Punch up at a mix-tape wedding

The long tradition of brawling at hip hop award ceremonies seems to be in no danger of dying out, Kelefa Sanneh tells us in Prime Time Still Eludes Brawling Hip-Hop Awards:

an attempt to clear the stage for a performance nearly erupted into a brawl. (Last year's ceremony, at the Hammerstein Ballroom, was cut short by a backstage fight.) Through an impressive combination of exhortation, cajoling and threats, a truce was negotiated, and the show went on — and on and on. The last award was given out just before 1 a.m., nearly five hours after the announced start time.

I guess this fighting spirit makes sense when

Mixtape D.J.'s have been helped immeasurably by hip-hop's high-profile feuds: mixtapes are often the only way to stay current on who hates whom. On Wednesday night, just about everyone seemed to be embroiled in some sort of beef.
(...)
other disputes raged on: between hosts, between D.J.'s, between detractors and supporters of Club Speeed, even between rival jewelers. The only consensus was that anything worth doing is worth fighting over.

Rival jewelers? Watch out!

In the end it was hard not to admire this fighting spirit; after all, cutthroat competition has helped keep hip-hop fresh for almost 30 years.

Really? Call me far removed from the day-to-day turmoils of the rap industry, but in my opinion, past a certain age (early 20s, one would hope) not being able to behave in public becomes a bit embarassing. I hear artists and philosophers used to beat each other up in Parisian cafés. That was stupid too. And if you disagree, I'll quote DJ KaySlay:

holler at me outside