Notorious B.I.G. tribute at Hot 97's "Tip Off" show

Diddy and Snoop Dogg literally shut NYC down. Housed at Madison Square Garden for Hot 97′s NBA All-Star Weekend Tip Off concert, the two hip-hop veterans put on what many may deem as the best hip-hop show in years. Dr. Dre, Faith Evans, Big Sean, Troy Ave., Jadakiss, Styles P, Lil Kim, 112, Kanye West, OT Genasis, Busta Rhymes, French Montana, A$AP Ferg, iLoveMakonnen and Nas all came out at the show, making it almost as if the famed NYC rap station was putting on the winter version of their annual “Summer Jam” concert.

Rewind back 20 years, and this show never would have happened. In 1995, at what some call their prime era, Diddy, then Puff Daddy, and Snoop Dogg were at extreme odds. With the West Coast rapper’s former label, Death Row Records, and Bad Boy Records deemed widely known rivals at the time. On that very stage, two decades ago, DR label head, Suge Knight, kicked off the 1995 Source Awards openly dissing Diddy in front of the entire audience. However, as fences have long been mended, Diddy and Snoop choose to promote peace over violence at last night’s event.

“I also came here to set some (expletive) right, as y’all saw on the screen. That negative energy started right here, right on this very stage,” Diddy said. “If you about positivity, make some noise. So that’s what this is about, man. This is setting that scene straight, as if we can go back, but we can’t. But we get to celebrate on this stage.”

Diddy kicked things off at last night’s show and really created a memorable moment for hip-hop culture. Not only did the mogul bring out Nas to perform the rap classic “Hate Me Now” and Kanye West to give a rendition of “Can’t Tell Me Nothing,” but he also reunited the 90′s era Bad Boy Records clan. Performing the timeless classic Notorious B.I.G. tribute, “I’ll Be Missing You” and “One More Chance,” along with other chart-topping records in their catalog, Diddy brought out Faith Evans, 112, Lil Cease, and Lil Kim. That moment alone brought many hip-hop heads to tears, and the emotion was even evident on the faces of the former comerades.

Check out the footage below: