Eric B & Rakim, KRS-One and More Rock YO! MTV Raps 30th Anniversary Concert [VIDEO]
Hip-hop legends Eric B. & Rakim, KRS-One, MC Lyte, Pharcyde, EPMD, Yo-Yo and so many more gathered at the Barclays Center to perform for the 30th anniversary of YO! MTV Raps on Friday (June 1).
The iconic music show, which ran from 1988 to 1995, was hosted first by Fab 5 Freddy and then later by Ed Lover and Dr. Dré (of Original Concept fame). MTV is currently planning to relaunch YO! this year on terrestrial and digital platforms.
But on Friday, fans were treated to a litany of rappers who had their big break on the famed MTV show. Veteran rapper Big Daddy Kane performed and also brought out Roxanne Shante. In addition, Special Ed rapped “I Got It Made” and other hits, as well as brought out his good friend Ed Lover. Legendary rap groups Das EFX, Onyx and Pharcyde also delivered exhilarating sets.
Almost everyone was excited to see Eric B. & Rakim perform at the event. The iconic rap duo holds the distinction of having their video “Follow the Leader" be the first clip played on the premiere episode of YO! in 1988. In addition, Eric B and Rakim will embark on a tour this summer to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their seminal LP Paid in Full.
In short, this was the biggest old-school rap fest New York has ever seen in a long time.
As for the relaunching of YO! MTV Raps, Dr. Dré doesn't see how the series is going to fit in the current landscape where people can instantly stream and watch their favorite rap videos on YouTube.
"I don’t know how that’s going to work in today’s world. The unique thing about YO! MTV Raps was videos were very important back then," he told HipHop DX. "In today’s streaming world, not sure how that would work. I’m not sure what they plan on doing."
"All I know is on June 1, we’ll be at the Barclays Center to celebrate the show and its success — internationally, nationally and globally,” he concluded.
Check out videos and photos from the YO! MTV Raps 30th Anniversary concert below.
Check Out Photos from Yo! MTV Raps 30th Anniversary Concert