Music
These Are the Only 5 Rappers Who've Hosted 'SNL'
Drake hosts Saturday Night Live this weekend. Can you name five other rappers who have hosted SNL?
Snoop Dogg
© Jeremy Deputat/Red Bull Media House
Drake, the rapper who released 'Nothing Was The Same' last year, is the host and musical guest of ' Saturday Night Live' this Saturday. He performed on the show in 2011 (with Nicki Minaj), but this is his first time as the host.
Drake is not the first rapper to host 'SNL,' but there have not been many rappers to do what he is about to do. He is, however, the first Canadian rapper to host 'SNL,' so that's something. And he's the first rapper-host since 2006. Also, there have only been two rappers before Drake to be given the hosting and performing duties, so this is a rare moment in 'SNL' history.
Which rappers hosted 'SNL' before Drake? Find out below.
1. Debbie Harry
Date: February 14, 1981Duties: Host
Debbie Harry, of Blondie, rapped that one time on that one song 'Rapture.' Technically, she was the first rapper to host 'Saturday Night Live.' It was on Valentine's Day, 1981, and the musical guest was Funky Four Plus One. The Bronx group were the first rappers to ever perform on national television, and so, of course, the first rappers to perform on 'SNL.'
2. MC Hammer
Date: December 7, 1991Duties: Host and Musical Guest
Hammer was the first rapper to be the combined host and musical guest of 'SNL.' It was in 1991, the year of his triple-platinum 'Too Legit To Quit' album.
3. Queen Latifah
Date: March 8, 2003Duties: Host
After Hammer, a rapper did not host 'SNL' for over ten years. Then came Queen Latifah, in 2003. However, by this time, Latifah was more into singing standards than rapping, and she was making a hard turn toward acting -- the previous year she starred in the film 'Chicago.' The musical guest the night Latifah hosted was Ms. Dynamite. [Note: Latifah was the host and musical guest on 'SNL' in late 2004, the year of her Grammy-nominated debut standards release, 'The Dana Owens Album.']
4. Snoop Dogg
Date: May 8, 2004Duties: Host
Snoop hosted 'SNL' in 2004, just a few months before he released the Pharrell-featuring hit song 'Drop It Like It's Hot,' the lead single from 'R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece.' The musical guest that night was Avril Lavigne.
5. Ludacris
Date: November 18, 2006Duties: Host and Musical Guest
A few months after the release of his Grammy Award-winning album 'Release Therapy,' Ludacris was the host and musical guest of 'SNL.' The album's biggest hit was 'Money Maker,' with Pharrell.
Any predictions on who will be the next rapper to be both the host and musical guest on 'Saturday Night Live?' (Duh: Kendrick Lamar.)