Kiss frontman and self-appointed Nostradamus, Gene Simmons sharply offered a rebuttal to the N.W.A following their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which preceded their on-stage response to his own “rap will die” commentary.
During their acceptance speech, MC Ren called out the iconic rocker with “I want to say to Gene Simmons, Hip Hop is here forever. Get used to it.”
Ice Cube also justified the legendary rap group’s inclusion stating “Rock ‘n roll is not just a musical style but a spirit that connects people, be they bluesmen or punk rockers. Rock ‘n roll is not conforming to the people who came before you but creating your own path in music and in life,” and concluding with “That is rock ‘n roll and that is us.”
While replying to that particular story on Twitter, Simmons responded directly to Cube with the caveat, “Respectfully– let me know when @JimiHendrix gets into the hip hop hall of fame. Then youll have a point. @icecube.”
The Hip Hop community as a whole are extremely protective of its archives but considering Hendrix’s persona predated several attributes enhanced by a rapper (being black and rebellious; hedonistically championing trysts with drugs and women; etc.) who knows what the future will hold. Also the Hip Hop Hall of Fame severely pales in comparison to the lineage, legacy and history of its rock counterpart, so for now, being immortalized in Cleveland will have to do.
N.W.A’s acceptance speech can be seen in the videos below.
Dude we don’t care…. Why is this even an article?
If you care about hip hop you should care about this since this is another washed up legendary artist that can’t just be humble and accept hip hop for its major contribution. Also there is no actual hip hop hall of fame it’s pretty much an honor system that isn’t fully tangible yet.
u care…that’s y u commented
i dont get why NWA is in the Rock N Roll Hallof Fame to begin with.
Same here.. but they somehow have decided that the Moody blues don’t belong..sheesh
Gene Simmons still being a racist asshole I see.
He is not , just pointing out the Hypocrisy that rap somehow crosses into Rock, but rock somehow does not cross into rap.
Wait, what? How is Gene Simmons racist, didn’t he just endorse Jimi Hendrix?
Though I do not agree with Gene Simmons and his views on hip hop, he does have a point….WHY IS JIMI HENDRIX NOT IN THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME?! He was a BEAST of an artist!
he didnt say Jimi Hendrix wasnt in the Rock n Roll HoF, he said if NWA is in the Rock N Roll HoF then Jimi Hendrix should be in the Hip-Hop Hall of Fame
Rock ‘n’ Roll is big enough to allow some Hip Hop, especially when several generations of kids have grown up on both. As for the Hip Hop Hall of Fame, that’s like comparing a Mom and Pop store to Walmart.
Jimi isn’t in the Hip Hop Hall of fame because he predates the genre of hip hop. He was in a different era of music that’s it. Is there even a hip hop hall of fame?
Rock n Roll originated from Rhythm n Blues anyways. Gene Simmons is just a hater.
the hiphop hall of fame would be like a top ten list that everybody shits on. i never saw nwa on anybodys list …ever
I think Wayne Gretzky should be inducted into the Baseball Hall Of Fame! The Basketball Hall of fame has also completely ignored the accomplishments of Hank Aaron! It’s a travesty!
yo they better put Nickelback in the Hip-Hop Hall of Fame or I’m boycotting.
There is a point where most genres of music cross over into others. The clash is considered a rock band, but they have reggae influences. How many hip hop songs sampled rock songs? I’m sure it’s a pretty big list.
If they did open a poll to let Hendrix into the hip hop hall of fame, I’d gladly vote him in. Simmons needs to get off his high horse. If it weren’t for cross genre styling, rock and roll wouldn’t exist.
I mean how u have nwa but not jimi Hendrix . He makes a good point. But still sounds like a bitter old man tbh
You too clearly before you reply…. Jimi Hendrix is in the rock and roll hof, he was saying that there are no rockers the HIP HOP HOF genius
Good. I love rap and NWA, but it’s not fucking rock and roll. So by this logic, we should put led zeppellin in the top ten hiphop artist to love?!? Dumb fucks. Rap ain’t rock. It’s simple as that.
I have to agree with Gene Simmons. Hip Hop is a genre’ unto itself, more a kin to R&B than rock ‘n roll. I feel the powers-that-be in Cleveland need to stick within their genre’. Furthermore, I have to believe that Little Richard, Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry would agree.
No one said shit when RUN DMC was inducted into the Rock nroll hal of fame
Maybe because RUN DMC has rock and roll themed songs, I mean, he does a fun cover of Aerosmiths “Walk This Way”, so hes somewhat rock oriented. NWA is in no way rock oriented. I love nwa, but they are highly overrated. Nobody was raving about them this decade until the movie. IMO a better rap group would be outkast, old g unit, id say wutang but they fell hard after the 2 great albums. NWA is great and all, but not the best to do it by any means. In fact, Id easily say that Dr Dre, Ice Cube, and Eazy E all had solo careers with music much iller than NWA’s. And ive seen dre and cube live. And funny thing is, one of my favorite NWA songs is the one after Eazy passed, and some original memebers left, and added Snoo Dogg, for “chin check”. That songs dope as hell.,
The fact that you think RunDMC is a he not a group makes your comment irrelevant. Kinda good points, but still irrelevant.
nwa did a song with guns & roses
Elvis Presley ain’t got no soul.
Elvis got more soul then that ni**a Mos Def
I wanna see that pic Yella took at the end
Just seen it on his ig
Fuck Gene Simmons! Eat a aids infected dick.
What happened to Rock N Roll as a genre, anyway?
Fuck gene, but i dont think rappers should be honored in a different genres fame. Still, gene needs to catch a beatdown.
What does it mean for NWA to be in? It doesnt mean anything nobody cares. These mf all working together Im talking about cube and simmons, if yall cant see that then yall blind. This is another tactic of division, they want us divided so bad, jada pinkett is in on this bs too. they all work together its all about attention and money.
Support the Universal HipHop Museum in the Bronx NY… May Peace Prevail on this Earth
Gene is entitled to his opinion but its only one mans opinion. Music is all about what you feel and always will be. It could be a good guitar riff, a good keyboard melody or just a good 16 bars on a hip hop joint.
Hiphop has always been a bunch of whinebags when somebody didn’t like it…Hiphop sold it’s soul for acceptance from people who they wouldn’t accept into hiphop in the first place, it’s a sad story really. Hiphop cried about not being accepted like other genres, they used racism as the argument, and white guilt took hiphop and put it on a world stage. Now it’s a dog shit genre like every other genre controlled by corporate america, but hiphop don’t wanna accept it’s responsibility for it’s downfall…it’s easier to blame white people
Hey man stop trying to force the man to like hip hop. If he doesn’t like it he just doesn’t ….shit push on. Kick dust…with flip flops on, with tube socks with holes in ’em on. That guy doesn’t make a bit of difference about what hip hop is or isn’t.