complex.com/music/a/alex-ocho/gene-simmons-rappers-rock-roll-hall-of-fame-ghetto

In a recent episode of the Legends N Leaders podcast, the 75-year-old KISS bassist had some choice words about hip-hop and its place in Rock Hall.

“The fact, for instance, that Iron Maiden is not in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, when they can sell out stadiums, and Grandmaster Flash is," Simmons said at the 37-minute, 50-second mark in the video linked here. “Ice Cube and I had a back and forth—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.”

He continued, “I said in print many times: hip-hop does not belong in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, nor does opera, and symphony orchestras. How come the New York Philharmonic doesn't get the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction? 'Cuz it's called the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame.”

Simmons recalls that Ice Cube rebutted that the award is for acts whose music is in “the spirit of rock.”

“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 went on to characterize rap as primarily verbal.

“Music has labels because it describes an approach. 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,” he explained. “There are some melodies, but by and large it's a verbal thing—it's rhyming and all that. And I know rapper Eminem can rap quickly. I wish him more success. I really don't give a f***. 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."

The aging rock star’s take on hip-hop is hardly new. He made similar comments in a 2016 interview with Rolling Stone, saying he was “looking forward to the death of rap.”

"I'm looking forward to music coming back to lyrics and melody, instead of just talking. A song, as far as I'm concerned, is by definition lyric and melody … or just melody,” he said at the time. “"Rap will die. Next year, 10 years from now, at some point, and then something else will come along. And all that is good and healthy."

When asked if he likes the genre at all, he answered, “I don't have the cultural background to appreciate being a gangster. Of course that's not what it's all about, but that's where it comes from. That's the heart and soul of it. It came from the streets.”

bro just saying shi

yea im not jackin the anti-rap sentiment but his point is fairly valid. even if rap carries on the spirit of rock or wtv it isnt actually rock n roll its rap. i get the hall of fame guys thinking "how do we stay relevant when rock is this far past its peak" and it is dope that grandmaster flash gets some recognition, but at a certain point u gotta admit its over. rock n roll is a thing of the past, trying to deny that s*** wont end well.

“And I know rapper Eminem can rap quickly. I wish him more success”

Hip Hop is proudly from the streets. Don't get woke over this, especially when he's talking

Can dinosaurs like this guy just die already holy f***

man f*** him lol

Dude sounds like a loser

also known by his stage persona "the Demon", is an Israeli-American musician

yet again, another white “legend” I don’t give a f*** about

tbh this not even top 20 worst things he's said

I don’t care that rap music gets inducted, but also it is essentially the music hall of fame f*** KISS though

legit one of the worst bands ever

I've always been confused by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame randomly honouring other genres, but doing a little research, it seems like the intent was always to honour the entirety of popular music, not just rock and roll. Some of the earliest inductees were soul and country musicians. In fact, the founders also considered building the Hall of Fame in Detroit (because it was the home of Motown) and New Orleans (because it was the home of jazz). The founders solipsistically saw all modern American music as being downstream of rock and roll, which meant that any artist could theoretically be included. Seems like the best solution would be to change the name.

this the jewish nazi correct?

iron maiden not in the rock and roll hall of fame kind of wild though

but f*** gene simmons

Sorry had to go into my HOV bag in protest of Gene

Nope. Rock and roll is a spirit

This and all those genres were created by the African diaspora Gene needs to die

i always thought it was this lol

F*** this Zionist cockroach

Only mentions Eminem and Ice Cube
Says hip hop lacks melodies
Thinks the genre will die in 10 years
Thinks you have to be from the “streets” to enjoy it

I can tell this man hasn’t heard a single hip hop song since 2002