Within the 5 a long time since DJ Kool Herc willed hip-hop into existence again in 1973, giving again to the group has been one of many issues that has remained intact as a major focus of the tradition. Doing good for the hood is one thing that’s engrained inside hip-hop’s material. A extremely regarded type of this recognition is when rappers are introduced with a key to town.
The centuries-long custom not solely signifies that the recipient of a key to town has offered an excellent profit to a sure group as a complete. It additionally serves as a direct implication {that a} rapper is universally beloved by the locations they name dwelling.
Main cities everywhere in the nation have bestowed keys to town upon a few of hip-hop’s main figures by means of the years. Artists like Nicki Minaj beamed with pleasure when her hometown of Queens acknowledged her accomplishments each inside and outdoors of the vocal sales space with a key in 2017. When Drake was given Toronto’s key to town in 2016, he described the respect introduced to him by his dwelling metropolis as “one of many best moments” of his life. That very same month in 2016, town of Compton blessed Kendrick Lamar with the time-honored award touting the hometown MC as a “phenomenal artist whose work has served as a catalyst to lift a brand new stage of consciousness for this era.”
With all that in thoughts, XXL highlights the numerous cases wherein rappers and different hip-hop notables have been introduced with a key to town. Try those that’ve obtained the respect beneath.
