KISS’s Gene Simmons slams rap music’s inclusion in Rock Hall of Fame once again
He's not happy
The ever-outspoken Gene Simmons has launched a fresh attack on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for including artists from other genres.
Seemingly unhappy with Tupac Shakur being inducted alongside Yes, ELO, Pearl Jam and Journey next month, Gene hinted that the eclectic nature of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame tainted KISS’s honour in 2014.
Asked about KISS’s induction by CantonRep.com, Gene said: "It's appreciated, but I never thought much about it. Like most entities, they're political. Some people in a back room decide who gets in and who does not.”
He continued: "There are people from different genres that I don't believe belong in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.
"There's disco and rap and all kinds of stuff. And I highly respect rap, but on the day Led Zeppelin gets put into the Hip-Hop Hall Of Fame, is the day I will personally accept rap artists as being brought into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. It just ain't the same thing.
“You go to Apple Music, and you go to different genres and you type in 'rock,' you're not gonna find a single rap band in that category. Likewise, if you look at hip hop or rap, you're not gonna see AC/DC or KISS in the list in there."
Last year Gene got into a war of words with rapper Ice Cube when he critiqued N.W.A’s 2016 induction and said he is "looking forward to the death of hip-hop."
Alluding to Gene’s comments during N.W.A’s acceptance speech, Ice Cube said: "Rock 'n' roll is not an instrument. It's not even a style of music. It's a spirit that's been going on since the blues, jazz, bebop, soul, rock 'n' roll, R&B, heavy metal, punk rock, and yes, hip-hop.
"Rock 'n' roll is not conforming to the people who came before you, but creating your own path in music and life. That is rock 'n' roll and that is us."
Gene retorted on Twitter: "Respectfully-- let me know when @JimiHendrix gets into the hip-hop hall of fame. Then you’ll have a point."
Two years before KISS were even inducted, Gene said the annual ceremony had damaged its own integrity by inducting non-rock artists such as Madonna and Blondie.
"It's become a joke...," he said. "We've been thinking about it and the answer is simply, 'We'll just buy it and fire everybody'. In all seriousness for the fans, for something to be called Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is such an insult to Madonna, Blondie and Tone Loc.
"Who the f*** knows what other disco act is in there? It's an insult to them because they don't get to be in the 'Dance Hall of Fame', because that's what they do. They're legitimate dance, disco artists. They don't belong in rock and roll."