Juicy J reveals how Dolly Parton sent Three 6 Mafia a congratulatory letter after they beat her for the 2006 Oscar for Best Original Song.
Juicy J and Project Pat are still reflecting on one of Hip-Hop’s most historic moments and the grace Dolly Parton showed them that night.
Twenty years ago, Three 6 Mafia made Oscar history. On March 5, 2006, the Memphis rap group won Best Original Song for “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp” from Hustle & Flow, becoming the first Hip-Hop group ever to take home an Academy Award.
But here’s what made the night even more special: Dolly Parton was nominated in the same category. She was up for “Travelin’ Thru.”
Nobody expected a rap song to beat out the competition that year, especially not against a country legend.
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When Three 6 Mafia’s name was called, Parton was among the first to celebrate. The camera caught her cheering louder than almost anyone else in the room.
What happened next showed exactly why Parton became a legend.
About a week after the Oscars, Three 6 Mafia got a letter in the mail. It was from Dolly herself. She’d taken the time to write them a personal note.
“We didn’t hear from her till like a week later. She sent us a letter and she signed it and said congratulations and I’m glad somebody from Tennessee won the Oscar,” Juicy J recalled.
The message was pure Dolly. She wasn’t bitter about losing. She wasn’t upset that a rap group beat her. Instead, she was genuinely happy that the Oscar stayed in Tennessee.
Juicy J also shared that he got to meet Parton before they even hit the stage.
The 2006 Oscars became a turning point for Hip-Hop. Three 6 Mafia proved that rap music belonged on the biggest stages.