Kiss legend Gene Simmons has gone off once again about hip hop artists being included in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Established in 1983, the Hall was inititally dedicated to predominantly celebrating the achievements and legacies of rock and soul artists, before more pop and hip hop icons began to be inducted as the decades wore on.
Now, numerous hip hop heavyweights including Run D.M.C, Public Enemy, Beastie Boys, Jay Z, Eminem and Missy Elliot are officially in the Hall - and following years of negative observations, it appears Simmons still isn't happy about it.
"The fact that Iron Maiden is not in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, when they can sell out stadiums, and Grandmaster Flash is," Simmons rants to Legends And Leaders (as transcribed by Blabbermouth).
"Ice Cube and I had a back-and-forth, and he's a bright guy and I respect what he's done," the vocalist/bassist adds, noting a previous disagreement with the rap legend and N.W.A. alumni. "It's not my music. I don't come from the ghetto. It doesn't speak my language. And I said in print many times, hip-hop does not belong in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, nor does opera, symphony orchestras. How come the New York Philharmonic doesn't get the Rock And Roll [Hall Of Fame induction]?
"'Cause it's called the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. But [Ice Cube] shot back and said, 'No, it's the spirit of rock and roll.' Okay, fine. So Ice Cube and Grandmaster Flash and all these guys are in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. I just wanna know when Led Zeppelin's gonna be in the Hip-Hop Hall Of Fame. Oh, you can't do that? Oh, really?!"
Simmons then attempts to explain his logic by arguing that the ways in which rock and hip-hop are crafted are profoundly different.
"Music has labels because it describes an approach,"he continues. "By and large, rap, hip-hop is a spoken-word art. You put beats in back of it and somebody comes up with a musical phrase, but it's verbal. There are some melodies, but by and large it's a verbal thing - it's rhyming and all that. And I know Eminem can [rap quickly]. I wish him more success. I really don't give a fuck. It just doesn't speak to me. With the genius of being able to put words and music and arrange it, it's much more complex."
Simmons isn't done there, though: he then brings dance music into the conversation, insisting that there is a lack of talent in making EDM compared to guitar-based genres.
"The hardest thing to do is to write a simple, memorable song," he insists. "Much easier is to do EDM. And by the way, I'm a fan of it. I love anything that makes people happy. But in terms of talent? There are no tribute bands to Skrillex. Nobody covers those songs."
Following N.W.A.'s induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2016, Ice Cube made a passionate case for hip-hop's inclusion in the Hall, stating: "Are we rock’n’roll? You goddamn right we rock’n’roll. Rock’n’roll is not an instrument. It’s not even a style of music. It’s a spirit that’s been going on since the blues, jazz, bebop, soul, rock’n’roll, R&B, heavy metal, punk rock, and yes, hip-hop.
“Rock’n’roll is not conforming to the people who came before you, but creating your own path in music and life," he concluded. "That is rock’n’roll and that is us.”
So what do you think? Is Gene Simmons too stuck in his ways on this one? Do hip-hop, EDM, pop and other genres belong in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame? Share your thoughts below.
