Oh, Manchester, So Much To Answer For

I missed some stuff. the show got boring, until the jam master jay tribute, introduced by chuck d. he pointed out the obvious - but that doesn't mean we still don't need to be reminded - that "run-d.m.c. is hip-hop's beatles ... every single rap act since owes them a debt of gratitude ... jam master jay was the battery of run-d.m.c." the tribute itself included nelly and his st. lunatics (who, truth be told, acquitted themselves nicely), queen latifah (doing "queen of rock"), naughty by nature, ja rule (who not only needed a fucking teleprompter, but slid in a pain is love reference - I suppose we should be happy he didn't mention that his new album is in stores now), busta rhymes, and of course steven tyler and joe perry. funny, isn't it, how "walk this way" for the most part isn't their song anymore, but run-d.m.c.'s (akin to aretha ripping "respect" from otis)? what I observed more than anything was the sheer joie de vivre of the perf/tribute, which really is the best way you could honor jmj anyway. well, well done. interesting note from dmc afterwards, too: that run-d.m.c. was "70% love and 30% talent." I'd disagree with him on the talent - that was always 110% - but the love of what they did always shone through where run, dmc, and jmj were concerned.