Making history can often inspire people to make a change. Jay-Z and LL Cool J’s recent inductions into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame are both historic examples of hip-hop’s expansive cultural reach, and reminders of why hip-hop needs a functioning hall of fame of its own.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s inclusion of hip-hop is relatively new, and has omitted dozens of legends from joining its ranks. There wasn’t a single hip-hop act in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame until March 12, 2007, when hip-hop pioneers Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five were inducted — 25 years after the group’s seminal track “The Message” widened hip-hop’s reach by becoming one of the genre’s first hits on the Billboard charts. It wouldn’t be for another decade until the Rock HOF inducted its first solo hip-hop artist, 2Pac, after inducting legendary groups inducting acts like the N.W.A., Public Enemy, and The Beastie Boys. LL Cool J was essentially the first hip-hop star, and his induction this year comes after being nominated six times since 2010. As of 2021, only nine hip-hop artists have been inducted; a number that disrespectfully misrepresents hip-hop’s influence on popular music for more than 45 years.
