By the relaxed standards of hip-hop events, the cheerfully miasmic Awards went smoothly. Mishaps were few and impermanent, none of them life-threatening. Nominees carrying actual tickets for the event were sequestered behind a barricade in the cold for an hour, while an amoebic crush of "guests" claiming to be "on the list" tried to squeeze into the club. DJ Kay Slay arrived wearing a leather cap and matching jacket both emblazoned with variously colored Louis Vuitton logos. As he walked into the club, unimpeded, someone cried out, “Kay Slay don’t need no ticket!” which was apparently true.
A curious theatergoer headed for “The Lion King” asked what everyone was waiting for.
“The mixtape awards, son!” someone replied, though he was addressing a woman.
“What’s a mixtape?” she asked.
“It’s the truth, mommy, street truth,” his friend added, helpfully...
