Hip-Hop (and music in general) needs a legitimate awards show

In my quest to finally figure out why mainstream hip-hop and music in general has gone down the shitter, I stumbled upon an interesting theory.

While the mainstream entertainment industry as a whole generally amounts to a huge cluster-fuck of bankable cliches, there are always the exceptions.

That is, in film and television there are. In music the only exceptions are, quite generally, the people who don't get any airplay. In film and television, however, these exceptions are noted by major players in the respective fields, put on a pedestal, and nominated for prestigious awards, like Emmys, Oscars, or Golden Globes.

You may be saying, "Well, what about the Grammys? That's the most prestigious music award there is, right?!"

Well, it is, but only by default; especially when referring to hip-hop. The Grammys, unlike the AMA's or Billboard Awards--whose winners are chosen based on their popularity--are awarded to those deemed worthy by a panel of old white dudes. Even so, the hip-hop/r&b playing field among all three events is generally populated with the same names. You know, the regulars: Justin, Beyonce, Usher, etc. Not to say that any of these three are untalented or uncreative, but they are definitely not the best in their field by any measure except popularity.

What about the BET awards?
Now I've really got to hand it to BET. A hugely bootleg television network has managed to produce a series of surprisingly un-bootleg awards ceremonies. But be honest, is that award really worth anything? At most, the music section of the BET awards is just a expanded version of the "urban" sections of the Billboard Awards (albeit with the respectable addition of a "Gospel" category).

Quite sadly, if we really look at it, the closest thing we have ever had to a pure hip-hop award's show is the Source Awards; and do I really need to get started on that shit?

Unlike musicians and record executives; filmmakers, theatre and television producers, and actors actually have a motivation other than money: the prestige of being recognized by critics, fans, enthusiasts, and experts as "the best" for that year. Not "the most popular" or "the most successful", but "the best". That phrase actually means something in film, theatre, and television. Perhaps this is part of the reason why hip-hop has become so dry and predictable.

It's just a guess, but maybe we need a prestigious hip-hop awards ceremony. How about the Can I Kick it Awards...? What do you think Mia? Hey we're not the Oscars but it's a start.