KISS bassist and vocalist Gene Simmons has a long history of outspoken opinions, particularly when it comes to the state of rock music and the legitimacy of other genres in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Over the past decade, Simmons has repeatedly criticized rap and hip-hop’s induction into the Hall, a debate that has sparked public feuds with rap legends including Ice Cube and N.W.A.
Back in 2016, Simmons told Rolling Stone:
“I am 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 also questioned N.W.A.’s induction, prompting a back-and-forth with Ice Cube:
“Respectfully– let me know when @JimiHendrix gets into the hip hop hall of fame. Then youll have a point. @icecube”
Ice Cube fired back:
“@genesimmons Who stole the soul? Chuck Berry, Little Richard and Chubby Checkers help invent Rock ‘n’ Roll. We invent it. Y’all reprint it.”
Nearly a decade later, Simmons’ stance remains firm. During a recent appearance on the Legends N Leaders Podcast, he stated:
“Well, there’s ‘popular’ and then there are words like ‘relevance’. Who determines relevance? Critics? What is that word? How do you [become] relevant? Who does that? Or is it the American ideal? Of the people, for the people, by the people. The first words are ‘we the people’. That’s relevance to me… 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.
“Ice Cube and I had a back-and-forth, and 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 And Roll Hall Of Fame, nor does opera, symphony orchestras. How come the New York Philharmonic doesn’t get [inducted]? ‘Cause it’s called the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. But he shot back and said, ‘No, it’s the spirit of rock and roll.’ Okay, fine. So Ice Cube and Grandmaster Flash and all these guys are in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. 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?”
On the craft of songwriting versus modern music trends, Simmons added:
“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. There are some melodies, but by and large it’s a verbal thing — it’s rhyming and all that. And I know Eminem can [rap really quickly]. I wish him more success. I really don’t give a fuck. 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.”
Reflecting on the broader music industry, Simmons lamented:
“The biggest problem is that the next Beatles, the next Elvis is not gonna have a chance because record companies don’t give out advances. There’s no business. Fans are downloading for zero, next to it, so if you’re a musician, you can’t get paid for your art… Very few things stick to the bones.”
Simmons’ remarks reaffirm his long-standing belief that rock music is fundamentally different from rap and hip-hop and that popularity alone should not dictate induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
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[Via Blabbermouth]
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