On the Come Up

See how past honorees compare to their forbearers.

When History Repeats Itself... - Looking at the current roster of hip hop luminaries and their hits, one things for sure: what’s old is new again. As the 2015 BET Hip Hop Awards approaches, let’s see how past honorees compare to their forbearers, who’ve also been honored.  (Photos from left: Earl Gibson/BET/Getty Images for BET, Earl Gibson/BET/Getty Images for BET, Theo Wargo/Getty Images for SpikeTV, Kevin Winter/Getty Images For 102.7 KIIS FM's Wango Tango)

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When History Repeats Itself... - Looking at the current roster of hip hop luminaries and their hits, one things for sure: what’s old is new again. As the 2015 BET Hip Hop Awards approaches, let’s see how past honorees compare to their forbearers, who’ve also been honored.  (Photos from left: Earl Gibson/BET/Getty Images for BET, Earl Gibson/BET/Getty Images for BET, Theo Wargo/Getty Images for SpikeTV, Kevin Winter/Getty Images For 102.7 KIIS FM's Wango Tango)

DJ Grandmaster Flash and DJ Khaled - Hip hop music owes much to pioneering DJ Grandmaster Flash, who invented turntablist techniques by perfecting the art of scratching. And much like past Hip Hop Award honoree DJ Khaled, who has collaborated with hip hop music’s top MCs for classics like “No New Friends” and “I’m So Hood,” Flash musically backed hip hop trailblazers The Furious Five to create classics like 1981’s “Freedom” and 1983’s “The Message.” (Photos from left: Andy Sheppard/Redferns via Getty Images, Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

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DJ Grandmaster Flash and DJ Khaled - Hip hop music owes much to pioneering DJ Grandmaster Flash, who invented turntablist techniques by perfecting the art of scratching. And much like past Hip Hop Award honoree DJ Khaled, who has collaborated with hip hop music’s top MCs for classics like “No New Friends” and “I’m So Hood,” Flash musically backed hip hop trailblazers The Furious Five to create classics like 1981’s “Freedom” and 1983’s “The Message.” (Photos from left: Andy Sheppard/Redferns via Getty Images, Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

KRS-One and Killer Mike - Hip Hop Award honorees Killer Mike and KRS-One both share the spirit of activism within their music and lives. Throughout the years, KRS has lent his voice to a number of causes, from Black-on-Black violence to police brutality. In the age of the Black Lives Matter movement, Mike is also outspoken on matters of police misconduct, releasing the song “Reagan” or speaking on matters like Mike Brown’s death. (Photos from left: Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images, Karl Walter/Getty Images for Coachella)

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KRS-One and Killer Mike - Hip Hop Award honorees Killer Mike and KRS-One both share the spirit of activism within their music and lives. Throughout the years, KRS has lent his voice to a number of causes, from Black-on-Black violence to police brutality. In the age of the Black Lives Matter movement, Mike is also outspoken on matters of police misconduct, releasing the song “Reagan” or speaking on matters like Mike Brown’s death. (Photos from left: Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images, Karl Walter/Getty Images for Coachella)

Russell Simmons and Diddy - Diddy cites Russ as his inspiration for pursuing moguldom. Following Russell Simmons’s creation of a hip hop empire — from the Def Jam record label to his Phat Farm — Diddy built his own kingdom via Bad Boy Records and Sean John. But the two also share major roles in hip hop activism, from Russell's seat as co-chair of the Hip Hop Summit Action Network to Diddy being an instrumental figure in the Vote or Die campaign of 2004. (Photos from left: Rick Kern/Getty Images for Samsung, Elsa/Getty Images)

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Russell Simmons and Diddy - Diddy cites Russ as his inspiration for pursuing moguldom. Following Russell Simmons’s creation of a hip hop empire — from the Def Jam record label to his Phat Farm — Diddy built his own kingdom via Bad Boy Records and Sean John. But the two also share major roles in hip hop activism, from Russell's seat as co-chair of the Hip Hop Summit Action Network to Diddy being an instrumental figure in the Vote or Die campaign of 2004. (Photos from left: Rick Kern/Getty Images for Samsung, Elsa/Getty Images)

Ice Cube and Kendrick Lamar - Kendrick Lamar's latest LP, To Pimp a Butterfly, sports fierce commentary on tracks like “King Kunta” and “Alright.” In the same way, Ice Cube came to fame rapping and writing bold anthems on street life (“Gangsta Gangsta”) and injustice at the hands of law enforcement that K.Dot has so eloquently made hits about. Later, Cube garnered solo stardom via gangsterfied social songs like “Once Upon a Time in the Projects” and “Endangered Species.” (Photos: Earl Gibson/BET/Getty Images for BET)

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Ice Cube and Kendrick Lamar - Kendrick Lamar's latest LP, To Pimp a Butterfly, sports fierce commentary on tracks like “King Kunta” and “Alright.” In the same way, Ice Cube came to fame rapping and writing bold anthems on street life (“Gangsta Gangsta”) and injustice at the hands of law enforcement that K.Dot has so eloquently made hits about. Later, Cube garnered solo stardom via gangsterfied social songs like “Once Upon a Time in the Projects” and “Endangered Species.” (Photos: Earl Gibson/BET/Getty Images for BET)

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Salt-N-Pepa and Nicki Minaj - Salt-N-Pepa became the biggest selling female rap group, boldly exploring sexuality on songs like “Let’s Talk About Sex” and women’s liberation. Following in their footsteps, Nicki Minaj has become the most charted female rapper in the history of the Billboard 100 as she’s pushed sexual swag and street confidence to new heights. (Photos from left: Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images, Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

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Salt-N-Pepa and Nicki Minaj - Salt-N-Pepa became the biggest selling female rap group, boldly exploring sexuality on songs like “Let’s Talk About Sex” and women’s liberation. Following in their footsteps, Nicki Minaj has become the most charted female rapper in the history of the Billboard 100 as she’s pushed sexual swag and street confidence to new heights. (Photos from left: Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images, Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

LL Cool J and Big Sean - LL Cool J and Big Sean sit at opposite ends of the Def Jam timeline, but the two share a brash approach to expressing their feelings, especially about the opposite sex. LL has articulated his macho thoughts on female conquest via songs like “Jingling Baby.” While Sean conquered the hip hop world with his eff you anthem for the 21st Century “IDFWU.” (Photos from left: Theo Wargo/Getty Images for SpikeTV, Kevin Winter/Getty Images For 102.7 KIIS FM's Wango Tango)

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LL Cool J and Big Sean - LL Cool J and Big Sean sit at opposite ends of the Def Jam timeline, but the two share a brash approach to expressing their feelings, especially about the opposite sex. LL has articulated his macho thoughts on female conquest via songs like “Jingling Baby.” While Sean conquered the hip hop world with his eff you anthem for the 21st Century “IDFWU.” (Photos from left: Theo Wargo/Getty Images for SpikeTV, Kevin Winter/Getty Images For 102.7 KIIS FM's Wango Tango)

Rakim and J. Cole - An intricate word flow and quiet spirituality are what runs through the work of honoree Rakim and “Lost Ones” rapper J. Cole. Rakim shifted rap’s stylistic paradigm, injecting a jazz-influenced cadence with the release of his and DJ Eric B.’s debut Paid in Full in 1987. Likewise, J. stands out from his contemporaries via his labyrinthine wordplay on tracks such as “Be Free” and “Apparently.” (Photos from left: Scott Dudelson/Getty Images, Robin Marchant/Getty Images for ESPN)

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Rakim and J. Cole - An intricate word flow and quiet spirituality are what runs through the work of honoree Rakim and “Lost Ones” rapper J. Cole. Rakim shifted rap’s stylistic paradigm, injecting a jazz-influenced cadence with the release of his and DJ Eric B.’s debut Paid in Full in 1987. Likewise, J. stands out from his contemporaries via his labyrinthine wordplay on tracks such as “Be Free” and “Apparently.” (Photos from left: Scott Dudelson/Getty Images, Robin Marchant/Getty Images for ESPN)

MC Lyte and Rapsody - Hip Hop Award honoree MC Lyte and North Carolina’s Rapsody have both successfully balanced hard core swag and rhyme skill with street-corner femininity. It’s apparent from listening to Rapsody’s thick, head-nod inducing flows that she’s an updated version of Brooklyn B-girl MC Lyte. (Photos from left: Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty Images, Michael Tran/Getty Images)

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MC Lyte and Rapsody - Hip Hop Award honoree MC Lyte and North Carolina’s Rapsody have both successfully balanced hard core swag and rhyme skill with street-corner femininity. It’s apparent from listening to Rapsody’s thick, head-nod inducing flows that she’s an updated version of Brooklyn B-girl MC Lyte. (Photos from left: Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty Images, Michael Tran/Getty Images)

Doug E. Fresh and 2 Chainz - Hip hop pioneer Doug E. Fresh and 2 Chainz can be described as ones who know to cold rock a party. The human beatbox Doug E. Fresh is a show stopper, with classics like 1985’s “The Show” and “All the Way to Heaven.” Atlanta’s 2 Chainz takes the bacchanal over to an R rating with crowd pleasers like “I’m Different” and his classic “Birthday Song.” (Photos from left: Theo Wargo/Getty Images for SpikeTV, Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

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Doug E. Fresh and 2 Chainz - Hip hop pioneer Doug E. Fresh and 2 Chainz can be described as ones who know to cold rock a party. The human beatbox Doug E. Fresh is a show stopper, with classics like 1985’s “The Show” and “All the Way to Heaven.” Atlanta’s 2 Chainz takes the bacchanal over to an R rating with crowd pleasers like “I’m Different” and his classic “Birthday Song.” (Photos from left: Theo Wargo/Getty Images for SpikeTV, Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Scarface and Jeezy - Both Scarface and Jeezy speak for the underside of street life — one from the point of its insanity and the other from inside the trap house. Before Jeezy became a trap tour guide on tracks like “My Hood” and “I’m So Paid,” Scarface spoke of the destructive ends of slinging that powder on “Seen a Man Die” and “My Block.” (Photos from left: Leon Bennett/WireImage, Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Power 105.1)

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Scarface and Jeezy - Both Scarface and Jeezy speak for the underside of street life — one from the point of its insanity and the other from inside the trap house. Before Jeezy became a trap tour guide on tracks like “My Hood” and “I’m So Paid,” Scarface spoke of the destructive ends of slinging that powder on “Seen a Man Die” and “My Block.” (Photos from left: Leon Bennett/WireImage, Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Power 105.1)