Gene Simmons, bass player, co-singer, and co-founder of the legendary rock band KISS, recently made a statement about the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s inclusion of rap and hip-hop artists that is resonating with rock fans all across the world. Simmons said he doesn’t believe rappers and hip-hop artists should be inducted into the Hall of Fame due to the clear and obvious fact that it’s a totally different genre of music, going on to say, “I don’t come from the ghetto, it doesn’t speak my language.”
The bassist, most famous for flashing his long tongue on stage and spitting blood during live performances, went on to build a fairly solid case for not including certain musical artists from what is supposed to be the greatest honor in rock music during an episode of the LegendsNLeaders podcast.
Simmons, who is known as a brutally honest straight-shooter, had an exchange the week prior to the episode where he said that if rap stars are so desperate to receive widespread public acclaim, they should look elsewhere and not at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. “The fact that, for instance, Iron Maiden is not in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, when they can sell out stadiums and Grandmaster Flash is, right?” Simmons said.
The KISS co-frontman then explained, “Ice Cube and I had a back and forth [about this]. He’s a bright guy and I respect what he’s done. 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 & Roll Hall of Fame. Nor does opera, symphonies, orchestras. How come the New York Philharmonic doesn’t get in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame? Because it’s called the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame!”
According to Breitbart News, the 76-year-old rock icon had a lot more on his mind about the topic, adding, “But [Ice Cube] shot back and said, ‘No, it’s the spirit of rock ‘n’ roll.’ Okay, fine. So Ice Cube and Grandmaster Flash and all these guys are in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.”
Still not done, he continued, “I just want to know when Led Zeppelin is going to be in the Hip-Hop Hall of Fame. ‘Oh, you can’t do that.’ Oh, really? Music has labels because it describes an approach. Hip-hop and rap is a spoken word art. There are some melodies but, by and large, it’s a verbal thing.”
“It just doesn’t speak to me,” Simmons wrapped up. “The genius of being able to put music and words and arrange it is much more complex.” KISS was officially inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2014. Just two years later, in 2016, Ice Cube’s rap group, N.W.A., most well know for their song, “F**k the Police” was inducted.
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Rap artists Eminem and Jay-Z have also been inducted. Some of the rappers’ fans went on the attack against Simmons for his take on the subject, but he refused to back down. In an interview with PEOPLE he said, “I stand by my word. You can agree to disagree and still respect and admire each other.”
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