NWA rocked the Hall of Fame without playing a single note.
A star-studded audience leaped to its feet, shaking with excitement, as the legendary rappers took the stage, reunited for the first time in years.
Inspirational speeches followed from all the living members. The press was stuck on Ice Cube’s sensational definition of rock n’ roll – and the shade he threw at Gene Simmons of Kiss in the process.
Simmons had sneered at rap, telling Rolling Stone magazine he ‘wanted it to die’ and ‘I am looking forward to the death of hip-hop’.
MC Ren took a pop at his fellow inductee – KISS made the Hall in 2014 – first.
I want to say to Mr. Gene Simmons that hip-hop is here forever. We’re supposed to be here.
But Ice Cube took it to the next level, in a widely reported, deeply inspirational speech:
The question is, ‘Are we rock ‘n’ roll?’ And I say – you goddamn right we rock ‘n’ roll. 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.
The Hall erupted in cheers and a few boos which appeared to be for Simmons, rather than against NWA.
Surprisingly Dr. Dre then returned to the mike with the calm assurance of the label boss, producer and billionaire his Beats deal with Apple has made him:
We should both be here. We should both be in here.
And whether Simmons likes it or not, they definitely are.
