Gene Simmons has sturdy opinions on the Rock & Roll Corridor of Fame, and he’s not backing down from them anytime quickly. In a current podcast interview, the KISS rocker reiterated his perception that the group shouldn’t induct hip-hop stars, saying the style “doesn’t converse [his] language.”
Whereas guesting on LegendsNLeaders, Simmons was explaining that he thinks critics and official musical establishments can’t be trusted to find out a band or artist’s relevance when he introduced up the Rock Corridor for example. “The truth that, for example, Iron Maiden is just not within the Rock & Roll Corridor of Fame once they can promote out stadiums, and Grandmaster Flash is,” he started.
“Ice Dice and I had a forwards and backwards — he’s a vivid man, and I respect what he’s executed,” Simmons continued. “It’s not my music. I don’t come from the ghetto. It doesn’t converse my language. I mentioned in print many occasions: Hip-hop doesn’t belong within the Rock & Roll Corridor of Fame, nor does opera, symphony orchestras … it’s referred to as the Rock & Roll Corridor of Fame.”
“However [Ice] shot again and mentioned, ‘No, it’s the spirit of rock n’ roll,’” the bassist added. “OK, fantastic … I simply need to know when Led Zeppelin’s gonna be within the Hip-Hop Corridor of Fame. Music has labels, as a result of it describes an method.”
Billboard has reached out to the Rock Corridor for remark.
KISS was inducted into the Rock Corridor in 2014, two years after which Ice Dice earned a spot within the establishment’s hallowed halls as a part of pioneering gangsta rap group N.W.A. The latter is one among a number of hip-hop stars the Corridor has welcomed, together with rap icons equivalent to Jay-Z, LL Cool J and Missy Elliott.
When Eminem was inducted in 2022, Rock Corridor CEO Greg Harris defended the inclusion of the Detroit rapper — and hip-hop normally — by telling Audacy, “You hearken to his music, it’s as onerous hitting and straight forward as any steel tune … It’s a chest punch with a message and with an influence and with a rhythm and with a band.”
Ice Dice additionally made his case for why hip-hop deserves Rock Corridor recognition when accepting N.W.A’s induction 10 years in the past. “Rock n’ roll is just not an instrument,” he mentioned on the 2016 ceremony. “It’s not even a method of music. It’s a spirit that’s been occurring because the blues, jazz, bebop, soul, rock n’ roll, R&B, heavy steel, punk rock and, sure, hip-hop. Rock n’ roll is just not conforming to the individuals who got here earlier than you, however creating your personal path in music and life. That’s rock n’ roll and that’s us.”
Watch Simmons’ full interview on LegendsNLeaders under.
