Benzino Reveals He’s “Almost Finished” With A 1995 Source Awards Documentary

Benzino says he’s working on a documentary film about the iconic 1995 Source Awards that he intends to release in 2025. He revealed his plans for the project during an interview with TMZ, earlier this week. The night was famous for several dramatic moments, including Andre 3000’s “the South got something to say,” declaration, Snoop Dogg’s confrontation with the New York City crowd, and more.

“I’m almost finished with my documentary that I’ve been working on for the last year,” Benzino told the outlet. “It’s going to really show people how that night changed Hip Hop forever. I got to interview a lot of people who were there that night but I can’t speak too much on it ’cause it’s not completed yet.”

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Benzino Attends “Hollywood Hearts” Premiere

ATLANTA, GA – OCTOBER 06: Benzino attends “Hollywood Hearts” Atlanta movie premiere at Regal Atlantic Station on October 6, 2016, in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Marcus Ingram/Getty Images)

He also brought up Suge Knight allegedly mocking Diddy and Bad Boy Records while accepting the award for Motion Picture Soundtrack of the Year. “When Suge said that, I was standing right there on the side of the stage. I was nervous because he flew out about 100 people that night, he spent about $50,000 for his set. We just gotta thank the Hip Hop gods that no violence took place that night. Because that wasn’t the only beef; there were other situations that night. Unfortunately, we lost the two giants and that changed Hip Hop forever. It still hasn’t recovered,” he said.

Benzino Discusses The Source Awards

Check out Benzino’s full interview with TMZ below. He also discussed his recent appearance on TV One’s Celebrity Crime Files, his relationship with 2Pac, and more. Despite Andre 3000’s speech going down in history, the legendary rapper revealed earlier this year that he doesn’t actually remember it. Appearing on The Shop, he explained that he only remembers the disrespect the South was getting at the time: “I remember being really angry and driven because we’ve been creating this music, man. We’ve been in the Dungeon. And we just felt like, ‘Y’all don’t get it.’” Be on the lookout for further updates on Benzino on HotNewHIpHop.

Read More: Benzino Shares His Shocking Take On Eminem Becoming A Grandfather

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Andre 3000 Claims He Doesn’t Remember His Iconic Source Awards Speech

Andre 3000 dropped several gems during his recent appearance on The Shop. He discussed taking hatred from others and using it to fuel creativity. He also talked about his experiments with jazz, and how it’s freed him up to do whatever he wants. The most fascinating revelation, though, was when the show’s other guest, Sexyy Red, asked about his iconic speech at the 1995 Source Awards. Andre 3000 reflected on the speech, before admitting that he doesn’t really remember what he said.

Sexyy Red was born in 1998, so she inquired about the intention of the speech during their Shop talk. Andre 3000 told the younger rapper that his memory of being onstage was hazy. “I don’t even remember the whole thing,” he admitted. What he did remember, however, was the sense of frustration he felt in the years leading up to the Source Awards. “N**gas hating on the South at that point,” he said. “I remember being really angry and driven because we’ve been creating this music, man. We’ve been in the Dungeon. And we just felt like, ‘Y’all don’t get it.’”

Read More: Andre 3000 Claims Pimp C Hated His “Int’l Players Anthem” Verse

Andre 3000 Recalls Being Extremely Nervous On Stage

The reason why Andre 3000 struggles to remember his speech was because he was extremely nervous while giving it. “It was not planned,” he admitted. “It looked brave, but I was nervous as a motherf*cker. I was just angry, man.” Three Stacks, who was one half of Outkast at the time, felt that the South was not being afforded the same respect that New York was. Further adding to the frustration was the fact that both Andre and Big Boi were fans of the NY sound. “We love New York,” he said. “We grew up on all New York music, man. I just felt like, I don’t know, it just came out. And I just said that.”

Andre 3000’s speech has since been lionized by fans. It’s a classic moment in both Source and Southern hip-hop history. It was so prominent, in fact, that Outkast used audio from the speech on their 1998 song “Chonkyfire.” The phrase that Andre 3000 uttered towards the end of his speech has become a rallying cry of sorts for the entire South. They had something to say, and so did Three Stacks. Even if he doesn’t remember it clearly.

Read More: Andre 3000 Delivers Sobering Update On Potential Outkast Reunion Album

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Benzino On Why He Created The Source Awards: “We Control The Narrative”

In a candid revelation, Benzino recently shared the origin story behind the creation of the Source Awards. According to him, the motivation for establishing the awards show stemmed from the Grammys’ historical lack of recognition and respect for the hip-hop genre. In a statement that echoes the sentiments of many in the industry, Benzino shed light on the enduring struggle hip-hop faced in gaining acknowledgment from mainstream award ceremonies.

“The reason we made the Source Awards: the Grammys weren’t giving hip-hop respect at all. This has been going on forever,” Benzino asserted, laying the longstanding frustration within the hip-hop community regarding the Grammy Awards. His words reflect a sentiment shared by artists who have often found themselves overlooked or under-appreciated by traditional award platforms. Moreover, Benzino’s observation extends beyond mere frustration, delving into the perceived intentional actions by the Grammys to provoke and disappoint hip-hop artists. “Thats why the Source Awards was important because we control the narrative,” he said. “What the Grammys just did was f**ked up, stop supporting.”

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Benzino Speaks Out

Furthermore, his remark, “they do things on purpose to piss hip-hop off,” unveils a deeper layer of systemic bias. Some believe this has persisted within the Grammy voting process for years. This perspective challenges the integrity of the awards system, suggesting a deliberate sidelining of hip-hop artists. While acknowledging the importance of artists like Killer Mike, Benzino raises questions about the recent Grammy decisions. Especially in awarding three of the hip-hop and rap category Grammys to Mike. His skepticism suggests a broader critique of the Grammys, urging the hip-hop community to reconsider its support for an institution that may not truly represent its interests.

Moreover, Benzino’s call to “stop supporting” the Grammys resonates with a growing sentiment within the hip-hop industry. The idea of empowering the community to control its narrative, as exemplified by the Source Awards, becomes a rallying cry for artists to seek recognition and validation from platforms that genuinely appreciate the genre’s cultural significance. In conclusion, Benzino’s candid remarks provide a critical perspective on the Grammys’ treatment of hip-hop. As the hip-hop community grapples with ongoing challenges and strives for equitable recognition, Benzino calls for collective action. He urges artists and fans alike to reassess their support for award platforms that may not fully embrace the essence and impact of hip-hop music.

Read More: Benzino Admits He Had Help Writing Eminem Diss Track

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Benzino Takes Blame For André 3000’s Speech At The 1995 Source Awards

Benzino just took credit (or blame, in this case) for arguably one of the most important moments in hip-hop history. Moreover, readers likely remember André 3000’s now iconic speech after winning Best New Artist at the 1995 Source Awards off the success of their 1994 debut Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik. While they received boos from the crowd, André kept his head up and clapped back at the community hating on the new generation and scene that was bubbling out of the South, which didn’t match the East or West Coast as far as public favor.

“But it’s like this, though,” 3 Stacks remarked on stage. “I’m tired of closed-minded folks. It’s like we got a demo tape and don’t nobody want to hear it. But it’s like this, the South got something to say, and that’s all I got to say.” Now, in a snippet from Ray Daniels’ upcoming interview with Benzino for his The Gauds Show podcast, the media personality admitted that he tried to skew reception of the Atlanta legends’ LP upon its release. Of course, most people loved it, but he didn’t share that enthusiasm. Almost thirty years later, he admitted to sleeping on Outkast, and even suggested that Dré’s speech was aimed at him, among other detractors.

Benzino Claims He Unfortunately Inspired André 3000’s Source Awards Speech

“The reason why André 3000 said what he did, I’ma have to tell y’all this story,” Benzino revealed regarding his close work with The Source magazine co-owner Dave Mays. “When they was giving Outkast 4.5 mics, I remember, I didn’t understand it. I didn’t understand the music. And I was the one who kinda raised some situations up at The Source, I’m gonna admit it. And I was wrong. I think it got to Outkast. And I think that’s why André said what he said. I think that was kinda directed toward me.

“I think I made a mistake and I shouldn’t have,” he continued. “Usually, I bow out of the whole five mic thing. The five mics was so strong that we let the journalists take care of that. The Source was business over here and the journalists over here. We would let the journalists take care of that; the writers, the photographers. It was a group of them and they would sit in a room and the labels would send the albums and they would rate them. It was one of the main things, the five mic system. One time, me and one of them got into a debate about Outkast because I didn’t understand at that time that music. And I was wrong.” Regardless of your take on this, come back to HNHH for the latest on Benzino, André 3000, and Outkast.

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