GRAMMYs: Questlove on Why Will Smith DROPPED OUT of Hip Hop 50 Tribute (Exclusive)

Questlove chats with ET's Nischelle Turner at the 65th GRAMMY Awards, airing on CBS. The musician produced the Recording Academy's tribute celebrating the 50th anniversary of hip hop. He reveals Will Smith came very close to being part of the lineup, but the actor was forced to cancel at the last minute due to production starting on 'Bad Boys 4.'
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[@preciousjewel9328]

This was by far the BEST PERFORMANCE..HANDS DOWN..I LOVEDDDD IT...

[@jake78441]

No kidding best thing of the grammy night! AMAZINGGG

[@nnamdi602]

How unfortunate for Will Smith. He was the 1st ever to win a Grammy as a Rapper.

[@billybobs9520]

F will smith 👎

[@clarissawestbrook2203]

Congratulations Questlove! It's so well deserved.I can't believe hip-hop/rap music and culture turns 50 years old today and changed the world. I wish Will Smith could have made it.

[@johnlong9505]

Will Smith is now older than Hiphop!

[@katherinehunter9526]

@@johnlong9505 We are all older than Hip Hop and Rap now! Bwahahah!

[@johnlong9505]

@@katherinehunter9526 No..actually not. Hiphop is 50 years old. Are you older than that?

[@katherinehunter9526]

@@johnlong9505 Yup much older than that! I remember when Hip Hop and Rap wasn't considered music! How old are you? Bwahahah!

[@johnlong9505]

@@katherinehunter9526 Hahaha really well hats off to you then 😁 I'm in my mid 30's

[@mzsammyg.]

OMG I cannot wait for them to upload the performance. Goosebumps watching it LIVE. So much respect for the Hip-Hop Culture 💙🎖

[@Suri-A_]

Questlove can really put a 50 years of hip hop celebration show together in just a matter of time it was amazingly freaking awesome (aka lit AF) !!! 🔥 🔥 WOW 😲😲😳😲 so impressed

[@gladys100011]

The tribute was great. Thanks Quest Love

[@MissionPossible85]

You’re welcome Gladys

[@yolandataylor5359]

I love Summertime by Will Smith....that would have been awesome!

[@monacannon6644]

This is truly *AMAZING & beautiful to see. Would've absolutely love to see Will Smith at the Grammys!!

[@ctbt1832]

Will Smith should’ve been there

[@felipelenck8585]

No kidding. If he wasn't so busy with Bad boys, he could've shown his resolve.

[@randybarnes4440]

As the first Grammy winner for hiphop, and a major part of its culture thru music fashion and tv/movies, he carried hiphop on his back across many lines. Will should have been there. Plain and simple

[@danyulwilliams9823]

Congrats Questlove!!! He’s my drummer idol!!! He’s one of my favorite drummers ever!!! ❤❤😊❤😊

[@brendashelonko2149]

Respect! That was an incredible, joyous spectacular show. Congratulations on putting together a true celebration and party.

[@nicholasgarrick8855]

Congrat quest love he my favorite drummer it about time he get his flowers for his talents 👏🏾❤

[@LovedByYou]

I think Will Smith thinks he’s unloved, but we love him and want to see him. He doesn’t have to hide he didn’t kill anyone.

[@Swanky97]

Love him to infinity !

[@marissabaty2849]

He clowned on an important night. He's doing right. He needs to stay gone a while

[@CRTNY09]

#StandWithWill

[@kodo988]

Yes yes and yes! #TeamWillSmith

[@MissionPossible85]

Loved by you

[@helenatube]

No wonder the tribute was so good. Q was the mastermind behind it!

[@samgod]

Anyone have a link to the full performance? I saw a recap video and didn't hear them mention the Beastie Boys, Naughty by Nature, NWA, A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, Pharcyde, etc.

[@chefnedarque]

De La Soul represented!

[@angiehloucha7336]

Man! I wanna see Questlove's full vision! Hip hop deserves an entire 50th anniversary special!!

[@bjt81366]

Reppin Philly! Quest, West Philly is proud!. Hip hop is the first and only music genres to change the world. No other music has ever lead world-wide at the same time.

[@msd7331]

I was spellbound by the GOATs of hip hop performance. Have to say I even shed a tear. Those were some awesome times. "Throw your hands in the air" for Black History Month. Be blessed and THANK YOU Quest for a superb feat. Loved it.

[@susanjohnson6325]

I was disappointed, I thought there would have been acknowledgement of the Sugarhill Gang, Grandmaster Flash, Doug E Fresh, Slick Rick, Chubb Rock, MC Lyte, Yo-yo etc☹️

[@syckindahead]

Hence why Hip Hop Turns 50 needs its OWN show. I want to hear all 30+ minutes from Questlove's list!!!🙌🏾

[@cjethridge4000]

Not if other artists got stuff to do or just don't want do it

[@misane2212]

The FRESH PRINC GOT TO B THERE

[@indianajones8839]

You gotta love supporting assaulters

[@RealLyfeRares]

He should what they did was criminal, first Grammy winner for hip hop

[@Rim_buck]

Thank you! ?❤️ We all stay true honest to our Roots 50yr+ Thank you ..yes we are at our tables And the table we all deserve to be at ☝️

[@kevinkilkenny1776]

BAD BOYS BAD BOYS WHATCHA GONNA DO? Let Busta Rhyme ❤

[@shokprof1313]

CONGRATS 💯 🎼✌🏿🌎✌🏻🎼

[@babydollss205]

No matter what there will always be love for will smith

[@nicholasgarrick8855]

Will Smith is still beloved every one made mistakes.

[@attackontitanbeautytheking2725]

Exactly.

[@User-lz6ru]

Everyone made and will continue to make mistakes*

[@judy3131]

@@User-lz6ru Not those kind. That was just cruel.

[@GreatGownsBeautifulGowns2018]

Congratulations 🎉

[@JackieWarner13]

Probably my fave performance of the show. I'm defs more of a pop girlie but it was so fun to hear. I gotta watch it as I was working at the time so I couldn't physically watch. Someone upload the performance online.

[@QuietStormX]

You missed it Live.. off the Hook Show 14 minutes

[@JackieWarner13]

@@QuietStormX it sounded so good! I cannot wait to actually watch it when someone uploads it online.

[@mrrydogg]

It was REALLY GREAT…but I have a few questions about the selections 😂

[@QuietStormX]

It was the Show of the Night! Hip=Hop!

[@danielmarquis5258]

I hope Naughty by Nature, A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, Nas, and EPMD were there.

[@ronniearnold9165]

I still wished he HAD performed though!

[@DJaySplitSecond]

Man if Will was there it would of been more epic

[@RealLyfeRares]

He would’ve saved the show

[@lalahaze8786]

I wish andre 3000 was there 🔮

[@ThisFamOG]

Damn you will should have been up there

[@Ichibanmusiclover]

No one's from the old school cuz rap on a whole, isn't even 20 years old. 50 years down the line you can start this .'Cuz we'll be the old school artists. And even in that time. I'll say a rhyme. A brand new style ruthless and wild. Runnin' around spendin' money having fun... I'm Still #1 - Boogie Down Productions- 1988

[@briarrose3155]

Good job QuestLove! I didn't missed the Fresh Prince up there.

[@heatherheadley1704]

I love me some Will Smith

[@beachlover9705]

Where was KRS1???

[@bentmch1]

I wanted to see some hip hop artist sing one of Pac's song cause that poet who RIP made hip hop known around the globe.

[@MissPerriwinkle]

people wanna see bad boys 4 ???

[@KnowledgeSeeker78491]

I say the same thing about those Fast and Furious movies, but they still seem to be around

[@Cyn7700]

What happened to 50 or Eminem and drake Kanye , Lil Kim etc…

[@maureencora1]

50 yrs. of Hip Hop and No Too Live Crew or Ghetto Boyz or etc, etc,etc?

[@TheVachief]

Scarface was there

[@maureencora1]

@@TheVachief Touche' (smile)

[@TheVachief]

Lol...I did want to see me some Too Live Crew!!

[@maureencora1]

@@TheVachief Touche' (smile)

[@feliciakenny5152]

I was expecting will smith to be there in m still a fan he deserved to be there 😕

[@faustuskrauss6457]

The Grammy’s is DEAD! Quality overtaken by quantity.

[@yolandaharris2096]

He probably thought he be booed anIt's.... people probably would've liked to see him perform. Ijs....

[@tyrfree5733]

Will Smith is already a "part of history" for slapping Chris Rock on just about the whitest program on TV. He don't need to be making no more damn history.

[@Mimi-cg2cw]

This Questlove selected his friends...I'm 68 a Oakland native and how dare you forget MC Hammer...Stanley Burrell.. Oakland A's Batboy...Let's get it started ..this shit sucked

[@mccshop8719]

It was terrible because you left out Wonder Mike and Master Gee of Sugahill Gang. (shame on you Quest) Like WTF? were you born after they exploded the rap/hiphop scene? Yeah sure Fatback was officail, but Sugarhill brought it to everyones faces, up close!

[@terrancejohnson9548]

Questlove put rappers up there that white people listening too that's the difference it's crazy old school rappers deserves the praise

[@finefeatheredfriend9240]

Nah. Yeah they left out some heavy hitters and pioneers, but as long as it wasn’t no G-Eazy up there or the Beastie Boys, Vanilla Ice, Macklemore🙄, and of course EMINEM, then I’d say it was a win for the culture because those are the rappers that white folks really listen to. I ain’t never met a white person that knows who Too Short, Rakim, and Public Enemy are or their music. Hell I think most white people only know LL for his acting roles🤷‍♂️. And they only know Will Smith musically for Big Willy Style and the Men In Black soundtrack 😂

[@terrancejohnson9548]

@@finefeatheredfriend9240 you are real bro but it's just sad 😔

[@Mimi-cg2cw]

Will Smith was hip hop a rapper. That's disrespectful to Puffy

[@armanitransport2604]

I'm glad Will Smith wasn't on the stage because to me he did some weak sh!t and everybody is scared to call him out on his BS.

[@QUHectic212]

Cry

[@dfree1442]

This isn't regular speaking tone. Quest Love's talkin' like he sips sugarless chamomile tea with his pinky in the air. 😐🤦🏾‍♂️

[@djmil5110]

With white gloves on😂😂😂😂😂😋 where's dat afro pick?

[@behindthenailfile9282]

Wow! What a performance. Been living hip hop since it started. Yes, I’m that old. Don’t really care if Will was there. He’s a part of our history yet still the only one that has physically assaulted another black person on a worldwide television stage. SMH. Oh well, I’ll never forget. It was a great tribute even without him 🤷🏽‍♀️

[@Aceboogie2911]

Left out a LOT of artists man

[@terrancejohnson9548]

they don't know nothing about the hip hop like ll cool say it crazy cause they put the wrong people up there

[@NorthPhilly-zr7xc]

Facts smh

[@ronaldhill7180]

Will was going to perform, but he refused to drop the title to his new song, "Slap that funky music"

[@kenterminateddq5311]

Even if the incident didn't happened last year, I don't think Will Smith would be invited. Will Smith is more of an actor than a rapper for more than three decades!

[@B-Rent]

He was invited but couldn’t go due to shooting bad boys 4

[@TheVachief]

Will and Jeff were the first rappers to win a Grammy and to perform at the Grammys..Iconic!

[@RealLyfeRares]

Will was the first rapper to ever win a Grammy DONT EVER FORGET IT

[@mctesq]

You can say the same thing about Ice T. They're multi-faceted artists.

[@hellsmannsmayonnaise5115]

That's horrible

[@johaniffsofiz]

Doesnt matter what he does now because we are not ready to see him right now. Havent had the stomach to see any new stuff yet. Any time we stumble across that horrible slap vid it actually looks worse and worse. At first shock but by now its just gross.

[@misscaliluv1561]

Get over it!!

[@feliciakenny5152]

So agree

[@camillewright7914]

Get the f*** out of here. His contributions to hip-hop and music and movies is undeniable. There are people in that damn room that have smacked up their wives and girlfriends. Producers who have stolen the very lively hood of artist who just wanted to sing. Will Smith is still a good man. And I'll take a good man who tries to be better over half of these folks any day of the damn week.

[@mctesq]

I am more traumatized by everyday gun violence that actually kills people

[@feliciakenny5152]

Dr Dre we know why his headsets are called beats by Dre

[@billybobs9520]

Lost all my respect for will smith after what he did to Chris Rock 👎

[@fdgfhgification]

How the hell are they putting a date on when hiphop started?

[@sheluvharvey7758]

So unfair that they take out the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air because Will Smith and Jazzy Jeff is definitely a big part of Hip Hop, clean Hip Hop where they want caller women all kind of b****** and hoes and using the n-word every other word in the song! If anything they still should have Jazzy Jeff Fair and have one of his children in this place because the punishment is not fitting The Slap! If you ask me Chris Rock should be banned from every African-American experience for doing the movie black hair and degrading and using African-American women as his punchline!

[@kathleenkelly4020]

So now the Grammys are blending with the BET Awards? Geez

[@behindthenailfile9282]

You are right. That is what made him so fly but even all the other wack and hoe calling rappers never slapped another black man on tv,, like that. ijs 🤷🏽‍♀️