1995 Source Awards

Last updated

The Source Awards
DateAugust 3, 1995 (1995-08-03)
Location Paramount Theater (New York City, New York)
Country United States
First awarded 1994
Most awards The Notorious B.I.G. (4)
←  1994  ·1995·  1999  →

The 1995 Source Awards were held at the Paramount Theater in New York City on August 3, 1995. The awards show was one of the most consequential and infamous events in the history of hip-hop. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] The show escalated tensions between the East and West Side hip-hop communities, thereby likely catalysing the murders of Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls within the following two years. [1] [3] Televised nationally, the show also worsened America's moral panic about the influence of rap and hip-hop on its youth. [1] [3] [4]

Contents

Events of the night

The East Coast hip-hop community was represented by Bad Boy Records, fronted primarily by its producer Sean Combs and its star talent Biggie Smalls, while the West Coast was represented by Death Row Records, fronted primarily by its producer Suge Knight and its star talent Tupac Shakur. However, Tupac was imprisoned at the time of the 1995 Source Awards, and (despite some prior tension) conflict was not particularly expected at the show. [2] [3]

The first hour was mostly celebratory, featuring long medleys from both Bad Boy and Death Row, although one notable disturbance was the reception given to OutKast by the mostly pro-East Coast theater audience (the show being held in New York). Booed for winning New Group of the Year, OutKast's André 3000 fired back at the crowd in his acceptance speech: "The South got somethin' to say!" [6] This proved to be a galvanising moment for Southern hip-hop, which had long sought to distinguish itself from its East and West counterparts. [2] [4] [7]

A more serious blow was landed by Suge Knight, in his acceptance speech for Motion Picture Soundtrack of the Year, announcing: "Any artist out there wanna be a' artist, and wanna stay a star, and don't wanna – and won't have to worry about the executive producer tryna be all in the video, all on the record, dancin' – come to Death Row!" This was clearly a barb at Sean Combs's tendency to ad-lib in his clients' records and appear in their videos, and it antagonised the pro-East Coast audience.

John Singleton, one of the presenters for the next award, Producer of the Year, attempted to placate the murmuring and jeering crowd, declaring, "We gotta kill all this East Coast, West Coast, South, Midwest dissension in rap", but to no avail. The West Coast's Dr. Dre was announced as the winner, and was joined on stage by Snoop Dogg, but the audience's hostility prompted Snoop to launch a furious, expletive-laden tirade: "The East Coast ain't got no love for Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg and Death Row?!"

With tension surfacing in various forms over the rest of the evening, some speakers attempted rapprochement, most notably Combs himself. While presenting Solo Artist of the Year, Combs announced, "Contrary to what other people may feel, I would like to say that I'm very proud of Dr. Dre, of Death Row and Suge Knight for their accomplishments… and all this East and West [conflict], that needs to stop. So give it up for everybody from the East and the West that won tonight. One love." Snoop, winning Solo Artist of the Year, was now pacific in his speech ("Oh we doin' it like players now… now that we done made the East Coast-West Coast thing officially one love"), and Biggie, winning Album of the Year, avoided (at Combs's request, it turned out) inflaming the situation further. [1] [4] [8] At the after-party, held in the nearby Tunnel nightclub, Knight and Combs briefly sat down together and conversed on camera, and Knight denied that he had been referring to Combs in his original barb, claiming instead to have been referring to Jermaine Dupri. [3] [4] [8]

Aftermath

Despite attempts at rapprochement, the 1995 Source Awards set off a causal chain of hostile events. [1] [2] [3] [4] Only a month after the show, in September 1995, Knight's close friend, Jai "Big Jake" Robles, was shot dead at Dupri's birthday party as Robles was entering a limousine, with Knight accusing Combs of involvement in the shooting. [1] [4] [7] In October 1995, Tupac (released on bail) was known to have begun interacting with Biggie's estranged wife, Faith Evans. [3] [4] [8] In December 1995, Biggie seemingly incited his followers to target Death Row's Tha Dogg Pound while the group was filming a music video in Brooklyn (and thus in East Coast territory), leading to shots being fired at the group's trailer. [1] [3] [7] Tupac released a few diss tracks aimed in various ways at Bad Boy, most notably Hit 'Em Up in June 1996 targeted primarily at Biggie. Within two years of the 1995 Source Awards, both Tupac and Biggie had been murdered.

Winners and nominees

Winners are in bold text.

Artist of the Year (group)

Artist of the Year (solo)

New Artist of the Year (group)

New Artist of the Year (solo)

Lyricist of the Year (group or solo)

Rap Album of the Year

Single of the Year

Motion Picture Soundtrack of the Year

Acting Performance, Movie or TV

R&B Artist of the Year

Producer of the Year

Reggae/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year

Live Performer of the Year (group or solo)

Video of the Year

Lifetime Achievement Award

Pioneer Award

Performances

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suge Knight</span> American music executive (born 1965)

Marion Hugh "Suge" Knight Jr. is an American music executive and convicted felon who is the co-founder and former CEO of Death Row Records. Knight was a central figure in gangsta rap's commercial success in the 1990s. This feat is attributed to the record label's first two album releases: Dr. Dre's The Chronic in 1992 and Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle in 1993. Knight is serving a 28-year sentence in prison for a fatal hit-and-run in 2015.

G-funk, short for gangsta funk, is a sub-genre of gangsta rap that emerged from the West Coast scene in the early 1990s. The genre was heavily influenced by the synthesizer-heavy 1970s funk sound of Parliament-Funkadelic, often incorporated through samples or re-recordings. It was represented by commercially successful albums such as Dr. Dre's The Chronic (1992) and Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle (1993).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Death Row Records</span> American record label

Death Row Records is an American independent record label that was founded in 1991 by The D.O.C., Dr. Dre, Suge Knight, and Dick Griffey. The label became a sensation by releasing multi-platinum hip-hop albums by West Coast-based artists such as Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Tha Dogg Pound, and 2Pac, during the 1990s. At its peak, Death Row was making over US $150 million a year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daz Dillinger</span> American rapper and producer

Delmar Drew Arnaud, known professionally as Daz Dillinger or simply Daz, is an American rapper and record producer. As a member of Death Row Records in the early 1990s, he is credited with the label in pioneering West Coast hip hop and gangsta rap for mainstream audiences. Alongside Kurupt, he formed the hip hop duo tha Dogg Pound in 1992, with whom he has released eight albums.

<i>Dogg Food</i> 1995 studio album by Tha Dogg Pound

Dogg Food is the debut studio album by American hip hop duo Tha Dogg Pound, released on October 31, 1995. The album features guest appearances from Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, Michel'le, The Lady of Rage, Tray Deee, and Mr. Malik. Two singles were released from the album: "Let's Play House" and "New York, New York".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tha Dogg Pound</span> American hip hop duo

Tha Dogg Pound is an American hip hop duo made up of West Coast rappers Kurupt and Daz Dillinger. They were signed to Death Row Records in their early careers and were key to the label's success.

<i>Murder Was the Case</i> 1994 soundtrack album by Death Row Records

Murder Was the Case is a 1994 short film and soundtrack album starring and performed by Snoop Doggy Dogg. The 18 minute film was directed by Dr. Dre and Fab Five Freddy and chronicles the fictional death of Snoop Dogg and his resurrection after making a deal with the Devil. The film's title comes from Snoop's song of the same name from his debut album, Doggystyle, which had been released a year earlier.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DJ Quik</span> American rapper and producer

David Marvin Blake, better known by his stage names DJ Quik or Da Quiksta, is an American rapper and producer, known for his production in the G-funk style of West Coast hip-hop. Blake has collaborated with Snoop Dogg, Kurupt, Tupac, Chingy, R. Kelly and Shaquille O'Neal, among others. Blake's stage name reflects his ability to produce songs in a short period of time. Some of his top songs include "Dollaz + Sense", "Tonite", "Born and Raised in Compton" and "Jus Lyke Compton".

<i>Tha Doggfather</i> 1996 studio album by Snoop Dogg

Tha Doggfather is the second studio album by American rapper Snoop Dogg. It was released on November 12, 1996, by Death Row and Interscope Records. After the success of his debut album Doggystyle (1993), Snoop was arrested and charged with murder and in 1995, spent time preparing for the case that went to trial. On February 20, 1996, he was cleared of all charges and began working on his second album without Dr. Dre providing work as a record producer. This was Snoop's final album on Death Row until 2022, when he acquired the rights to the Death Row trademarks from MNRK Music Group, releasing BODR the same year. This would also be his last album under the moniker Snoop Doggy Dogg before it was shorted to Snoop Dogg. Recording sessions took place from February 1996 to October 1996, with Suge Knight as the executive producer on the album, alongside the additional production from several record producers such as DJ Pooh, Daz Dillinger, Soopafly and L.T. Hutton; as well as guest appearances from Charlie Wilson, Kurupt, Tray Dee and Warren G, among others.

<i>Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told</i> 1998 studio album by Snoop Dogg

Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told is the third studio album by American rapper Snoop Dogg. It was released on August 4, 1998, by No Limit Records and Priority Records. It is his first album following his departure from Death Row Records in January 1998. It is the first Snoop Dogg album to have notable affiliates such as Dr. Dre, Nate Dogg, Warren G and others absent. It was also his first album to be released under a slight change to his stage name "Snoop Dogg" for contractual reasons.

Jevon Jones is an American rapper better known by his stage name Tha Realest, and formerly Tenkamenin The Vigilante. His debut album, Witness Tha Realest, was released on July 14, 2009, following numerous delays. Tha Realest is also known, often in a negative light, for his strikingly similar voice to deceased rapper and former label-mate, Tupac Shakur. Tha Realest is also a member of The Regime.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bad Azz (rapper)</span> American rapper (1975–2019)

Jamarr Antonio Stamps, better known by his stage name Bad Azz, was an American rapper and member of hip-hop collective D.P.G.C.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Coast–West Coast hip hop rivalry</span> 1990s dispute between artists / fans of the East Coast and West Coast hip hop scenes in the US

The East Coast–West Coast hip hop rivalry was a dispute between artists and fans of the East Coast hip hop and West Coast hip hop scenes in the United States, especially from the mid-1990s. Focal points of the feud were East Coast–based rapper The Notorious B.I.G. with Puff Daddy and their New York City–based label, Bad Boy Records, and West Coast–based rapper Tupac Shakur with Suge Knight and their Los Angeles–based label, Death Row Records. The feud culminated in the murders of both rappers in drive-by shootings. Although several suspects have been identified, both murders remain unsolved.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kurupt</span> American rapper (born 1972)

Ricardo Emmanuel Brown, better known by his stage name Kurupt, is an American rapper and record producer. Born in Philadelphia and raised in Los Angeles, he formed Tha Dogg Pound in 1992 along with Daz Dillinger; the rap duo has released eight albums. He also formed the hip hop group The Hrsmn in 1996, with whom he has released two albums. His debut solo album, Kuruption! (1998) was released by A&M Records and peaked at number eight on the Billboard 200.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New York, New York (Tha Dogg Pound song)</span> 1995 single by Tha Dogg Pound featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg

"New York, New York" is a song from the American West Coast hip hop duo Tha Dogg Pound featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg. The song was released as a promotional single and is the lead single from their debut album, Dogg Food.

This article summarizes the events, album releases, and album release dates in hip hop music for the year 2008.

"Imagine" is a song by American rapper Snoop Dogg, featuring guest vocals from rapper Dr. Dre and singer D'Angelo, taken from Snoop Dogg's eighth studio album Tha Blue Carpet Treatment (2006). The song was written by Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre and Mark Batson, with production handled by Dr. Dre and Mark Batson.

<i>Notorious</i> (2009 film) 2009 film about the Notorious B.I.G.

Notorious is a 2009 American biographical drama film directed by George Tillman Jr. and written by Reggie Rock Bythewood and Cheo Hodari Coker. It is based on the life of Brooklyn-based hip-hop artist The Notorious B.I.G. Much of the film dramatizes key events in Biggie's life: his criminal lifestyle, arrest and release from prison, his relationships with Sean Combs, Tupac Shakur, Lil' Kim and Faith Evans, his involvement in the East Coast–West Coast hip hop rivalry and his drive-by-shooting murder on March 9, 1997. The film stars Jamal Woolard as Wallace, with Angela Bassett, Derek Luke, and Anthony Mackie in supporting roles. Biggie's mother, Voletta, served as a producer for the film, alongside his former managers Wayne Barrow and Mark Pitts.

"Pimp Slapp'd" is a diss song by American West Coast hip hop recording artist Snoop Dogg, taken from his sixth studio album, Paid tha Cost to Be da Bo$$ (2002).

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Christopher Pierznik (February 26, 2015). "The Day Hip-Hop Died". Medium . Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Nadirah Simmons (August 3, 2016). "TODAY IN 1995: THE 2ND ANNUAL SOURCE AWARDS MAKES HIP HOP HISTORY". The Source . Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Mitch Findlay (August 3, 2019). "The 1995 Source Awards: One Of Hip-Hop's Wildest, Most Legendary Nights". HotNewHipHop . Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Paul Cantor (August 3, 2015). "How the 1995 Source Awards Changed Rap Forever". Complex . Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  5. ↑ Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson (August 10, 2023). "The Day Hip-Hop Changed Forever". Time . Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  6. ↑ Jordan Coley (June 5, 2019). "The 1995 Source Awards Is Officially Available In Its Entirety On YouTube". Uproxx . Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  7. 1 2 3 Burgess, Omar (October 15, 2015). "A Look Back at the '95 Source Awards" . Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  8. 1 2 3 Brown, Courtney (February 28, 2023). "How the Source Awards Started a Trend in Hip Hop" . Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 "The Source Hip-Hop Music Awards: 1995 Award Winners". The Source . No. 73. New York. October 1995. p. 58.
  10. 1 2 Simmons, Nadirah (August 3, 2016). "Today In 1995: The 2nd Annual Source Awards Makes Hip Hop History". The Source . Retrieved November 11, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.