer wore heart-shaped glasses and lit up onstage, as is his custom, vibing to his legend as remarkably agile pole dancers harmonized alongside.
Lil Wayne was also among the performers smoking weed, whose scent hung heavy in the summer air.
The trap artist from Louisiana was a showstopper as he bounded across the stage, giving hit after hit including “A Milli” and “Lollipop” before thanking his adoring fans and walking off to Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You.”
The marathon concert was the crown jewel of celebrations that have reverberated throughout the city to commemorate the 50th anniversary.
Clocking in at more than eight hours long, it also included performances from The Sugarhill Gang, members of the Wu-Tang Clan and Ice Cube.